The Ark

45th Ann Arbor Folk Fest - Night 2
2022-01-29 18:30 (America/Detroit) | Hill Auditorium, 825 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, United States
Based on the current direction and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, The Ark has made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Ann Arbor Folk Festival. Although the Folk Festival is The Ark’s largest annual fundraising event and cancelling means losing a vital source of our annual operating revenue, our primary concern at this time is for the health and safety of patrons, artists, crew, staff, and the broader community. You can read more about our decision here.
If you have purchased tickets for the festival, look for an email from The Ark or from the Michigan Union Ticket Office with information on ticket refunds.
Saturday, January 29, 2022
Emmylou Harris
Patty Griffin
Oshima Brothers
Sweet Water Warblers
Brittney Spencer
Jared Deck
Sara Watkins – MC
FOLK FEST TICKET INFO
Get ready to Find Your Folk! The 45th annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival returns to Hill Auditorium on Friday, January 28 and Saturday, January 29, live and in-person. The festival is the largest annual fundraiser for The Ark, Ann Arbor’s non-profit home for folk, roots, and ethnic music. Presented by The Ark and Ford Motor Company Fund, the 2022 Folk Fest brings two nights of music which includes a blend of well-known and up-and-coming artists, providing you with an opportunity to hear artists you know and love while discovering great new talent. The lineup delivers the full spectrum of “Ark music,” presenting a taste of what’s happening on the leading edge of acoustic music while delving into the very heart of folk and roots traditions.
All funds raised through the Festival benefit The Ark, Ann Arbor’s non-profit home for folk, roots, and ethnic music.
This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
COVID-19 FAQ
Please Note: Proof of vaccination is required for admission and current University policy requires masking at all times during events at Hill Auditorium. Please check The Ark’s COVID policy page the week of January 24, 2022 for up-to-date information about Festival requirements regarding masking, COVID vaccination, testing, and health screening. All attendees will be required to comply with the health and safety protocols in place at the time of the Festival.

45th Ann Arbor Folk Fest - Night 1
2022-01-28 18:30 | Hill Auditorium, 825 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, United States
Based on the current direction and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, The Ark has made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Ann Arbor Folk Festival. Although the Folk Festival is The Ark’s largest annual fundraising event and cancelling means losing a vital source of our annual operating revenue, our primary concern at this time is for the health and safety of patrons, artists, crew, staff, and the broader community. You can read more about our decision here.
If you have purchased tickets for the festival, look for an email from The Ark or from the Michigan Union Ticket Office with information on ticket refunds.
Friday, January 28, 2022
Glen Hansard
Punch Brothers
Madison Cunningham
The Ghost of Paul Revere
Gina Chavez
Kyshona
Sara Watkins – MC
FOLK FEST TICKET INFO
Get ready to Find Your Folk! The 45th annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival returns to Hill Auditorium on Friday, January 28 and Saturday, January 29, live and in-person. The festival is the largest annual fundraiser for The Ark, Ann Arbor’s non-profit home for folk, roots, and ethnic music. Presented by The Ark and Ford Motor Company Fund, the 2022 Folk Fest brings two nights of music which includes a blend of well-known and up-and-coming artists, providing you with an opportunity to hear artists you know and love while discovering great new talent. The lineup delivers the full spectrum of “Ark music,” presenting a taste of what’s happening on the leading edge of acoustic music while delving into the very heart of folk and roots traditions.
All funds raised through the Festival benefit The Ark, Ann Arbor’s non-profit home for folk, roots, and ethnic music.
This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
COVID-19 FAQ
Please Note: Proof of vaccination is required for admission and current University policy requires masking at all times during events at Hill Auditorium. Please check The Ark’s COVID policy page the week of January 24, 2022 for up-to-date information about Festival requirements regarding masking, COVID vaccination, testing, and health screening. All attendees will be required to comply with the health and safety protocols in place at the time of the Festival.

The RFD Boys
2022-01-22 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
It’s hard to believe, because each show is fresh and new, but the RFD Boys have been delighting Michigan audiences since 1969 with their fabulous musicianship and sly, exquisitely timed between-song humor. They’re legends of Michigan bluegrass, but they’re more than that too. With an appearance on the cover of Bluegrass Unlimited, with songs recorded by the likes of the Country Gentlemen, and with performances alongside bluegrass greats like Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley, the RFD Boys are a part of America’s bluegrass tradition. The RFD Boys one of southeastern Michigan’s most durable musical ensembles, and their shows capture a deep slice of musical Ann Arbor. Their 50th-anniversary appearance at the Folk Festival was a special moment and introduced many listeners to Dan Roehrig, who joined the band on guitar, mandolin, and bass in mid-2018. Dan grew up listening to Doc Watson, Clarence White, and Tony Rice, and you can hear it in both his singing and guitar playing.
Also available as a Virtual concert on our Facebook page. Free! Tip jar available.
Watch the Livestream on Facebook Live
Watch the Livestream on The Ark’s YouTube channel

The Ark's Open Stage
2022-01-19 20:00, 2022-01-05 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Whether you’re looking for your big break, want to perfect your live performance skills, or just want to perform live for the sheer fun of it, Open Stage nights offer supportive audiences and a terrific space. Fifteen performers have eight minutes (or two songs) each to do their thing. Sign-up: doors open at 7:30 p.m. At 7:45 we randomly select the names for the first half, and at 8:30 we draw names for the second half. If your name isn’t chosen, bring your raffle ticket with you to the next Open Stage (often the first and third Wednesdays of the month–check our calendar or website, theark.org), and you’ll double your chances.

G. Love & The Juice
2022-01-18 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
After 27 years of coast to coast touring, the global pandemic grounded the touring juggernaut we have come to know as G. Love & Special Sauce. With band members sheltered in place and scattered across the country and G. Love’s ever-pressing need to release creative juices bore a collaborative and experimental musical group.
Love & The Juice is that new mosaic, drawing from his signature hip hop blues he invited seasoned touring musicians who shared in this vision to deliver a musical experience which includes classic G. Love songs, improvisation jams and the low-down dirty blues which has been a hallmark of Garrett Dutton shows since the 1990’s.
Love & The Juice is a collective of all-star musicians which will be hitting a city or town near you. The current configuration has G. Love fronting the band with his legendary Harmonic, Guitar and Vocals. Jimi Jazz Prescott on upright bass performing his patented electrified upright bass. Chuck Treece, Iconic Philadelphia musician, professional skateboard and longtime collaborator on vocals and drums and Van Gordon Martin of the Organically Good Trio, Big Daddy Kane and Dub Apocalypses on Lead Guitar.
• G. Love’s Pre-Show Pop Off includes a general admission ticket with early entry, access to a pre-show performance and Q&A with G. Love at sound check, group photo on stage with G. Love and a limited edition poster autographed by G. Love. You will receive instructions via email 4-7 days before each show with event information. Please note that this event will take place before doors are open so it will be just you and a few others for a very intimate and interactive performance with G!!

Robert Jones & Matt Watroba
2022-01-17 19:30 - 22:00 | Facebook LIVE
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Ever since their first meeting, over thirty years ago, Robert Jones and Matt Watroba have been musical partners. Their relationship started when they hosted back to back, radio shows on WDET-FM, Detroit. Later on they started performing together and, in doing so, they discovered a friendship based in mutual respect and a love for traditional American music. Now, Matt and Robert literally travel the nation extolling the virtues of “Music That Matters”.
For Matt and Robert, American Roots Music (Folk, Blues, Spirituals, Work Songs, Chants, etc.) is music that matters. This is the music that America and the world have in common. It is music that reflects history, social change, migration, hopes and dreams. It is music that is rich and diverse, direct and powerful. As talented as they are individually, Matt and Robert together form a synergy that hard to describe. Together, they formed a non-profit company called Common Chords to connect communities through music and the arts.

Ellis Paul
2022-01-16 19:30 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Though some may refer to Ellis Paul as a folksinger, he is more, for lack of a better word, a singular storyteller, a musician whose words reach out from inside and yet also express the feelings, thoughts and sensibilities that most people can relate to in one way or another, regardless of age or upbringing. The exhilaration of the open road. A celebration of heroes. The hope for redemption. Descriptions of those things that are both near and dear. His stories are a continuation of tales Paul has told over the expanse of nineteen albums, numerous critical kudos (15 Boston Music Awards alone), inclusion in several blockbuster soundtracks, and stages he has headlined near and far. He has also released a pair of children’s albums, earning him honors from the Parent’s Choice Foundation for both. His latest The Hero In You has been turned into a picture book, detailing the lives of great American heroes.

Jill Jack’s Birthday Bash
2022-01-15 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Due to a band member recently testing positive for COVID and numbers on the rise, Jill Jack has made the decision to cancel this show. Refunds will be issued from the point of purchase.
The Jill Jack Band wishes everyone a happy and healthy New Year and looks forward to seeing you at next year’s Birthday Bash!
COVID-19 FAQ
Jill Jack’s career has spanned decades and taken her around the globe, performing solo and with her band at sold-out shows, and opening for world-renowned acts.
Jack grew up in Huntington Woods and has lived in Ferndale for the last 24 years. Her work includes self-written songs in a style she broadly calls Americana, encompassing elements of folk, rock, country, pop and blues. She plays acoustic and electric guitar, and describes her stage presence as friendly, with a focus on storytelling and a dash of humor.
“By the end of the show, we will all be great friends,” Jack said in an email. “As a musician, I feel we can heal with music. Listening to music is an emotional experience. I want to bring all of those emotions to the surface, while allowing the audience to be relieved of anxiety from their life.
“My storytelling is very relatable,” she added. “While some of my stories can be emotionally deep, I always add a hint of humor. It helps people feel a connection, and also that they are not alone in their troubles.”
Since 1997 she has won 46 awards from the Detroit Music Awards Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks to recognize Detroit-area artists at the local, regional and national levels. Her career spans more than 25 years and 12 award-winning CDs, as well as three new singles during the pandemic.
She has toured across the country, appearing as a headliner at venues and festivals such as SXSW (South by Southwest), the Ann Arbor Folk Festival, the 30A Songwriters Festival, the WYCD Downtown Hoedown, the Blissfest Musical Festival, The Bluebird Cafe and The Living Room in New York City. She has played for audiences as big as 20,000 people and as intimate as 20.
She has also starred in consistently sold-out shows at the historic Ark in Ann Arbor, and opened for such prominent touring acts as Bob Seger, John Waite, Emmy Lou Harris, Shawn Colvin, Patty Griffin, Dan Fogelberg, Marshall Crenshaw, Chris Isaak and Loretta Lynn.
In addition to live performances, she has composed soundtracks for documentaries by the Emmy Award-winning director Keith Farnie, and in 2011 she composed for the million-dollar ad campaign “I’m A Believer” for the city of Detroit. She has composed commercial jingles for such businesses as Thrifty Florist and Little Caesars.
Jack also believes in giving back, with missionary work in Haiti and community service through the Detroit Children’s Choir, the Michigan Arthritis Foundation, Rock for Jobs, Gilda’s Club Bras for a Cause, the Girl Scouts of America, Enchanted Makeovers and Lost Voices — a group that supports young victims of abuse, neglect, violence, addiction and human trafficking, through the gentle encouragement of song.
She said her time in Haiti has been especially meaningful to her. She has been there four times in the last seven years.
“My first experience was the most intense, because no one can prepare you for the sights and sounds of Haiti,” Jack said. “Yes, there is so much poverty. But Haitians pride themselves on their ingenuity, their (faith), their music, their art and their dedication to one another.
“As missionaries, we went where we were needed,” she said. “Some days, we did very hard physical labor, building churches. This meant carrying buckets of wet concrete, bricks, painting, etc. Other days, we were assisting at orphanages, and most recently eye testing and fitting for glasses. Delivering food, clothing and essentials was daily.”
Back at home, Jack helps aspiring artist-entrepreneurs through her career coaching company, Dream Big, Inc. She started the company six or seven years ago, working with upcoming artists to help them focus and reach their creative goals. Dream Big also has half-day workshops available for songwriters to help them craft their music.
“It just felt like another extension of my work,” Jack said. “I originally started the company to help young artists and their parents navigate their way through the music business. But it has turned into a much bigger mission.”
She is currently working with nonprofits, established musicians who need encouragement and even senior citizens who want to leave their mark in music.
“It is never too late to pursue a dream. The only thing that can get in your way is you,” Jack said. “Each client is different, with different needs. Some meet with me weekly, and some biweekly, monthly or quarterly. I am flexible and do not force. I am here to guide and be a support system.”
She also shared a bit of advice for those looking to make a livelihood out of performing.
“It is not the easiest of career choices, and maintaining it for 25 years is a labor of love. Perseverance and authenticity is my motto. Be yourself, no matter what,” Jack said. “The minute you try to be like someone else, you have lost your authenticity and you feel it, your audience feels it. Work from your heart. Not everyone will like you, but they will respect your hard work and tenacity.”
Written by https://www.candgnews.com/reporterbio/andy-kozlowski

The Sweet Remains
2022-01-14 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been cancelled. Purchases made will be automatically refunded by MUTO. Contact MUTO at muto-tix@umich.edu with questions.
COVID-19 FAQ
The Sweet Remains consist of three gifted and charismatic singer-songwriters, each of whom contribute to the writing and the three-part harmonies that define the band’s sound. Driven by strong lyrical and melodic writing, their songs easily appeal to fans of modern folk-rockers like Jason Mraz, Ray Lamontagne, and John Mayer. However, it is their lush harmonies, that distinguish The Sweet Remains from the throngs of guitar-toting troubadour, harking back to supergroups of the 60’s and 70’s like CSN, the Eagles, and Simon & Garfunkel. When Rich Price, Greg Naughto, and Brian Chartrand met for a chance jam session in a Rhode Island hotel room in 2008, the three instantly recognized a musical blend and kinship that would eventually overcome geography (and solo careers) to form The Sweet Remains. Since then they’ve toured as far away as Denmark and Germany, and gained critical raves from the likes of the Boston Herald, which wrote that “it’s been a long time since three-part harmonies this lush were yoked to songs this melodically gorgeous.” Come and luxuriate in the sounds of the harmony trio of the year!

Masters of Hawaiian Music
2022-01-13 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been cancelled. Purchases made will be automatically refunded by MUTO. Contact MUTO at muto-tix@umich.edu with questions.
Four-time Grammy-winner, master slack key guitarist GEORGE KAHUMOKU JR., known as “Hawai‘i’s Renaissance Man”, is a multiple Na Hōkū Hanohano (Hawaiian Grammy) Award winner, a vocalist, storyteller, songwriter & author, teacher, sculptor, farmer, and chef.
A master of the slack key guitar and National Heritage Fellow, LED KAAPANA has been one of Hawaii’s most influential musicians for four decades. His mastery of stringed instruments, his exceptional picking style on slack key guitar and ‘ukulele, and his extraordinary baritone to leo ki`eki`e (falsetto) vocal range, have made him a musical legend and earned him multiple Na Hōkū Awards.
‘Ukulele virtuoso HERB OHTA JR’S natural talent, knowledge, technique, and speed are unsurpassed. Herb’s versatility and ability to adapt to the changing times will captivate you, the listener, and transport you.

Skerryvore
2022-01-12 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been cancelled. Purchases made will be automatically refunded by MUTO. Contact MUTO at muto-tix@umich.edu with questions.
COVID-19 FAQ
With a mix of fiddle, accordions, pipes and whistles, alongside guitar and vocals, underpinned by driving bass, drums and keys, Skerryvore represent the best in contemporary Scottish traditional music. Their 6 studio albums demonstrate the wide range of influences the individual musicians bring to the mix – a unique fusion of folk, trad, rock and Americana, with even some jazz in there!
Comfortable in the studio though the band are, it’s on the road in front of a live audience that they really come into their own. Their live album, recorded at Scottish venues in late 2019, and released in summer 2020, highlights this, as well as giving a hint that there’s still much more to come for Skerryvore’s growing worldwide fanbase.

Oliver Wood Trio
2022-01-11 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been rescheduled for May 11, 2022. Tickets will be reissued automatically for the rescheduled date. Refunds will be available by request only no later than 30 days after the announcement of the new date.
COVID-19 FAQ
Oliver Wood is a mainstay of modern-day American roots music. The frontman of the Wood Brothers since 2004, he’s spent the 21st century blurring the boundaries between folk, gospel, country-soul, and Americana, earning an international audience and a Grammy Award-nomination along the way. Always Smilin’, his debut as a solo artist, continues that tradition while also shining new light on Oliver’s sharp songwriting, savvy guitar chops, and a voice that evokes the swagger of a Saturday evening picking party one moment and the solemnity of a Sunday morning gospel service the next.

Drew Nelson
2022-01-09 19:30 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been cancelled. Purchases made will be automatically refunded by MUTO. Contact MUTO at muto-tix@umich.edu with questions.
COVID-19 FAQ
Michigan-born Navy veteran Drew Nelson is a storytelling songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A fly fisherman and world traveler, he writes as a witness to the lives and journeys of those he has met along the way, mixing Americana and roots-rock with traditional folk styles. Drew describes himself as “a God-fearing feeder of birds.” This Grand Rapids native lists his influences as “Greg Brown, Peter Mulvey, Tom Waits, Patty Griffin, Lyle Lovett, Richard Shindell, Andrew Calhoun, Kat Eggleston, John Gorka, Jan Krist, Ralston Bowles, U2, Bruce Cockburn, and, well…Dylan, Dylan, Dylan.” He’s opened for John Gorka, a big fan, at The Ark, and has toured with Melissa Etheridge and Edwin McCain.

The Yellow Room Gang
2022-01-08 20:00 | Facebook LIVE
This livestream event has been cancelled due to scheduling difficulties.
It’s a night with eight of our favorite Michigan songwriters: “One Shining Moment” composer David Barrett, Detroit native and Great American Song Contest winner Jim Bizer, contemporary country-folk road warrior Annie Capps, Irish-American chanteuse Kitty Donohoe, four-time Detroit Music Award winner Jan Krist, Michael Hough and David Tamulevich of the “Music to Cure What Ails You” duo Mustard’s Retreat, and southeastern Michigan folk veteran Matt Watroba. The Yellow Room is the “brilliantly yellow” living room of Tamulevich’s house on Ann Arbor’s Old West Side, where gang members meet monthly for musical brainstorming and mutual critique. Come and be a fly on the wall as the exchange of creative ideas flows freely! “To have any one of these songwriters perform at Trinity House is a real treat,” says promoter Bill Keith. “To have them perform together is unbelievable.” The Yellow Room Gang has been around for over 15 years now, with all the members coming up with new music all the while.
Free to view – donations to the virtual tip jar in support of the artists and The Ark are appreciated.

Jorma Kaukonen
2022-01-07 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
In a career that has already spanned a half-century, Jorma Kaukonen has been one of the most highly respected interpreters of American roots music, blues, and rock. A member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy recipient, Jorma was at the forefront of popular rock and roll, one of the founders of the San Francisco sound and a progenitor of Psychedelic Rock. He is a founding member of two legendary bands, Jefferson Airplane and the still-touring Hot Tuna. Jorma Kaukonen is a music legend and one of the finest singer-songwriters in his field. He continues to tour the world bringing his unique styling to old blues tunes while presenting new songs of weight and dimension. His secret is in playing spontaneous and unfiltered music with an individual expression of personality.

50 First Jokes
2022-01-06 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been cancelled. Purchases made will be automatically refunded by MUTO. Contact MUTO at muto-tix@umich.edu with questions.
COVID-19 FAQ
The tradition that started more than a decade ago at the Bell House in Brooklyn, and now is a much-anticipated event also in Los Angeles and other cities, is coming back to Ann Arbor! Fifty of the area’s up-and-coming and veteran comics come together to tell the first jokes they’ve written for the new year, kicking off the 2022 comedy scene in the most righteous way possible! It’s fast, it’s fresh, and above all it’s funny. It’s also not going to break the bank, so why not check out some Michigan comic voices you may not have known about?

Albert Lee
2022-01-04 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
British guitar legend Albert Lee, regarded by many as one of the world’s finest guitar players, with a career spanning more than 50 years, needs no introduction for country music, blues, and rock fans. Widely hailed for his finger style and hybrid picking technique, Albert Lee helped to redefine country guitar for a whole generation of players with his song “Country Boy.” Albert’s many career highlights include two Grammy wins, five years in the Eric Clapton band, and stints with the Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman, The Crickets, the Everly Brothers, Joe Cocker, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell and many more. Take it from Emmylou, who says, “When Saint Peter asks me to chronicle my time down here on earth, I’ll be able to say—with pride if that’s allowed—that for a while I played rhythm guitar in a band with Albert Lee.”

Blackthorn
2021-12-18 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Blackthorn welcomes you to the rich tapestry of Celtic music.
Traditional songs of emigration, sea shanties, lively jigs and reels, and ancient airs combine with some of Ireland’s best contemporary songs for a musical experience that captures the history and legend of Ireland and its people.
What makes a Blackthorn show unique is the variety of tunes, tempos and textures. Each member of the band plays multiple instruments, including wooden flute, accordion, tin whistle, five string banjo, cittern, bones and more. These instruments complement the lead vocal of Belfast native Richard McMullan and the band’s tight blend of four part harmony.
Blackthorn has played throughout the Great Lakes region since 1984. Based in Detroit, they can be found regularly at O’Mara’s Pub and Restaurant in Berkley. Other venues include concert halls, universities and festivals, including main stage appearances at the prestigious Michigan Irish Festival and world renowned Milwaukee Irish Fest.
Metro Detroiters fondly remember Blackthorn’s annual appearances on J. P. McCarthy’s St. Patrick’s Day show on WJR radio in the 1980s and 1990s, and later with Paul W. Smith. They have released seven CDs, and have performed with guest musicians such as members of the Michigan Opera Theater and the Motor City Brass Band. In 2010, Blackthorn was voted “Best Folk Band/Artist” by the readers of The Detroit Metro Times.
From large festival, to pub, restaurant or intimate performing arts center, Blackthorn provides time tested entertainment. Chuck Ward of the Milwaukee Irish Fest says this about the band, “Blackthorn was very well received at Milwaukee Irish Fest, they impressed everyone with their strong and well blended songs. They are strong ambassadors in their commitment to continuing the Irish ballad tradition and a crowd pleasing addition to any festival.”

Mick Gavin's Crossroads Ceili
2021-12-17 19:30 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Fiddler Mick Gavin’s annual Crossroads Ceili is a great way to mark the turning of the year. It’s a gathering of local Celtic-oriented singers, instrumentalists, and dancers, all sharing the stage to get your Celtic music year off to a good start. This year’s Ceili will feature traditional Celtic Christmas music.

The Ark and AEG present Tommy Emmanuel
2021-12-14 19:00 | Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W 4th St, Royal Oak, MI, 48067, United States
Tommy Emmanuel is one of Australia’s most respected musicians. The legendary guitarist has a professional career that spans five decades and continues to intersect with some of the finest musicians throughout the world. One of only five musicians handpicked by his mentor, Chet Atkins, as a Certified Guitar Player (C.G.P), he’s piled up numerous accolades, including two Grammy nominations and two ARIA Awards from the Australian Recording Industry Association (the Aussie equivalent of the Recording Academy). A noted fingerstyle guitarist, Emmanuel frequently threads three different parts simultaneously into his material, operating as a one-man band who handles the melody, the supporting chords and the bass all at once.

Dar Williams
2021-12-12 19:30 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Dar Williams has always followed her muse. When she was up in Somerville, Massachusetts, in the early nineties, knowing that she wanted to pursue music or theater, she worked backstage at the Opera Company of Boston and wrote plays on the side. But she was in Boston, and the muse led her into the myriad open mics and tip jar gigs of booming folk revival. She opened a trunk of old songs and started writing new ones. Dar still loves every minute of her job and always advises folks to “follow their muse.” She still goes wherever the muse leads her, which, presently, is right back on her couch, coffee on the coffee table, guitar in hand, writing her next batch of songs. Come by and pick up a copy of Dar’s new middle-school children’s novel,Amalee.
Opening is Emily Scott Robinson, named one of Rolling Stone’s “10 New Country and Americana Artists You Need to Know” for 2019.

14th Annual Ebird & Friends Holiday Show
2021-12-11 20:00, 2021-12-10 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
It happens in the middle of Michigan in the heart of December. Since 2007, it has become a yearly tradition for The Ragbirds to present this unique family-friendly holiday show called Ebird & Friends. The songs and artists change from year to year, but the spirit of the event is community, the soul is creativity and the show is unforgettable. “Ebird” is Erin Zindle, lead singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist of The Ragbirds. Erin’s budding childhood love of music was sparked at Christmastime. The holidays were the one time each year that the entire Zindle family gathered to make music together, and that early communal experience of music took deep roots. Fiddles, horns, bagpipes, guitars, and instruments from all over the world will be sounding their voices together in harmony. Expect to be entertained, surprised, cheered, and warmed by this collaborative artistic performance of new and old songs, including Ragbirds’ original songs inspired by the holiday. This show has become a phenomenon and it shows no signs of slowing down.

14th Annual Ebird & Friends Holiday Show
2021-12-11 14:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been cancelled. Refunds from point of purchase. Tickets purchased from MUTO will be automatically refunded.
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
It happens in the middle of Michigan in the heart of December. Since 2007, it has become a yearly tradition for The Ragbirds to present this unique family-friendly holiday show called Ebird & Friends. The songs and artists change from year to year, but the spirit of the event is community, the soul is creativity and the show is unforgettable. “Ebird” is Erin Zindle, lead singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist of The Ragbirds. Erin’s budding childhood love of music was sparked at Christmastime. The holidays were the one time each year that the entire Zindle family gathered to make music together, and that early communal experience of music took deep roots. Fiddles, horns, bagpipes, guitars, and instruments from all over the world will be sounding their voices together in harmony. Expect to be entertained, surprised, cheered, and warmed by this collaborative artistic performance of new and old songs, including Ragbirds’ original songs inspired by the holiday. This show has become a phenomenon and it shows no signs of slowing down.

Stephen Kellogg
2021-12-08 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Over the last decade, New England native Stephen Kellogg has performed more than 2,000 concerts around the world, raised thousands of dollars for causes close to his heart, been named Armed Forces Entertainer of the Year, and penned singles for artists like platinum selling rock band O.A.R and American Idol winner Nick Fradiani. Stephen’s most recent writing work with legendary guitarist Robert Randolph, led to a Grammy nomination for “Best Contemporary Blues Record.” He’s also had his songs covered by international major label acts and released ten studio albums of his own yielding hundreds of thousands of ticket and record sales.
A father of four and married to his high school sweetheart, filmmaker Peter Harding was so moved by the everyman nature of Kellogg’s story that he made a documentary called “Last Man Standing” which went on to become an Amazon exclusive film. In recent years, Kellogg has added authorship and speaking to his resume as well. He delivered a TEDx Talk on job satisfaction, the keynote speech for the prestigious photography summit WRKSHP, and was invited to speak to the students at Columbine High School in Littleton, CO on the topics of social justice and ‘finding your voice.’ He has appeared as a contributing author in several publications and in 2020, will be publishing his first full length book-a collection of essays called, “Objects in the Mirror: Thoughts on a Perfect Life from an Imperfect Person.”
Kellogg’s newest studio album, Objects In The Mirror, was recorded over the course of a single week in Nashville, TN. Produced by Will Hoge and featuring twelve songs that explore American life in 2018, the decision was made to track the band live, keeping the results in tact with minimal overdubs. “I wanted to make an album that sounded and felt like the ones I grew up loving; Bob Seger and Cat Stevens, Tom Petty and Rod Stewart. Emotional records where the songs relate to each other and the lyrics are front and center. That’s my true north.” That sentiment comes through loud and clear on Objects In The Mirror, an album which Rolling Stone says sounds ‘like John Prine fronting The Heartbreakers.” Another journalist succinctly describes his music as “a beautiful display of- well, his heart,” while Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz told Glide Magazine, “He’s just one of the most likable people I’ve known. There are few people in rock n’ roll who are just so great.”
While Stephen Kellogg may have remained underneath the radar for some in the mainstream, he has succeeded in building a meaningful career alongside many of the best in the business. He’s sung duets with Sara Bareilles, Josh Ritter, Rosanne Cash, and Pat Monahan of Train and participated in the 2018 “Garden Of Dreams’ concert at the Beacon Theater. His music has found its way onto the Billboard charts and been featured in numerous films and TV shows. Whether performing solo or with a band, Kellogg’s soul and energy fuel one of the most dynamic shows anywhere. “With beautifully written songs and an engaging personality”, The Michigan Daily reports, “Kellogg appears as if he was born on stage, taking the spotlight and using it to his advantage, but never letting go of his connection with the audience.” A master storyteller in his prime, he will spend much of 2020 where he’s always been at home…the road.

Nefesh Mountain
2021-12-07 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Since their arrival on the scene in 2015, Nefesh Mountain has been hailed as one of today’s formative boundary pushing Bluegrass/Americana bands. They’re among the first to truly give voice and openly represent Jewish American culture, tradition, values and spirituality in the world of American roots music. In a testament to the unbridled imagination and extraordinary grace of their musicianship, each track on Songs for the Sparrows ineffably evokes the sensation of roaming through the unknown. True to the album’s spirit of loving inclusivity, Lindberg and Zasloff, have created an elegantly wayward sound by melding elements of everything from Americana and Appalachian bluegrass to Celtic folk and Eastern European music. Not only a reflection of their vast musical knowledge, that open-hearted embracing of so many eclectic genres also speaks to the joyful curiosity that animates every aspect of their artistry.

Charlie Parr | Dead Horses
2021-12-06 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Charlie Parr is an incorruptible outsider who writes novelistic, multi-layered stories that shine a kaleidoscopic light on defiant, unseen characters thriving in the shadows all around us. He hasn’t moved to LA or Nashville; he’s stayed in the cold grey north of Minnesota, because that’s his home. Charlie makes his Smithsonian Folkways Recordings debut with ‘Last of The Better Days Ahead’, out worldwide July 30, 2021.
Dead Horses isn’t a band in the conventional sense. Rather, it’s an intimate, folk-inspired conversation between two close friends. At its core, the participants are guitarist/singer Sarah Vos and bassist Daniel Wolff. Dead Horses weave together a vibrant patchwork of classic and contemporary influences that span trad roots, indie- folk, and other experimental musical idioms. Through it all, the union of Sarah’s emotive songwriting with Dan’s intrepid bass playing transcends the singer-songwriter-with-backup-musicians paradigm.

Andy McKee
2021-12-05 19:30 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Topeka-born Andy McKee has made the cover of both Acoustic Guitar and Britain’s Acoustic magazine. He’s a virtuoso to beat the band! Andy entertains both the eye and the ear with his use of altered tunings, tapping, partial capos, percussive hits, and with his signature two-handed technique. His guitar performance videos have received hundreds of millions of views on the Internet, and at one point he held the top three positions on YouTube’s list of top-rated videos of all time. After starting out on electric guitar, Andy switched as a teen to acoustic and began studying the music of Michael Hedges, Don Ross, Billy McLaughlin, and Preston Reed. To this day he still cites those four musicians as primary influences. Master craftsman and innovator at the same time, Andy McKee is a virtuoso for our time, and his live shows are absolutely legendary.
The unfolding era of the music business has provided many fresh opportunities for artists to foster direct and meaningful connections with new audiences around the globe. Trevor Gordon Hall is a powerful emerging voice, albeit without words to his music, showing that combining honest heart felt compositions with precise technical virtuosity do not sideline an artist in today’s world but can launch a wider reach than ever before. With an exploding presence on streaming services like Spotify, YouTube etc., a tour calendar that has taken him all over the world, it’s safe to say that this is a new era for artists like Trevor to engage listeners from all cultures, languages, genres, and backgrounds.

A Winter's Night with DeVotchKa
2021-12-04 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been cancelled. Purchases made will be automatically refunded by MUTO. Contact MUTO at muto-tix@umich.edu with questions.
A cross-pollination of numerous influences, including cabaret, spaghetti Westerns, norteño, punk, and the immigrant dance music of Eastern Europe, Colorado-based quartet DeVotchKa, formed in Denver by multi-instrumentalists Nick Urata (vocals, guitar, trumpet), Tom Hagerman (violin, accordion), Jeanie Schroder (sousaphone, bass) and percussionist Shawn King, emerged as unlikely indie heroes in the mid-2000s infusing modern indie music with a global flavor.
They found widespread success in 2006 with their Grammy-nominated soundtrack to the hit indie film Little Miss Sunshine. Signing with revered indie, Anti-, the band delivered A Mad and Faithful Telling in early 2008, reaching the number nine slot on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. A lengthy world tour followed, including stops at major festivals like Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Bumbershoot. After doing more soundtrack work, this time for the 2009 comedy I Love You Phillip Morris, the group returned to the studio for 2011’s moody and triumphant 100 Lovers. Embarking on another world tour, they collaborated with the Colorado Symphony on the 2012 concert album Live with the Colorado Symphony. Over the next several years, Urata became increasingly involved in his own film composition career, scoring movies like Crazy Stupid Love, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Paddington, and the Netflix series A Series of Unfortunate Events. Meanwhile, the band regrouped for a lengthy recording session, eventually returning in 2018 with their sixth album, This Night Falls Forever, this time via Concord Records.
