Neil Woodward Trio
2024-01-07 19:30 - 23:00 (America/Detroit) | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Neil Woodward’s musical performances bring to life the Michigan Experience for Great Lakes audiences and visitors from around the world. Neil’s first time to play at The Ark was 1975. He is recipient of Michigan State University’s Michigan Traditional Arts 2018 Heritage Award for leadership and artistry in folk music. In 2003 the State of Michigan Legislature officially designated Neil “Michigan’s Troubadour” in recognition of his life-long commitment to preservation of Great Lakes folk music and culture. He performs in historical settings (Greenfield Village/Henry Ford and Crossroads Village/Huckleberry Railroad), and modern ones: schools, libraries, parks, festivals, lighthouses, theaters, and homes present Neil’s award-winning instrumental skills and storytelling. Neil Woodward is a Michigan treasure, and if you’ve never seen him before, you should!
Tonight’s concert is a benefit for Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. “This life is a treasure. It is such a blessing to be playing music for a living, sharing stories and songs with people around the world! Yet, we are all one short step away from a world of trouble. Having to miss one gig can be the difference between having the rent covered or having to sleep under a bridge. We need to lend a hand when we are able. I invite you to attend the show, but please make a contribution if you can. Thank you and BIG thanks to Sweet Relief, The Ark, and everyone supporting folks doing this work!” -Neil Woodward

Albert Lee
2024-01-08 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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, blues and rock fans. Widely hailed for his fingerstyle 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 (at Clapton’s request Albert played the Crossroads Festival with Eric at Madison Square Garden) 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.” Come by and pick up a copy of Albert’s new album, “Gypsy Man: A Tribute to Buddy Holly.”

Save The Speakeasy Benefit Concert
2024-01-09 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
In 2022, Johnny Williams’ home — above his well-known and highly regarded house concert venue, Johnny’s Speakeasy — suffered a devastating fire. Johnny paid for a premium homeowner’s replacement policy for nearly 30 years, but after 18+ months his insurance company continues to delay fair payment on his claim. A denial of fair payment will shutter this historic Ann Arbor musical institution and force Johnny Williams, a pillar of our community, to move away. As of now, the insurance company stopped paying for temporary housing so Johnny has been forced to move up north near family. This benefit concert features a lineup of some of the finest artists from across Michigan performing in support and solidarity with the grassroots, community driven campaign to Save the Speakeasy and Bring Johnny Home! All proceeds will go to a community created legal fund to help Johnny attain a fair settlement so that he can return to Ann Arbor, rebuild his home, and reopen the beloved Speakeasy.
Livestream the show here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2348396778883858/
Please note early start time.
Lineup:
Chris Buhalis
Judy Banker Band
Al Bettis
Dave Boutette & Kristi Davis
Annie & Rod Capps Band
Rochelle Clark
Shari Kane & Dave Steele
Billy King and San & Emily Slomovits
Misty Lyn & the Big Beautiful
Peter Madcat Ruth
The Sidemen
The Dick Siegel Trio
Rollie Tussing Trio
The Whiskey Charmers
Wilson Thicket

The Ark's Open Stage
2024-01-10 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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. Twelve performers have eight minutes (or two songs) each to do their thing. Sign-up: doors open at 7:30 p.m. At 7:55 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.

Corey Harris & Cedric Watson "True Blues"
2024-01-11 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Featuring two of the most fascinating voices in modern Delta blues,—Corey Harris and Cedric Watson—”True Blues” is a very special show. Corey is a MacArthur Grant recipient, and Cedric is one of Louisiana’s foremost purveyors of Creole music and culture. True Blues chronicles the extraordinary living culture of the blues in an evening of music and conversation. Guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, bandleader, and MacArthur fellow Corey Harris has carved out his own niche in the blues tradition. He has performed, recorded, and toured with many of the top names in music such as B.B. King, Taj Mahal, Buddy Guy, R.L.Burnside, The Dave Matthews Band, Tracy Chapman, and Wilco, among others, and was a featured artist and narrator of the Martin Scorcese 2003 film “Feel Like Going Home,” which traced the evolution of blues from West Africa to the southern U.S. Corey shares the stage with one of the brightest young talents to emerge in Cajun, creole and zydeco (Louisiana French) music over the last decade, Cedric Watson—a four-time Grammy-nominated fiddler, singer, accordionist, and songwriter with seemingly unlimited potential.

John McEuen & The Circle Band
2024-01-12 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
The Life I’ve Picked
An Evening with John McEuen and The Circle Band:
John takes the audience on his trip with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, one that led to the incredible multi-platinum Will the Circle be Unbroken album which he initiated in 1972. John captured the band over the years on 8mm film, and with his brother’s (William E. McEuen, manager/producer) video and stills, we see the unseen backstory of this iconic musician, album, and band. Exactly what did happen at the magic sessions that created the landmark Will the Circle Be Unbroken album? Possibly the most popular and famous Americana/Blue Grass album ever recorded, and how John started it in Colorado, is told with the music and video on stage. “These previously unseen shots, on a huge screen, are incredible. It’s like being there!” John says, “We play songs that relate to what is on the screen”.
Joined by another NGDB co-founder and “Circle” veteran (bass, mandolin) Les Thompson, John brings his guitar, banjo, fiddle, and mandolin along with their favorite Dirt Band and Circle songs to the audience. With them will be Danny Knicely (guitar, mandolin and great vocals) bringing his incredible mastery to this show, singing some of the songs with his Virginia voice. And, Bryan McDowell, also a ‘Winfield winner’, with his vocals, guitar and mandolin. John tells the stories behind the songs, collaborating with such notables as Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Maybelle Carter, Bob Dylan, and life-long friend Steve Martin.
For The Ark John has invited The Stranded Hoboes to do a cameo performance with him and join in a few ‘Circle’ songs. This bluegrass group (made up with Wounded Warriors), and will also play “Bluegrass Banjo Boy” with John, a tune he recorded with them last year.
McEuen’s renown countless jams include street performers to Phish, Earl Scruggs, Levon Helm, Leon Russell… and even Sesame Street with a herd of goats and a cow! Arguably, McEuen’s most important legacy may be his initiation of what Rolling Stone called “The most important record to come out of Nashville” and 2004 ZAGAT survey called “the most important record in country music” – Will the Circle Be Unbroken
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A co-founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (1966), John McEuen has continually performed since 1963 – 11,500 concerts and 300 television shows throughout more than 4 million miles – both with the band and as a solo performer. He has been honored solo by the Folk Alliance Organization Best in the West Award. Beyond performing, John has a rich history of creating, producing and preserving original and traditional folk and acoustic music… and, taking it to new audiences.
McEuen has made over 40 albums (6 solo) that have earned five platinum and five gold recognition awards, multiple Grammy Awards and nominations, CMA and ACM awards, Emmy nominations, IBMA record of the year award, and performed on another 25 albums as guest artist. He’s also produced more than 300 concerts – the first in 1965 in Long Beach Calif., with Bob Dylan.
John’s production of Steve Martin – The Crow won the 2010 Best Bluegrass Album Grammy. The Music of the Wild West CD- produced by McEuen, was honored with the Western Heritage Award. A Grammy nomination for String Wizards II preceded the Uncle Dave Macon Award – for excellence in preservation and performance of historic music; John’s popular Sirius/XM Acoustic Traveller show, now in its 17th year on The Bridge. John produced the documentary film The Dillards – A Night In the Ozarks, capturing his early mentors at their best.

Steppin' In It
2024-01-14 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Toting a stack of vintage instruments and a sound that brings listeners back to the days of old-time radio, Lansing’s Steppin’ In It pounds out its own distinct combination of old-time country, swing and blues. This band is a consistent favorite all over Michigan and beyond—in the words of England’s Rock and Reel magazine, they’re “possessed with a consistently delightful spirit of musical adventure that, as well as bringing elements of old-time, country, cajun, blues and various roots styles to the table, manages to instill everything they do with an attractive and accessible cool.” Join us for the band that just about started it all for Michigan roots music. Songwriter Zak Bunce (who happens to be the brother of Ark favorite Rachael Davis) opens.

G. Love & Special Sauce 30th Anniversary Tour
2024-01-17 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Born Garrett Dutton in Philadelphia, PA, G. Love grew up equally enthralled with folk, blues, and rap, devouring everything from Lead Belly and Run D.M.C. to John Hammond and the Beastie Boys. After migrating to Boston, he and his band, Special Sauce, broke out in 1994 with their Gold-selling self-titled debut, which earned widespread critical acclaim for its bold vision and adventurous production. Over the next twenty-five years, G. Love would go on to release seven more similarly lauded studio studios albums with Special Sauce (plus four solo albums on his own), solidifying his place in music history as a genre-bending pioneer with a sound The New York Times described as “a new and urgent hybrid” and NPR called a “musical melting pot.” G. Love’s magnetic stage presence, meanwhile, made him a fixture on festival lineups from Bonnaroo to Lollapalooza, and his relentless appetite for tour and collaboration landed him on the road and in the studio with artists as diverse as Lucinda Williams, Dave Matthews, The Avett Brothers, Jack Johnson, and DJ Logic. G. Love celebrates his 30th anniversary with his latest album, “The Juice,” co-written and co-produced with blues great Keb’ Mo’.
G. Love is excited to offer the Pre-Show VIP option. G. Love’s Pre-Show Pop Off is an ALL REQUEST storytellers solo acoustic performance by G. Love and a one of a kind merch package. The pre-show pop off also includes early entry, a Q&A and photo opportunity with G. Love, and early access to the merch booth. Your VIP Pre-Show Pop off ticket includes a general admission ticket into the show.
G. Love’s Pre-Show Pop Off VIP Ticket Includes:

An ALL REQUEST storyteller acoustic performance by G. Love
Q&A session with G. Love
Photo with G. Love
VIP Laminate
Exclusive 30th Anniversary Poster
Early access to the merch booth

*THIS VIP UPGRADE INCLUDES A TICKET TO THE SHOW. You must have a Pre-Show Pop Off ticket in order to redeem the VIP package elements and be let into the event. Tickets to the show must be presented at the time of entry to the Pre-Show Pop Off.

Folk Fest Warm Up: On a Winter's Night
2024-01-18 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Folk Fest Warm-up: On A Winter’s Night brings together four veteran singer-songwriters – all longtime friends of The Ark and the Ann Arbor Folk Festival – who are among the brightest stars of the singer/songwriter movement over the past three decades. Join us in the cozy, intimate space of The Ark’s Ford Listening Room for an in-the-round performance with Ark favorites John Gorka, Patty Larkin, Lucy Kaplansky, and Cliff Eberhardt. In 1994 Christine Lavin gathered these top singer-songwriters together, along with other folk and Americana artists to showcase music of the Winter Season on the now-classic “On A Winter’s Night” CD, followed by several years of touring collaborations. These artists have released dozens of recordings and toured steadily through the decades, with fond memories of their touring days together. The winter season is again celebrated by these unique and popular performers, back together by popular demand.
As we get ready to roll out the full details of the 47th Ann Arbor Folk Festival next month, we’re excited to announce that Bank of Ann Arbor will once again join The Ark as Folk Fest 2024’s Presenting Sponsor. “Each year, the Ann Arbor Folk Festival surprises us with its exceptional lineup of performers,” says Tim Marshall, president and CEO of Bank of Ann Arbor. “This year is no exception. Once again, we’re proud and excited to be the presenting sponsor of one of our country’s great musical events, here in one of America’s culturally rich towns. Great musicians are always welcome and appreciated in Ann Arbor.

Django Reinhardt Birthday Celebration
2024-01-19 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Join Djangophonique, guitar prodigy Henry Acker (Rhythm Future Quartet), and violin virtuoso Grant Flick in celebration of Django Reinhardt’s legacy of music that is still alive and evolving 114 years after he was born.
Djangophonique is an award winning project that delivers the infectious joy, and expressive freedom that is at the heart of Django Reinhardt’s jazz manouche. With respect for the tradition and a fearless creativity that bends the conventions of the style, Djangophonique is keeping the Hot Club revival alive and well. The result is a sound that’s unmistakable to fans of the music, and alluring to the uninitiated—a sound that can bring the lively energy of a Parisian dance hall to the quietest listening room or captivate a buzzing festival audience with the aching nostalgia of a shimmering ballad.
Djangophonique has been described as “…the cleanest, most genuine manouche jazz that can be heard in Michigan” (Local Spins). Led by guitar player Andrew Brown, a true disciple of the style, the project has cultivated a community of musicians who channel the tenacious agility that the music demands. In 2022 the group released their first studio album, “Introducing Djangophonique,” which featured Tyler Rindo on Clarinet and Jorian Olk-Szost on double-bass and won Best Jazz Album, Traditions Award, as well as earning them Artist Of The Year at the WYCE Jammies. In 2023 guitarist Nicholas Martin joined the ensemble on rhythm guitar and the group began a new chapter with the addition of vocalist Katie Smith, who’s soulful approach channels the mystery and appeal of an unplaceable era. With a second studio album and a full concert schedule in the works for 2024, Djangophonique is poised to forge a connection with an expansive audience through the resonance of their artistry.

Heywood Banks
2024-01-20 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Heywood Banks is simply one of a kind, almost impossible to describe, with a style his very own. Equal parts genius and buffoon, this songwriter-comic-singer-poet-musician has become a cult hero and a pop icon, with a show that appeals to college students, stoners, businessmen, yuppies, rednecks, punks, kids or your grandmother. Heywood intersperses his humorous observations of life with twisted, inventive, bizarre songs, sung and played in a variety of styles, from folk, to country to rock to pop, and way beyond. You have to be pretty sharp to get Heywood at his deepest level (he demands a high level of pop culture literacy), but you can also enjoy him just for his vocal style impersonations, expert musicianship and just plain silliness. Heywood has appeared on A&E’s Evening at the Improv, MTV’s 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour, CNN’s Hollywood Minute, Caroline’s Comedy Hour, Entertainment Tonight, Showtime Comedy Club Network, and the Dr. Demento Show,” and is a frequent guest on the national Bob and Tom radio show.

Midwest Gypsy Swing Fest on-the-road
2024-01-21 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Featuring Harmonious Wail & Leila Duclos
Ann Arbor’s vital Hot Club swing scene is matched by the one in Madison, where Wisconsin’s Midwest Gypsy Swing Fest is held twice a year. Now these Madison sounds are coming to Michigan! That festival was founded by Harmonious Wail, which takes audiences on a ride from Parisian cafes to the deepest blues of the Memphis Delta, to the heartfelt folk scenes across every-town-America. Harmonious Wail is joined by guitarist and singer Leila Duclos, direct from France! The daughter of famed French jazz guitarist Cyril Duclos, Leila comes to Michigan with a new album, “Fille de feu” (Daughter of Fire). There’s going to be plenty of hot stuff on this Django-style jazz bill.

Aleksi Campagne
2024-01-23 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Aleksi Campagne is uniquely qualified to offer a contemporary, indie-folk take on the time-honored fiddle-singing tradition. When playing live, Aleksi floors audiences by singing while bowing his violin and leading his four-piece band. His original music blends folk song writing with an edgy, multi-layered sound resulting from his unique combination of voice, violin and looping-effect pedals. He’s not just a folksinger with a guitar! Although he’s coming to The Ark with his first full-length album, “For the Giving,” Aleksi Campagne is not new to the stage. At five years old, he began performing alongside his mother, Canadian folk icon Connie Kaldor. At 19 he moved to Paris to study under jazz violin legend Didier Lockwood. At 21, Aleksi became the only student to have ever been accepted into the classical violin, the jazz violin and the jazz voice performance programs at McGill University. And, by 25, Aleksi had graced the lineups of some of Canada’ most beloved folk festivals—including the Mariposa Folk Festival, the Regina Folk Festival, and the Northern Lights Festival, among others.

47th Ann Arbor Folk Fest
2024-01-26 19:00 - 23:00 | Hill Auditorium, 825 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, United States
The Ark and Bank of Ann Arbor are excited to announce the lineup for the Ann Arbor Folk Fest which returns to a two-night format in Hill Auditorium for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic. The festival is The Ark’s largest annual fundraiser and 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. Friday night’s lineup features Old Crow Medicine Show, Devon Gilfillian, Bailen, Darren Kiely, Sons of Mystro, and MC Jeff Daniels.

47th Ann Arbor Folk Fest
2024-01-27 19:00 - 23:00 | Hill Auditorium, 825 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, United States
The Ark and Bank of Ann Arbor are excited to announce the lineup for the Ann Arbor Folk Fest which returns to a two-night format in Hill Auditorium for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic. The festival is The Ark’s largest annual fundraiser and 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. Saturday night’s lineup features Emmylou Harris, Michigan Rattlers, Steve Poltz, Lizzie No, The Sea The Sea, and MC Jeff Daniels.

Kevin Burt & Big Medicine
2024-01-30 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Iowa bluesman Kevin Burt and his band, Big Medicine, make their Ark debut with a new release, “Thank You, Brother Bill: A Tribute to Bill Withers:: (Gulf Coast Records). “Kevin Burt has been a force for years and is finally getting the International recognition he so deeply deserves,” says Gulf Coast Records founder Mike Zito. Kevin and Bill Withers have a connection deeper than their voices. A song by Bill Withers, says Kevin, “instantly attaches itself to my soul.” The late Bill Withers “told me in a roughly two-hour conversation we had many things that (pardon the pun) lean on today. One of those nuggets of insight was to ‘tell the stories that make me feel most vulnerable, that’s what people connect with.’ His story relates to my story. His songs relate to different points in time in my life like no other as an artist. I hope to someday have an impact on someone else’s world the way Mr. Withers has had an impact on mine. … I hope that I did the songs justice. Big love, Brother Bill Withers, and big love to you all.”

The Ark's Open Stage
2024-01-31 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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. Twelve performers have eight minutes (or two songs) each to do their thing. Sign-up: doors open at 7:30 p.m. At 7:55 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 and you’ll double your chances.

Kruger Brothers
2024-02-01 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Some call it jazz. It has classical elements. Some call it bluegrass. Certainly the music of The Kruger Brothers (or, for the umlaut-inclined, The Krüger Brothers) is all of that and more. Experience what happens when these innovative and soulful world-class virtuosos put on one-of-a-kind performance that audiences find breathtaking and unforgettable. When you listen to the music of The Kruger Brothers, you can’t help but be amazed by the sheer depth of their artistry. Originally from Europe, now living in North Carolina, they were first introduced to American audiences in 1997, quickly gaining the attention of fans and the music industry alike. Drawing on a rich cultural palette, theirs is a music that celebrates the best of what music can be: exciting, engaging, intelligent, and delightful. Brother Jens Kruger is a recent recipient of the Steve Martin Bluegrass Prize.

Mustard's Retreat
2024-02-02 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Mustard’s Retreat has always sung the songs they enjoyed and cared about, regardless of the trends of the music industry and pop culture. They are committed to simply being themselves, not chasing fame or brass rings, while delighting in and connecting with their audiences as if they were family. The honesty of what they present onstage and the extensive body of outstanding original songs and recordings all contribute to a fiercely loyal audience that continues to grow. “Music to cure what ails you” was how one reviewer in the 1970s described them, and that is as true now as it was then. They’ve traveled more than a million miles and performed more than 6,000 shows, from pig roasts and pool parties to Lincoln Center Out of Doors, The Barns at Wolftrap and the Kennedy’s Center’s Millennium Stage. They’ve recently begun referring to their career and touring as “Defiantly Hopeful.” In part due to their long career, but more as a statement about what the music has meant to them. “Folk music is, at its heart, defiantly hopeful!” founder David Tamulevich says. “We came of age in the 60s, at the confluence of Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, Bob Dylan and the singer/songwriter revolution. We care much more about what we do and stand for and finding that common ground with our audiences, than fame or money: this is our community of choice, and we consider ourselves so fortunate to be here.” Tonight’s show features the Mustard’s Retreat 2.0 duo of Tamulevich and Libby Glover, who come to The Ark with a new album, “By Request.” This February marks Mustard retreat’s 50th year of performing!

Appalachian Roadshow
2024-02-03 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Appalachian Roadshow is a visionary acoustic ensemble, bringing new-generation interpretations of traditional Americana, bluegrass and folk songs, as well as offering innovative original music, all presented with a common thread tied directly to the heart of the Appalachian regions of the United States. Grammy-nominated banjoist Barry Abernathy joins forces with Grammy-winning fiddler Jim VanCleve, fresh off of his recent stint touring with multi-platinum country artist Josh Turner, as well as esteemed vocalist and mandolinist Darrell Webb, who has recorded and toured with Dolly Parton and Rhonda Vincent, among many others. The group also includes 26-year-old “old soul” guitarist Zeb Snyder, whose fierce and versatile playing recalls Doc Watson and Norman Blake as readily as it does Duane Allman and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Bil Lepp
2024-02-04 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Bil Lepp is an award-winning storyteller, author, and recording artist. He’s the host of the History Channel’s Man Vs History series, the occasional host of NPR’s internationally syndicated Mountain Stage, and a contributing columnist to the West Virginia Gazette-Mail. Bil’s humorous, family friendly tall-tales and stories have earned the appreciation of listeners of all ages and from all walks of life. Though a five time champion of the WV Liars’s Contest, Lepp’s stories often contain morsels of truth which present universal themes in clever and witty ways. Audiences all across the country, from grade schools to corporate execs to the Comedy Central’s Hudson stage, have been delighted by Bil’s mirthful tales and delightful insights into everyday life. Bil’s books and audio collections have won awards including the PEN Steven Kroll Award for Children’s Book Writing, Parents’ Choice Gold awards, and awards from the National Parenting Publications Assoc., and the Public Library Assoc. He is also the recipient of the Vandalia Award, West Virginia’s highest folk honor.

Eric Johanson
2024-02-05 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
In the midst of creating his new album, “The Deep and the Dirty,” singer-guitarist Eric Johanson learned that his previous album cracked the Top 10 on the Billboard blues chart. It was his fourth time reaching the Top 10. And for a Louisiana native who’d grown up idolizing bluesmen like Freddie King and Robert Johnson, it felt pretty good. Even so, genre success didn’t discourage Johanson from reaching beyond the blues for the new album’s eclectic, electrifying songs. “I’ve never tried to stay within one box,” Eric says. “Blues is at the root of the different styles of music I play—hard rock, Americana, New Orleans funk, country—but I don’t see the lines between genres, and I’m not following a standard form. What I find important about the blues is the rawness of it. The expression of it. The humanness of it. That’s what makes “The Deep and the Dirty” a blues album: the raw self-expression.”

Jacob Warren & Friends
2024-02-06 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Jacob Warren is well known to Ark audiences. He plays with the eclectic and rising acoustic music group Westbound Situation, with his duo project Warren & Flick, and with Grammy nominated Kittel & Co. led by Michigan native Jeremy Kittel. Now it’s time for a Jacob Warren solo show! This local multi-style bassist performs an eclectic mix of solo double-bass arrangements in various genres. If you like the bass styles of Victor Wooten or Edgar Meyer, check out this rising star from Michigan!
Curiosity, commitment, and collaboration define Jacob Warren’s exceptional career as a multi-style double bassist, composer, and educator. As a classical double bassist, Jacob was awarded first prize in the 2023 International Society of Bassists Soloist Competition, where his program displayed the diversity of his musicality, including an original transcription of the Debussy Cello Sonata, an original composition, an arrangement of a Canadian fiddle tune, and more.
In addition to solo performing, Jacob is also an avid chamber musician. He is currently a member of three nationally touring ensembles, two of which he co-founded and co-manages. Warren & Flick is a duo project with multi-instrumentalist Grant Flick. Together, they have released two albums (Kestrel, 2019 and Waxwing, 2022) of original material that spans genres from classical to American and Swedish fiddle, jazz and more. The quartet Westbound Situation released Pilot in 2019 and Accord in 2023. The quartet explores thematic development through their arrangements of original compositions drawing sonic inspiration from string ensembles and electronic music styles. Jacob also tours with the Grammy-nominated string quintet Kittel & Co. Through his diverse collaborations, he has been able to perform at a wide range of venues, from local listening rooms, house concerts, and jazz clubs, to performing arts centers, Royal Albert Hall, the Kennedy Center, and more.
Jacob began double bass studies at the age of 10 under the tutelage of Robert Rohwer. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance in 2017 along with the Earl V. Moore Award in Music. During his undergraduate degree he studied with Dr. Diana Gannett. He also holds both a Masters of Music in Improvisation and a Masters of Music in Chamber Music from the University of Michigan.
In addition to writing music for his ensembles, Jacob composes original works for solo double bass. Videos of his compositions, teaching, and arrangements have been featured by The Strad, The Violin Channel, and others. His compositions are available for purchase online through his website: www.jacobvwarren.com
Special guests on this show will include Grant Flick, John Solari, Zola Hightower, and more!

Willi Carlisle
2024-02-07 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Willi Carlisle is a poet and a folk singer for the people, but his extraordinary gift for turning a phrase isn’t about high-falutin’ pontificatin’; it’s about looking out for one another and connecting through our shared human condition. Born and raised on the Midwestern plains, Carlisle is a product of the punk-to-folk music pipeline that’s long fueled frustrated young men looking to resist. After falling for the rich ballads and tunes of the Ozarks, where he now lives, he began examining the full spectrum of American musical history. This insatiable stylistic diversity is obvious in his wildly raucous live performances, where songs range from sardonic trucker-ballads like “Vanlife” to the heartbreaking queer waltz “Life on the Fence,” to an existential talkin’ blues about a panic attack in Walmart’s aisle five. With guitar, fiddle, button-box, banjo, harmonicas, rhythm-bones, and Willi’s booming baritone, this is bona-fide populist folk music in the tradition of cowboys, frontier fiddlers, and tall-tale tellers. With a quick wit and big sing-alongs, these folk songs bring us a step closer to breaking down our divides.
Bluegrass and Old Time duo, Golden Shoals, opens.

Dan Bern
2024-02-08 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
If you must put him in a box, make sure it’s a big box! Undefinable by genre, crossing over and through folk, rock, singer-songwriter, and kids music, Dan Bern is a captivating live performer with a loyal, multi-generational following. He has written thousands of songs, released dozens of albums, and played shows across North America and Europe–from coffee shops to Carnegie Hall, and he recently opened for The Who. Dan’s songs have appeared in numerous films (“Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” “Get Him to the Greek” “The Bubble” “Zero Effect”) and TV shows (Amazon Prime’s award-winning kids program “The Stinky & Dirty Show”). A rare, and true renaissance artist, Dan is the author of several books, is a prolific painter, has his own podcast, and internet radio station. During Covid, his online “Hunkered in the Bunker” shows developed their own passionate community of followers. His topical sports songs are regularly featured on “The Tony Kornheiser Show.”

Ellis Paul
2024-02-09 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
“I got a word machine in my head. It’s a damn noisy contraption. Constantly running. No ‘off’ switch,” says Ellis Paul. After growing up on a potato farm in northern Maine, Ellis started writing songs while he was attending Boston College on a track scholarship and was laid up for several months with an injury. He’s often called the quintessential New England songwriter, and he’s got more than a dozen of Boston Music Awards to prove it. Ellis’s passionate, literate character sketches, delivered in a soaring, lyrical voice, have influenced a generation of folk songwriters toward the shamelessly poetic. The Boston Globe calls Ellis “literate, provocative, urbanely romantic.” Whatever you call him, he’s one of the major songwriters of our time. Says Absolute Punk, which you might not think would be reviewing Ellis’s albums: “Everyone can relate to Ellis Paul and his songs, and for that reason he continues to be a national treasure.” Ellis comes to Michigan with a new release, “55.”

Sons of Mystro
2024-02-10 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Born in South Florida to a Jamaican father and Barbadian mother, brothers Malcom and Umoja learned to play violin through South Florida’s public school system, and attended Dillard High School for the Performing Arts. Together, these brothers are Sons of Mystro. They use their violins to interpret reggae classics, American pop songs and their own creations. Sons of Mystro are a little bit classical, a little bit R&B, and like nothing you’ve heard before!

My Folky Valentine
2024-02-14 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
The 19th Annual celebration of love and music hosted by Annie & Rod Capps and featuring Anne Heaton & Frank Marotta Jr. and Jan Krist & Alan Finkbeiner. Three acclaimed musical duos who also happen to be partners in life share the stage, swapping songs and stories. You can expect some collaborating both planned and spontaneous. Not just for lovebirds, and not just love songs. Just a whole lotta great music.

Ani Mari & Co.
2024-02-15 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Ani Mari is a 20-year-old alt-Americana singer-songwriter from the Northwoods of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, whose songs weave complex chord progressions into heart-wrenching stories and melodies, spanning from folk to pop rock. She has shared the stage with artists such as The Accidentals, Lindsay Lou, Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps, May Erlewine, Rachel Davis, Seth Bernard, The Burney Sisters, and Joshua Davis.
Ani has been touring with her folk duo, Ani & Kora, since she was 12 years old. They’ve released two full albums of original songs, Good Fighter and Voyager, and one EP, Dubious Decisions. She currently lives in Ann Arbor, where she attends the University of Michigan and regularly performs with her band, Ani Mari & Co, comprised of bassist Michael Michaud, drummer Jack Harris, and backing vocalist/cellist Ruby Howard.
girlfriend (released on December 1st, 2023 under Real-Phonic Records) is Ani’s debut solo album, recorded with her band last summer in Cleveland, MN. All 10 tracks are the product of Ani’s songwriting during her first two years at college and explore the uncertainty of entering her twenties, love gained, love lost, and the beauty of living in the moment. Available on all streaming platforms now.

Portugal. The Man
2024-02-16 19:00 - 23:00 | Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W 4th St, Royal Oak, MI, 48067, United States
Over the past decade, Portugal The Man has established themselves as one of rock’s most prized possessions and a live phenomenon, with over 1,600 shows under their belts and a storied reputation as festival favorites.
Originally heralding from Alaska, the Portland-based band – comprised of John Gourley, Zach Carothers, Kyle O’Quin, Eric Howk, Jason Sechrist and Zoe Manville – soared to new heights in 2017 with the release of their RIAA certified-gold album, Woodstock. The album was marked by the astounding success of their infectious single, “Feel It Still,” which earned the group a plethora of new accolades – including a GRAMMY award for “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance,” a 6x RIAA platinum certified single certification, a mind-blowing 20-week residency at #1 on alternative radio, and an inescapable presence on the Top 40 airwaves.
Alongside the shine of their myriad musical accomplishments lies the group’s long-standing passion for social justice. In fact, this is precisely the intersection on which Portugal The Man thrives; throughout their career, the band has consistently exemplified how to deeply commit to both artistry and activism. This dynamic inspired them to officially launch their PTM Foundation in 2020, focused on universal issues related to human rights, community health, and the environment, with an emphasis on causes directly impacting Indigenous Peoples.
Their continued passion for activism has also led to recent partnerships with organizations such as the National Coalition Against Censorship, The Skatepark Project (helping communities build public skate parks for youth in underserved communities), March for Our Lives (Gun Reform), Keep Oregon Well (Mental Health), and Protect Our Winters (Climate Change), to name just a few.
