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2 events,
$15, $10 kids 12 and under
Master storytellers Lyn Ford and Genot Picor deliver an entertaining family-friendly show. These artists keep kids engaged through action, music, fun and funny characters, while celebrating the unique cultures and diversity of our nation. 
$30
Richard Shindell is a New Yorker living in Argentina: a craftsman and a real wizard of song. He's played for coins in the Paris subway, and he's studied for the priesthood. His gift for profound storytelling songs drew him into the world of folk music. The Valley Advocate in Massachusetts has called Richard Shindell "the thinking man's folk singer," and you're not going to hear better-crafted songs anywhere. Richard announced his retirement several years ago, but he’s back, and we’re glad to be part of his new tour! |
0 events,
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1 event,Artist Spotlight Series
Live and Virtual
Artist Spotlight Series
Live and Virtual
Free, Donations accepted for Food Gatherers
Rachael Kilgour is a Minnesotan songwriter and performing artist whose sincere, lyric-driven work has been called both brave and humane. The 2015 grand prize winner of the international NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition and winner of the 2017 Kerrville New Folk Contest, Rachael has been featured at NYC’s Lincoln Center, at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and by the ASCAP Music Cafe at the Sundance Film Festival. |
1 event,
$3, $2 members, seniors, students free with student ID
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. Performers have eight minutes (or two songs) each to do their thing. Doors open at 7:30, and names are drawn at 7:55 and 8:30. If your name isn't chosen, bring your raffle ticket with you next time, and you'll double your chances. |
1 event,Opener: Griffin William Sherry from Ghost of Paul Revere 
Opener: Griffin William Sherry from Ghost of Paul Revere
$30
The Steel Wheels have long been at home in the creative space between tradition and innovation, informed by the familiar sounds of the Virginia mountains where the band was formed, but always moving forward with insightful lyrics and an evolving sound. Having gained the experience of thousands of shows, festivals and many miles on the road, the stubbornly independent band has formed deep bonds with each other and the audience that sustains them. |
1 event,
$25
A haggis is a tasty Scottish dish consisting of sheep heart, liver, and lungs, mixed with oatmeal, onion, suet, and spices, and then boiled inside the sheep's stomach. The Canadian-Scots band Enter the Haggis (bagpiper Craig Downie is from Scotland) has just about as much variety in their style, a high-speed collision of Celtic music, rock, bluegrass, funk, and world music. An Enter the Haggis live show is a musical feast—dynamic and emotionally uplifting. Alternating between upbeat rock numbers with sing-along choruses and slower, more introspective alt pop songs, the band plays progressive and lyrically driven music that's strongly rooted in Celtic tradition—from the storytelling to the bagpipes. |
2 events,Special Event
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Special Event
$40
Six-time Grammy winner, Daniel Ho, will be teaching techniques and singing in the Hawaiian language using his original song, Aloha Pumehana, co-written by Hawaiian Music scholar and University of Michigan professor Amy Kuʻuleialoha Stillman! 
$30
Three masters, featured regularly at Maui’s renowned “Slack Key Show®” share the uniquely Hawaiian styles of slack key guitar and ‘ukulele, with origins in the early 19th century when Portuguese immigrants introduced the ‘ukulele to Hawai‘i and Mexican cowboys brought guitars along with their ranching knowledge. Ever since, Hawaiians have made these instruments their own. |
1 event,
$25
The modern renaissance of folk music began when John Gorka won the Kerrville Folk Festival's New Folk award in 1984, and it grew to maturity when he released his debut album, "I Know," three years later. Here was a singer-songwriter with a striking baritone voice that made you feel like you'd been hearing it all your life, with the songwriting chops to take on and see into nearly every type of song—from personal pieces about love and sadness, to bemused observations about daily life, political thinking-aloud, and sheer unmitigated whimsy. Almost four decades later, John still calls himself an aspiring folksinger, and his music has just kept getting deeper and better over his more than 15 critically acclaimed albums. |
1 event,
$25
Lúnasa is an Irish traditional band with a rhythmic difference. Rhythm—their ingenious application of it, and their clear mastery of it—has made Lúnasa one of the most influential and innovative bands performing Irish instrumental music today. What Lúnasa has accomplished in their decade-and-a-half career has deep precedents in jazz and progressive bluegrass, and has made them unique in Celtic circles. |
1 event,Opener: Jack Van Cleaf 
Opener: Jack Van Cleaf
$25
Madi Diaz has been making records and writing songs professionally since the late 2000s, but it wasn’t until she released 2021’s “History Of A Feeling” that she felt the glare of wider notoriety. It wasn’t her debut album, but it certainly felt like it. She made her daytime and nighttime television debuts, embarked on her first solo tour since 2014, supported Waxahatchee and Angel Olsen on tour, and collaborated with them on record. After touring internationally, Madi is taking her new album, “Weird Faith,” on the road. When Madi started writing “Weird Faith,” she knew it would be bigger than a love story. She didn’t yet know that she was rendering a self-portrait, one that captures the Madi Diaz of a fleeting moment in time, hungrily alive and forever searching. |
1 event,
$25
Grammy-nominated Seth Glier and New Song Music and Performance Competition grand prize winner, Crys Matthews, are artists committed to using songwriting as a tool for positive change. |
1 event,
$20
The Dave Sharp Worlds Quartet masterfully blends rhythms, sounds, and textures from across the globe with world music–inspired original compositions. Featuring oud, violin, electric bass, synthesizer and world percussion, the Worlds Quartet is fueled by the spirit of jazz, world music and dynamic exploratory improvisation. Bassist, composer, and bandleader Dave Sharp leads the Worlds Quartet to explore music traditions from Turkey, Egypt, Ukraine, India, Bulgaria and Greece. |
1 event,Sold Out
Opener: Chris Pureka Sold Out
Opener: Chris Pureka
$30
Glen Phillips is the lead singer and main songwriter for the band Toad the Wet Sprocket, which he joined when he was only 14. In the words of James Christopher Monger, "Phillips has matured into . . . a quiet storm that dutifully blends Cat Stevens' confident huskiness and Jackson Browne's weary but warm observer of all things broken." Glen has evolved into one of the great folk-rock songwriters of our time, still staying true to his Toad-like roots, and The Ark is the place to hear him! |
1 event,Sold Out
Sold Out
$45
The Ark helped spread Josh Ritter’s name among Michigan audiences when he made a standout performance at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival in 2003, and we’re proud that we, along with Emmylou Harris and Paste magazine, which named Josh one of the 100 greatest living songwriters in 2006, spotted this monster talent in the making. Josh has gone on to record a dozen albums, write a book or two, tour with Jason Isbell, and play much larger halls than The Ark. So it’s very special to us to invite Josh to perform in a rare small club appearance. He’s an entrancing performer, a true master of the songwriter’s art. This is a special Works In Progress + Songs You Know solo show. |
1 event,Opener: Two Runner 
Opener: Two Runner
$25
In the music of Charlie Parr, there is a sincere conviction and earnest drive to create. The bluesman poet pulls closely from the sights and sounds around him, his lyrical craftsmanship built by his influences. The sounds from his working-class upbringing—including Folkways legends such as Lead Belly and Woody Guthrie—imbue Parr’s music with stylistic echoes of blues and folk icons of decades past. |
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0 events,
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1 event,
$20
Hailing from Akron, Ohio, The Shootouts are known for their energetic blend of honky-tonk, Americana, and Western swing. The band has been nominated for “Best Honky Tonk Group” at the 2023 and 2024 Ameripolitan Music Awards – a nomination the band was also honored with in 2020. In 2023, The Shootouts released their third album, “Stampede,” kicking off their album release tour with their Grand Ole Opry debut. The album features special guest appearances from Ray Benson & Asleep at The Wheel, Marty Stuart, Buddy Miller, Jim Lauderdale, and Raul Malo. |
1 event,Sold Out
Sold Out
$35
Similar backgrounds yet different paths. Paul Thorn and Steve Poltz have a 20+ year friendship and are taking it on the road and in the ring together this spring for a multi-city tour, surely to bring love, laughter and mischief along with them. Equal parts humor, poignant stories, and expert musicianship, these two storytellers with contagious smiles will put on a show that will make you laugh one minute and cry the next. |
1 event,
$20
The Sea The Sea is an upstate New York–based indie folk-pop duo-band whose debut release, "Love We Are We Love," received praise from NPR, American Songwriter, and No Depression, among others, gathering well over a million streams on Spotify. Mountain Stage's Larry Groce calls them "ready to take their place among the best young male/female duos now performing." The duo has earned features by Apple Music including Best of the Week and A-List Singer/Songwriter. The Sea The Sea takes its name from the ancient Greek motto (from The Exploits of Xenophon) that also supplied the name of Iris Murdoch's novel (which they also love). |
1 event,Opener: Tough Old Bird 
Opener: Tough Old Bird
$25
Doubt, followed by discovery. Demos that ended up as finished tracks. New beginnings, rear-view reflections, and ruminations on the fluidity of time: Great Lake Swimmers’ eighth album, “Uncertain Country,” captures these feelings and so much more. Even before the world turned upside down, singer-songwriter Tony Dekker felt mired in uncertainty: from the climate crisis and the ever-changing political landscape to deep shifts within the music industry. The “uncertain country” Dekker chose as the album’s theme is not a specific place. Rather, it’s a territory we, as humans, inhabit in the 21st century — a world that, more often than not, is confusing, unfamiliar and unsettling. |
1 event,
$20
Come hear the Scots band Irish Music Magazine calls "one of the most exhilarating acoustic bands on the Celtic music map"! Dàimh (the word means "kinship" in Scots Gaelic and is pronounced "dive") is based in Lochaber in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland; an area as much renowned for its scenic beauty as for its rich musical and cultural heritage. A long‐established favorite at folk festivals in Scotland and Ireland and across Europe, Dàimh took home Scots Trad Band of the Year honors at the Scots Traditional Music Awards, Daimh are also regulars on BBC television. |
1 event,
$25
Longtime fans of the Nields sisters, Nerissa and Katryna, will be delighted to find them as creative as ever on their new album, “Circle of Days,” their much-anticipated 21st album. An homage to the calendar––and really, time itself––this collection of songs is a testament to the band’s enduring creativity and unwavering commitment to their craft. Listeners of any age who haven't yet encountered the Nields will be amazed by the vocal chemistry of these two sisters who have been singing together almost from the cradle, by the range of their songwriting ideas, and by their uncategorizable stylistic turns. |
1 event,
$25
According to Atlanta-based blues guitarist, singer and songwriter Tinsley Ellis, his new, first-ever solo acoustic album, Naked Truth, is both “a departure and an arrival.” Ellis has been recording and traveling the world for over four decades, delivering his feral, guitar-fueled, original electric blues-rock to ever-growing audiences at concert halls, festivals, and clubs. Naked Truth is steeped in the folk blues traditions of Muddy Waters, Skip James, Son House, Robert Johnson and even Leo Kottke. |
1 event,
$30
The only tenor group with a truly global audience, The Celtic Tenors will give you a night to remember. Whether playing a neighborhood cathedral or major concert halls in international cities like New York, Amsterdam, or Shanghai, the tenors deliver a professional, sparkling and most of all good-humored performance. They genuinely love what they do, and you’ll see that shine through in each rendition of beautiful Celtic songs, exhilarating classics, a capella pieces, and popular contemporary songs. |
1 event,
$25
Grammy-nominated Missy Raines was recently named International Bluegrass Music Association Bass Player of the Year, for the tenth time, more than any other bass player in the history of the organization. Missy Raines & Allegheny features some of the brightest young stars in bluegrass today with Tristan Scroggins on mandolin, Ellie Hakanson on fiddle, Ben Garnett on guitar, and Eli Gilbert on banjo. |
1 event,
$30
Actor and Billboard Top 30 charting singer-songwriter Alicia Witt has played her piano-driven pop-rock music all over the world, including at the renowned Grand Ole Opry. She appeared in 2023 on Fox’s The Masked Singer, winning her first episode as Dandelion. Witt’s newest EP, Witness, came out in 2023; she released The Conduit in Fall 2021, which she co-produced, including single Chasing Shadows which spent 5 weeks on the Billboard Top 30 AC Radio chart. Previous releases include 15000 Days, produced by Grammy award-winning producer Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Norah Jones , Dawes) and the Ben Folds produced Revisionary History, hailed by Nashville Scene as “a piano-pop gem that sounds by turns like “Grey Seal”-era Elton John ; an alt-universe Fiona Apple and a film-noir chanteuse notching her nights in cigarette burns on the fallboard.” |
1 event,
$20
Located on the ancestral homelands of the Anishinaabe, the Ark is proud to partner with the University of Michigan Native American Student Association (NASA) and local singer songwriter and NASA alum Joe Reilly to host this concert in conjunction with the golden anniversary of the Ann Arbor Pow Wow. Featuring Native American Music Award winners Keith Secola and Annie Humphrey, Joe Reilly and the Community Gardeners, and the All Nations Dancers, the concert will deliver Native folk music and pow wow dancing at its finest. You won’t want to miss this important chance to hear from some of Indian Country’s best performers and support our local Native community. |
2 events,Special Event
Special Event
$44.50, $84.50
Singer-songwriter Colin Hay, most beloved for his intimate, confessional live shows is most widely known for being an influential and celebrated frontman. The range of artists who have chosen to cite him as a muse or who have found themselves on stage with him in the past year spans the genre landscape from heavy metal, to Americana, to Cuban rhythms and beyond. His inclusion as a playlist favorite from the likes of Metallica to The Lumineers reflects his continuing relevance and broad appeal. Special Guest: Frances Luke Accord 
Special Guest: Frances Luke Accord
$25
Songwriter May Erlewine travels the Midwest in the spring, offering an intimate evening of music and togetherness. May’s songs cut right to the heart of things, creating a space to feel and to enjoy a night of music and community. Joining Erlewine on guitar, the incredibly talented, Packy Lundholm. This tender duo has traveled the world together digging deep into each performance to bring you a very uniquely heart-full experience. |
1 event,
$25
Jill Sobule’s work is at once deeply personal and socially conscious, seriously funny and derisively tragic. In a dozen albums spanning three decades of recording, the Denver-born songwriter/guitarist/singer has tackled such topics as the death penalty, anorexia nervosa, shoplifting, reproduction, the French Resistance, adolescent malaise, LGBTQ issues, and the Christian Right. Her hits include “I Kissed A Girl”—the first openly gay-themed song ever to crack the Billboard Top 20—and the alt-rock anthem “Supermodel” featured in the film “Clueless”. |
1 event,Artist Spotlight Series
Live and Virtual
Artist Spotlight Series
Live and Virtual
Free, Donations accepted for Food Gatherers
Stringfever is a group of talented musicians who have lived and breathed music since a young age. Formed in 2003, and currently composed of three siblings and their cousin, this internationally acclaimed quartet has performed 1000+ Shows in 33 countries since 2004, from private performances for the British Royal family to a packed audience at Madison Square Garden. Stringfever’s selections range from inspiring classics to popular music; every performance engaging audiences with humor and energy. |
1 event,
$3, $2 seniors, students free with student ID
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. Performers have eight minutes (or two songs) each to do their thing. Doors open at 7:30, and names are drawn at 7:55 and 8:30. If your name isn't chosen, bring your raffle ticket with you next time, and you'll double your chances. |
1 event,
$20
Vance was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. Starting out hoping to be an R&B and jazz singer once at college, there he discovered his affinity for the storytelling sensibilities of the acoustic singer-songwriter thing. Word spread like wildfire about Gilbert's stage-owning singing and playing, and Shawn Colvin invited him to be special guest on her 1992 Fat City tour where he took much of America by storm and by surprise. “With the voice of an angel, the wit of a devil, and the guitar playing of a god..” wrote the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. |
1 event,
$16, $15 members, students or seniors
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. The RFD Boys are one of southeastern Michigan's most durable musical ensembles, and their shows capture a deep slice of musical Ann Arbor. |
1 event,Opener: King Margo 
Opener: King Margo
$25, $33, $50
Over the course of her 25-year career, Susan Werner has earned a reputation as “one of the most innovative songwriters working today” (Chicago Tribune). With formidable chops on guitar (she began playing at age five) and piano (she was a guest on NPR’s Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz), along with a graduate degree in voice performance, she puts on shows that are a one-woman master class in musicianship. Her songs have been recorded by Tom Jones, Michael Feinstein, and Shemekia Copeland. Her latest recording of originals is “The Birds of Florida.” |
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1 event,Special Guest: Old Man Luedecke 
Special Guest: Old Man Luedecke
$25
When Matt Andersen steps on stage, he brings a lifetime of music to every note he plays. His latest album, “The Big Bottle of Joy,” is all about hard-won celebration; a dozen songs infused with raw blues-rock, rollicking Americana, thoughtful folk, and ecstatic gospel. Andersen’s stage presence is informed by decades of cutting his teeth in dusty clubs, dim-lit bars, and grand theaters all over the world, delivering soulful performances that run the gamut from intimate to wall-shaking. |
1 event,
$30
Celebrate the birthday of a local legend with an all-star lineup featuring Peter Madcat Ruth’s C.A.R.Ma. Quartet with John Churchville on tabla, Brennan Andes on bass, and guitarist Dan Ripke. Special guests include Rachael Davis, Seth Bernard, and Nashville based harmonica virtuoso Buddy Greene. |
1 event,
$32
The deep roots tag team of Cajun slide guitar phenom Sonny Landreth and legendary New Orleans Latin-Americana rockers the Iguanas presents a mind-blowing musical trip through the scenic soundscape of the bayou. Still wet from crawling out of the swamps, this cross-pollinated confection will be both savory and sweet. Louisiana’s calling—here’s your chance to answer! |
1 event,Opener: Baerd 
Opener: Baerd
$25
William Fitzsimmons is an indie troubadour from Illinois whose eight studio albums explore themes of joy, heartbreak, loss, and connection. The Sparrow and the Crow 15th Anniversary Tour is a celebration of his critically acclaimed third album; hailed by iTunes as the “best folk album of 2008.” Written after his first divorce, the record is a beautiful walk through love, loss, and healing. William will embark on a 30-city tour of the US playing the record in its entirety for the first time, in intimate settings armed only with his voice and acoustic guitar, in addition to other fan favorite songs from his catalog. |
1 event,Opener: Cousin Curtiss 
Opener: Cousin Curtiss
$30
Americana and roots singer-songwriter Jackie Greene is a jack-of-all-trades and an artist who can croon over soulful piano ballads as much as he can shred a bluesy guitar solo. Since the release of his critically-acclaimed debut album 'Gone Wanderin’,' Greene has built an enduring audience through a relentless touring schedule with the likes of BB King, Mark Knopfler, Susan Tedeschi, and Taj Mahal. He played lead guitar with The Black Crowes on their Layin’ Down With #13 World Tour, recorded and toured with Trigger Hippy - his supergroup with Joan Osborne - and in the last four years performed over 300 shows of his own, all while continuing to record and release his solo work. |
1 event,Sold Out
Opener: Seth Walker Sold Out
Opener: Seth Walker
$50, $60, $80
When Raul Malo came on the scene as the lead singer of The Mavericks, he already had a sound that didn't fit the usual categories, and a luxuriant voice that brought to mind Roy Orbison. The Ark has been an ideal venue for Raul's solo shows, which are more personal than the music he's made with The Mavericks, and his Ark shows over the past decade have lingered in the memories of listeners and the club staff alike. Raul comes to Michigan with a new solo instrumental album, “Say Less.” |