Gemini is the much-loved duo of Sandor and Laszlo Slomovits. They've been performing since 1973 and are now playing music for the third—or is it fourth?—generation of young fans and families. Gemini's annual Thanksgiving weekend concert is a benefit for Mott Children’s Hospital. Emily, San’s daughter, was born and cared for in the Holden NICU of Mott 30 years ago, and this is their annual "Thank You" concert.
Howard Levy is a master of the diatonic harmonica, a superb pianist, innovative composer, educator, and producer. At the age of 19, he discovered how to play the diatonic harmonica as a fully chromatic instrument by developing techniques on it that had never existed before. Peter Madcat Ruth’s C.A.R.Ma. Quartet features eclectic traditional and improvisational music played by four veteran Ann Arbor musicians.
Special Guest: Emma Harner
Special Guest: Emma Harner
It’s human nature to look back, and to try to make sense of that which has gone by. For the luminous indie folk duo of Joshua Lee Turner and Allison Young, it’s a question not only of what should be relinquished, but also what might be worth taking with you. The pair share an eclectic nostalgia for sounds of the past—Jazz and Classical, Golden Age musicals, big bands of the ‘40s, singer-songwriters of the ‘60s, dewy indie rock of the early 2010s—as well as a passion for instrumental music and covers.
The earth speaks to us in a myriad of ways — through ice cores, through uplift and erosion, through tree rings — languages we have the potential to restore our literacy in. Reconnecting with these quiet messages has set Seth Glier, a Grammy-nominated artist from Western Massachusetts, on a path of channeling nature’s longing for communion with humanity into song. Antje Duvekot is a compelling live performer and a crafter of intricate, closely observed songs. She’s the winner of some of the top songwriting awards, including the Grand Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, the prestigious Kerrville (TX) “Best New Folk Award” and the Boston Music Award for “Outstanding Folk Act.”
Special Guest: Erik Koskinen
Special Guest: Erik Koskinen
In two decades on the road Jeffrey Foucault has become one of the most distinctive voices in American music, refining a sound instantly recognizable for its simplicity and emotional power. With a string of critically acclaimed studio albums – “Stark, literate songs that are as wide open as the landscape of his native Midwest” (The New Yorker), “Beat-up troubadour folk whittled to dolorous perfection” (Uncut), “Songwriting Brilliance,” (Irish Times) – he’s built a brick-and-mortar international touring career and a devoted following, one that includes luminaries like Van Dyke Parks, Greil Marcus, and Don Henley.
Born and raised in Detroit, BLKBOK was immersed in a household filled with music. Showing exceptional talent, he quickly made a name for himself as a piano prodigy, garnering recognition and willing prestigious competitions at both the statewide and college levels by the time he was 8. His live performances are an electrifying display of energy and cultural resonance, aiming to captivate audiences like never before with his unique piano-based showmanship.
"In 2024, more than 25 years after releasing our first holiday CD, we are still at it. This year, we will be leaning into some harmonies and making an intimate but hopefully holy ruckus. It won’t be all Christmas music: we’ll certainly mix in tunes from many of our records along the way. But hopefully it’s still true: hopefully you haven’t heard anything quite like it."
Fill the holidays with rock and modern blues! Chicago's Billboard chart-topping quartet The Empty Pockets are bringing their 'MistleTunes' Holiday Concert to town. Seasonal classics like "Silent Night" and "Run Run Rudolph" are given new life through this band's joyful energy. Plus, fresh and fun original songs like "Party at the North Pole" and "Snow Day" are a welcome change from the same-old-songs, year after year. Join The Empty Pockets, as they ignite a bright flame by harnessing a joyful friction between Americana, folk, and rock ‘n’ roll spiked with roots soul.
Johnny grew up in South Dakota surrounded by cornfields and gravel roads. He became a state champion runner in high school and later attended college on a scholarship. In his dorm room he started recording and producing music but eventually left college to pursue his passion full-time. In his mid-twenties, he relocated to Charleston, SC and released his album "Secret Wave" with the help of his friend and producer Wolfgang Zimmerman (Band of Horses, Susto). While in Charleston, Johnny helped produce and record various artists' records and co-created the band SUSTO. In 2016, he left the band to start the prog-rock group The Artisanals. After touring internationally as the frontman, Johnny is now focusing on his solo work. His new album, "Para Llevar," is set to release in November 2024 with the New West Records team.
Celebrating its 17th anniversary, the Ebird and Friends Holiday Show has become known for connecting audiences with stellar artists in the Michigan music community. Four performances of this festive revue will occur December 12 through 14.
Celebrating its 17th anniversary, the Ebird and Friends Holiday Show has become known for connecting audiences with stellar artists in the Michigan music community. Four performances of this festive revue will occur December 12 through 14.
Celebrating its 17th anniversary, the Ebird and Friends Holiday Show has become known for connecting audiences with stellar artists in the Michigan music community. Four performances of this festive revue will occur December 12 through 14.
Celebrating its 17th anniversary, the Ebird and Friends Holiday Show has become known for connecting audiences with stellar artists in the Michigan music community. Four performances of this festive revue will occur December 12 through 14.
Ann Arbor's Community High Jazz is one of the best programs of its kind anywhere. The Ark is proud to host this year's students on stage for two shows: one at 6:00 and another at 8:00.
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.
Ann Arbor’s electrifying musical maestro, Kyler Wilkins aka Ki5, is back on the Ark stage! He's delighted to be joined by vocalist Aviva Match who carries a powerful, sincere tone that compliments his breathy, heartfelt vocal expressions.
Alicia Witt, star of this summer’s smash hit movie “Longlegs” opposite Nicolas Cage, 9 Hallmark Christmas movies, and with four decades worth of film, TV and stage credits, makes her return to The Ark to celebrate the release of her first full length Christmas album, “I Think I’m Spending Christmas With You."
Members of the Michigan Irish American Hall of Fame, Blackthorn offers shows that involve a musical ramble across Ireland. Traditional songs of emigration, ballads, shanties and jigs and reels combine with some of Ireland's best contemporary songs for a musical experience that is uniquely Irish. This band has been bringing a rich tapestry of Celtic music to southeast Michigan and beyond for 40 years, and they're a must-see for those who want to know the deep traditions of Irish music in Michigan.
The Ark'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. If you'd like to get an idea of the depth of southeastern Michigan's Celtic music scene, the Ceili is a great place to do it.
The tradition that started almost two decades ago at the Bell House in Brooklyn, New York, 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 2025 comedy scene in the most righteous way possible! It's fast, it's fresh, and above all it's funny.
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.
Note that this is an afternoon performance with a start time of 3:00pm! The Yellow Room is the "brilliantly yellow" living room of Tamulevich's house on Ann Arbor's Old West Side, where the gang members meet monthly for musical brainstorming and mutual critique. There are eight members of the gang, most or all of whom are on hand for any given show: Annie Capps, Kitty Donohoe, Jan Krist, Michael Hough, David Tamulevich, David Barrett, Jim Bizer, and Matt Watroba. Each an accomplished songwriter and performer in their own right, they create a unique atmosphere of respect and support, friendship and generosity finding new and unexpected ways to explore beyond their previous personal boundaries.