Roots Archives - The Ark

Fri

6

October 6 @ 8:00 pm

Ben Daniels Band

The Ark 316 S. Main Ann Arbor, MI 48104 United States

While in Arizona studying audio engineering, Ben Daniels decided to be a musician. A natural poet, he soon became a young songwriter schooled on Bob Dylan, Robert Johnson, J.J. Cale, and John Prine, among others.

Since 2006, Ben has written songs that speak directly to the things we all see, recognize, and think. Years later, his lyrics have the authenticity of an artist.

Together since 2008, the Ben Daniels Band cuts through with an Americana sound from the Michigan ground. From their opening song to the finale of their set, their musicianship, experience, and originality make no two shows alike. And with the bluegrass roots of Tommy Reifel (bass), Wesley Fritzemeier (drums/mandolin/fiddle), and George Merkel (guitar), Ben Daniels Band’s live show never fails to take over the venue.

$20

Tue

11

July 11 @ 8:00 pm

The Jerry Douglas Band

The Ark 316 S. Main Ann Arbor, MI 48104 United States

Dobro master and 14-time Grammy winner Jerry Douglas is a bandleader, producer, session musician, instructor, and a very funny guy! He’s produced over a hundred albums, and he’s featured on over 1,600 studio albums. He’s a member of Alison Kraus & Union Station, co-bandleader for Transatlantic Sessions in the United Kingdom, founder for the Grammy winner bluegrass supergroup The Earls of Leicester, and he leads The Jerry Douglas Band. Since 2017, The Jerry Douglas Band has been forging new paths into the musical horizon with deep roots in bluegrass and folk that spreads out into the Americana and jazz landscapes. In 2021, The Jerry Douglas Band released an album, “Leftover Feelings,” with legendary singer songwriter John Hiatt. The album was nominated for a 2022 Grammy for Best Americana Album, and their previous record, “What If, “also received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. The group performs at some of the top U.S. festivals such as Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Pilgrimage Music Festival, Big Ears Festival, DelFest, FreshGrass, Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Merlefest, and many others. In addition to Douglas, The Jerry Douglas Band includes Daniel Kimbro on bass, Christian Sedelmyer on fiddle, and Mike Seal on guitar.

$30

Wed

10

May 10 @ 8:00 pm

Tony Furtado

The Ark 316 S. Main Ann Arbor, MI 48104 United States

Tony Furtado’s banjo and slide guitar range over the entire landscape of American roots music. He puts together traditional string styles, blues, and rock into fusions that have a haunting quality yet seem perfectly natural. Equally at home as a solo act or as a collaborator, Tony has played with musicians as diverse as Alison Krauss, David Grisman, Galactic, Leftover Salmon, and Widespread Panic. Lately he has focused his energy on songwriting. Says Paste: “He mixes bluegrass roots with a mainstream pop streak, easily holding the spotlight, thanks to his restrained virtuosity on acoustic and slide guitar and a warmly engaging voice reminiscent of T Bone Burnett, sans preachiness.” All the music of America is in Tony Furtado’s music, and Relix hit the nail on the head when writing of Tony: “True talent doesn’t need categories.” Tony comes to town with a new release, “Decembering,” and it’s been too long since we’ve heard what he’s been up to creatively!

$20

Sun

13

November 13, 2022 @ 7:30 pm

Rachael Davis

The Ark 316 S. Main Ann Arbor, MI 48104 United States

Multi-instrumentalist Rachael Davis is as renowned for her expressive—and explosive—voice as she is for uniting the often disparate worlds of folk, blues, country, and pop.

$20

Sat

29

October 29, 2022 @ 8:00 pm

Erin Zindle & The Ragbirds

Opener: Libby DeCamp

The Ark 316 S. Main Ann Arbor, MI 48104 United States

The Ragbirds exhibit a gleeful disregard for contemporary folk-rock convention. The group is clearly built around the multi-talented Erin Zindle, who is not only the singer and songwriter, but is proficient in a variety of stringed instruments.

$20

Tue

11

October 11, 2022 @ 8:00 pm

The Appleseed Collective

Opener: Charlie Millard

The Ark 316 S. Main Ann Arbor, MI 48104 United States

Mix the Hot Club of France with the sweaty soul of Dixieland, a couple blades of bluegrass, a pinch of ragtime beat, and a western swinging swagger, and you’ve just conjured the washboard-driven sound of The Appleseed Collective.

$20

Fri

15

July 15, 2022 @ 8:00 pm

Tommy Malone of the subdudes

Opener: Liz Barnez

The Ark 316 S. Main Ann Arbor, MI 48104 United States

Tommy Malone has had a musical love affair with fans for over 30 years. As the “heart and center” frontman of the legendary Americana act The Subdudes, he has carved a path through an ever-changing musical landscape as a gifted singer, player, and songwriter with a distinctive musical voice. OffBeat magazine’s David Kunian notes, “It’s a crime that Tommy Malone isn’t better known around the world. He is a triple threat—beautiful singer, fine songwriter, and killer guitarist.”

$25

Sun

10

July 10, 2022 @ 7:30 pm

Parsonsfield

The Ark 316 S. Main Ann Arbor, MI 48104 United States

Parsonsfield is an alt/folk band from Massachusetts that infuses a rowdy, rock ‘n’ roll spirit into its bluegrass and folk influences, blowing away any preconception of what you think banjos and mandolins should sound like.

$20

Sat

2

July 2, 2022 @ 8:00 pm

Mountain Heart

The Ark 316 S. Main Ann Arbor, MI 48104 United States

Mountain Heart offers bluegrass and more. This band as been fearlessly revolutionizing the way acoustic music can be presented and played.

$30

Sun

19

June 19, 2022 @ 7:30 pm

Chatham Rabbits

The Ark 316 S. Main Ann Arbor, MI 48104 United States

Chatham Rabbits, named for a mill-sponsored stringband in Bynum, North Carolina, is the husband-and-wife team of Sarah Osborne McCombie and Austin McCombie. Chatham Rabbits exemplify North Carolina’s tradition of producing artists who embrace the state’s many cultural resources and diverse musical traditions.

$20