Search Results
Jan. 19, 2012 - May. 17, 2012
Music Under the Arch in Saline
Stone Arch Arts & Events, 117 S Ann Arbor St, Saline
(734) 316-2118
Visit downtown Saline during the winter and spring months for — Music Under The Arch — at the renovated Stone Arch Arts & Events. Entertainment abounds with local talented opening artists and noted Michigan stars anchoring each show. A wide variety of genres, coupled with an intimate venue, make it just right for you and your friends to enjoy a perfect evening monthly from January through May.
And just when you think it couldn’t be better, downtown Saline restaurants are offering a special dinner and show package for ticket holders. Visit them the night of show and see what we mean!
A series of art exhibits will run in conjunction with Music Under The Arch concerts.
Cost: $20 reserved, $15 general admission and $10 student
Doors open at 7:00 p.m, show begins at 7:30.February 08, 2012
Hot Club of Detroit at Kerrytown Concert House
415 N. 4th Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 769-2999
More than seven decades after the innovations of the Quintette du Hot Club de France, featuring guitar virtuoso Django Reinhardt, combos called Hot Clubs carry on the gypsy jazz sound around the globe - in Tokyo, San Francisco, Seattle, Sweden, Norway, Austria, and many other locales. None, however, offers a fresher take on the tradition than the Hot Club of Detroit, led by fast-fingered Reinhardt disciple Evan Perri. Hot Club of Detroit has headlined nearly every jazz festival, club and concert hall in Southeast Michigan as well as various venues throughout the country. Read their NPR feature here. This performance is made possible with support from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
Cost: $30 Assigned Rows 1-2; $20 Assigned Rows 3-5; $15 General Admission; $10 Student
8:00 p.m.Feb. 08, 2012 -
The Ark Presents: Girlyman
The Ark, 316 S. Main Street, Ann Arbor
(734) 761-1818
Leading-edge three-part-harmony folk pop
The Brooklyn-to-Atlanta transplants of Girlyman scheduled their first rehearsal for September 11, 2001. After that, says vocalist-songwriter Nate Borofsky, "We realized that we wanted to have fun, to do what felt right to us, and to not take ourselves too seriously. We started out by calling ourselves Girlyman." Girlyman executes amazing harmonies that hint at the members' classical training. Their shows are miracles of mutually attuned nonconformist magic. Girlyman has collaborated with comedian Margaret Cho, who sums up this remarkable group pretty well: "They seamlessly blend folk, country, pop, and rock, and they genre-bend as fearlessly and flawlessly as they gender-bend. It's the music of my heart and soul. Girlyman is the future and the past and the present." Can the members of Girlyman read each other's minds? Sometimes it seems so. Onstage they often finish one another's sentences or burst into improvised ditties so tight they seem rehearsed. This longtime trio recently added a fourth member, former Po' Girl drummer J.J. Jones, who has become completely integrated into the group's sound, and they've been at work on a new album, "Supernova." Songwriter Edie Carey opens!Cost: $22.50 per person
8:00 p.m. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.Feb. 09, 2012 -
The Ark Presents: William Fitzsimmons
The Ark, 316 S. Main Street, Ann Arbor
(734) 761-1818
Somewhere between a singing therapist and a songwriter who does counseling
William Fitzsimmons is, by his own testimony, one of the oddest people you will ever meet. Born the youngest child of two blind parents in Pittsburgh, he grew up in a house filled with a myriad of sounds to replace what eyes could not see. The household was suffused with pianos, guitars, trombones, talking birds, classical records, family sing-a-longs, bedtime stories, and the bellowing of a pipe organ, which his father built into the house with his own hands. When his father's orchestral records were not resonating through the walls, his mother would educate him on the folk stylings of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Simon & Garfunkel. After achieving his goal of becoming a practicing therapist, William returned again to his love of crafting and playing songs. Somewhere between a singing therapist and a counselor who writes songs, he is often compared to contemporaries Sufjan Stevens, Iron and Wine, and the late Elliott Smith. He uses banjo, melodica, ukulele, mandolin, and sometimes electronic elements in his music. William's new release, "Gold In The Shadow," is a musical reflection of the personal resuscitation and psychological renovation, which took place in the years following his divorce. Based on a specific set of psychopathological disorders from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV), he describes the songs as "a real and long-coming confrontation with personal demons, past mistakes, and the specter of mental illness that has hovered over me for the great majority of my life." However, whereas nearly the whole of William's previous albums have dealt with the bleak and somber side of inter- and intrapersonal disaster, "Gold"is a work focused on healing. William continues: "I had reached the point where I was either going to yield to my sicknesses or engage them headlong. In either case, I could no longer continue the way I was."
Cost: $17.00 per person
8:00 p.m. (Doors open at 7:30 p.m.)Feb. 09, 2012 - Mar. 03, 2012
CHARLIE LACROIX ART BROKERAGE presents POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE AT LE POP GALLERY
Comerica building at 101 N. Main St. in downtown Ann Arbor
734-408-1184
LePop is a traveling pop-up art gallery intended to breathe new life into underutilized corporate spaces available for lease or sale. For the next several months Charlie LaCroix will present a series of art exhibitions in the former MyBuys space in the Comerica building at 101 N. Main St in downtown Ann Arbor. These shows feature the work of up and coming artists who specialize in cutting edge art across a variety of media.
The second of these exhibitions, Postcards From the Edge, is a three-week exhibit at the LePop gallery. Posctards features the whimsical, colorful paintings of John Dinser, the adventurous, post-apocalyptic illustrations of Matt Nisbett and the urban landscape sculptures of Jacob Warren. All of the artists featured are local to Washtenaw County.
Regular gallery hours will be Monday-Wednesday 6pm-9pm and Thursday-Saturday 12pm-9pm from Febuary 11-March 3. Sundays are reserved for appointments and special events. Charlie LaCroix invites the community to inquire about holding your next daytime or evening event, drum circle, tupperware party and more at LePop.
Cost: This is a free event.
Opening Day: 8pm-12am. Regular Hours: Monday-Wednesday, 6pm-9pm and Thursday-Saturday, 12pm-9pm. Sunday, appointment only.February 10, 2012
University Musical Society Presents: Chamber Ensemble of the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra
Rackham Auditorium, 915 E. Washington Street, Ann Arbor
(734) 764-2538
The 20 members of the Chamber Ensemble of the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra are drawn from the first large-scale modern orchestra of traditional instruments in China. The Chamber Ensemble performs music that represents the gallant warriors of the past, the happy days of childhood, a foggy spring morning after a night of rain, and other poetic images brought to life by these iconic musicians. They perform on the zheng, dizi, erhu, pipa, and other Chinese instruments seldom featured in the West. While Chinese stars such as Lang Lang have brought new attention to Western classical music in China, this ensemble provides a window into the traditional Chinese classical music that dates back many centuries.
Cost: Prices range from $18.00 - $38.00
8:00 pmFeb. 10, 2012 -
The Ark Presents: Newfound Road
316 South Main Street, Ann Arbor
(734) 761-1818
Traditional bluegrass with deep blues and gospel roots
NewFound Road, from the rich bluegrass soils of southwestern Ohio, is among the most exciting new bands to emerge on the national bluegrass scene in the new millennium. Their powerfully streamlined sound combines honesty and passion, vivid songwriting from several members and spot-on, soaring three-part harmonies. Critical enthusiasm for this band has been unusually strong. The All Music Guide pointed to the "trademark rich, chesty baritone roar" of lead vocalist Tim Shelton, while CMT magazine enthused that "this quartet shines with deep gospel roots and bluesy material, tight harmonies, and a driving groove." We got a taste of NewFound Road at the 2011 Ann Arbor Folk Festival, and ever since then we've been hooked. Their latest album, "Live at the Down Home," contains a version of their awe-inspiring rendition of "Ain't No Sunshine."
Cost: $15.00 per person
08:00 p.m. (Doors open at 7:30 pm)February 11, 2012
Root Doctor CD Release Party at Guy Hollerins
3600 Plymouth Rd., Ann Arbor
(517) 230-9190
The Root Doctor CD Release party will take place on Saturday, February 11th at Guy Hollerins, located inside The Holiday Inn Near the University of Michigan, from 8:00 pm - Midnight.
Root Doctor, featuring Freddie Cunningham on lead vocals, plays a diverse mix of classic soul and R&B, alongside traditional blues and inspired original material. Along with over 20 years of club, concert and festival performances, they have released four recordings to local and national acclaim. Root Doctor is excited to perform their new, critically acclaimed album, 'Joy,' in Ann Arbor on February 11th. The band will be signing CD's at the conclusion of the show.
Cost: $5.00 Cover
8:00 pm - MidnightFebruary 12, 2012
The Ark Presents: My Folky Valentine
316 S. Main Street, Ann Arbor
(734) 761-1800
What better time than Valentine's Day to get to know some married couples who make music together? "My Folky Valentine” is The Ark's annual celebration of romance! Each year we present a few of the region's top musical couples, in the round during Valentine's Day week. Your hosts, Annie and Rod Capps, invite some of their most talented friends from around the region to share the stage for an evening of grand collaboration and anything but love songs! ... Okay, well, maybe a few love songs. Tonight's guest couples come from around the state and beyond, including: Small Potatoes (the delightful Chicago duo of Jacquie Manning and Rich Prezioso), the Milroys (Ferndale Americana songwriters CJ and John Milroy), and Shari Kane and Dave Steele (Ann Arbor blues players extraordinaire), along with Annie and Rod.
Small Potatoes (smallpotatoesmusic.com)
The Milroys (themilroys.com)
Shari Kane & Dave Steele (sharianddaveblues.com)
Annie & Rod Capps (annieandrodcapps.com)
Cost: $15.00
Doors at 7:00 pm, Show starts at 7:30 pmFeb. 12, 2012 -
Symphony Orchestra
College Place Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197
(734) 487-4380
Professor Kevin Miller conducts the EMU Symphony Orchestra. One of the winners of the concerto/aria competition will perform with the orchestra. Pease Auditorium, 3:00 pm.
Cost: This is a free event.
03:00 p.m.February 12, 2012
Univeristy Musical Soceity Presents: Michigan Chamber Players
Rackham Auditorium, 915 East Washington Street, Ann Arbor
(734) 764-2538
Program
· Brahms : Liebeslieder Waltzes, Op. 52
· Kern/Hammerstein : "Make Believe" from Showboat
· Bock/Harnick : "Do You Love Me?" from Fiddler on the Roof
· Lloyd Webber/Hart : "All I Ask of You" from The Phantom of the Opera
· Brahms : Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115
Cost: This is a free event.
4:00 pmFeb. 13, 2012 -
The Ark Presents: Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade
316 South Main Street, Ann Arbor
(734) 761-1818
"They pull off that tightrope trick that is modern vintage"—NBC New York
Miss Tess is a Baltimore native and New York City-based songwriter and performing musician who tours regularly with her band, as "Miss Tess & The Bon Ton Parade." In addition to Tess's tasty licks and jazz prowess on her 1940s archtop guitar, the current lineup includes Will Graefe on guitar, Danny Weller on upright bass, and Matt Meyer on drums. Encompassing styles of vintage jazz, blues, country, and folk, Miss Tess draws comparisons to artists such as Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Peggy Lee, and Chuck Berry, but maintains a style all of her own, with mostly original songs. "She’s a musical chameleon, recalling at various moments Tom Waits’ barfly humor, the cabaret-rock of Beirut, or even the wink-wink wit of early Bette Midler," says Holly Hughes of the Blogcrtics site.Cost: $15.00 per person
08:00 p.m. (Doors open at 7:30 pm)Feb. 13, 2012 - Feb. 14, 2012
The Broadway We Love: A Valentine’s Day Melange of Broadway Music Spanning 7 Decades
Kerrytown Concert House 415 North Fourth Avenue Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104
734-769-2999
Join us for a rapturous Valentine's evening of Broadway music spanning from the 1940s to today! Proceeds benefit the Neutral Zone, a teen center in Ann Arbor focused on the promotion of artistry and leadership in teens.
- Aaron Sanko, tenor
- Brian E. Buckner, music director/piano
- Jesse Kramer, percussion
- Joe Fee, bass
Cost: $30 Assigned Rows 1-2 $20 Assigned Rows 3-5 $15 General Admission $10 Student
8:00pmFebruary 14, 2012
The Ark Presents: Solas
The Ark, 316 Main Street
The essential Celtic valentine: Solas tickets!
The Philadelphia Inquirer has praised Solas for "mind-blowing Irish folk music, maybe the world's best." This Irish and Irish-American Celtic supergroup has not only captured the hearts and ears of fans in Ireland and all around the globe with their blend of Celtic traditional music, folk and country melodies, bluesy, sometimes jazz-inspired improvisations, and global rhythms. Their fans beyond the Celtic sphere include hip-hop producer Timbaland, who sampled their music on his megahit "All Y'all." Solas came together in 1996 with no plans to tour or record, but popular demand led to international appearances and a series of acclaimed recordings. They're hard at work on a new one right now—it's called "Shamrock City," and it's part of a film project about the history of Butte, Montana. Come see the band the Boston Globe (which ought to know) called "the finest Celtic ensemble this country has ever produced."
Cost: $17.50
Doors at 7:30, Show at 8:00 pmFebruary 14, 2012
Love Each Other, Love Your Earth
RC Keene Auditorium (East Quad) 701 E University Ave, Ann Arbor
The environment and the arts come together in this concert, allowing the wider environmental community to hear and experience how arts can influence social and environmental change. Ann Arbor singer/songwriter Joe Reilly performs musical pieces that inspire citizens to become agents of environmental and social change, while Evan Chambers (U-M Professor of Composition) puts the poetic, environmental writings of Keith Taylor (Adjunct Faculty and Coordinator of Undergraduate Creative Writing) to piano.
Doors open at 8:15 p.m. This event is free and open to public (so bring your date!). You and your partner are invited to the Pre- Hosted by the Program in the Environment (PitE), University of MichigConcert Valentine’s Day Reception at 7:30 p.m. in the Benzinger Library, upstairs from the auditorium.
Hosted by the Program in the Environment (PitE), University of Michigan
Cost: This is a free event.
8:30 p.m.February 16, 2012
University Musical Society Presents: The Tallis Scholars
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 2250 East Stadium Boulevard, Ann Arbor
(734) 764-2538
The Tallis Scholars add a new dimension to UMS’s 11/12 focus on artistic renegades as part of Pure Michigan Renegade, presenting music of the wealthy Italian prince Carlo Gesualdo (b.1566). Gesualdo’s infamy relates to his obsessive double murder of his wife and her lover, but he was also a maverick Renaissance composer whose eccentric approach to creating music — and whose colorful life story — inspired both Nadia Boulanger and Igor Stravinsky several hundred years later. His music contains wild gesticulations and abrupt surprises, and contemporary Renaissance scholars now regard him as perhaps the most forwardthinking, expressive, and sensual composer of his time. Consumed by guilt after murdering his wife, Gesualdo devoted himself to composing church music. At the centerpiece of this program is the Tenebrae Responses for Holy Saturday, part of the liturgy for the final three days of Holy Week. Works by other “maverick” Renaissance composers round out the program.
A Prelude Dinner precedes the performance, with talk by Peter Phillips, director of the Tallis Scholars.
Watch the Pure Michigan Renegade trailer.
Program
· Gesualdo : Tenebrae Responsories for Holy Saturday (1611)
· Lassus : Timor et tremor
· Gallus : Mirabile mysterium
· de Wert : O mors, quam amara est
· Appenzeller : Musae Jovis
· de Rore : Calami sonum ferentes
· Hassler : Ad dominum
· Zielenski : Vox in rama
· Monteverdi : Adoramus te
Cost: Tickets range from $35.00 - $45.00
7:30 pmFebruary 17, 2012
University Musical Society Presents: Sweet Honey in the Rock
Hill Auditorium, 825 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor
(734) 764-2538
Sweet Honey In The Rock focuses on music that challenges, inspires, teaches, encourages, and empowers audiences from all walks of life to become interested and involved in issues that are central to their lives. For over three decades, Sweet Honey In The Rock has celebrated our collective humanity, singing about the challenging issues of racism; social, economic, and environmental injustice; equal rights; and the greed that seems to be pulling our nation apart. The group has built a distinguished legacy as one of the most celebrated ambassadors of a cappella music, fusing five scintillating and soulful voices with the texture, harmonic blend, and raw quality that is indigenous and true to authentica cappella music. They take audiences on journeys that span centuries of African-American history and culture — sound journeys that nurture and heal. In the tradition of artists in action — this is the group that sang at the rally when the University of Michigan defended its affirmative action position before the Supreme Court in 2003 — Sweet Honey taps the spirit, encourages audiences to think, asks them to reflect, and inspires them to make a difference in their communities. Sign language interpreted. A special block of tickets is being held in the front of the main floor for people with hearing impairments.
The Sheraton Ann Arbor Hotel will offer a special room rate of $129/night, based on availablility, for this performance. To make a reservation, visit www.sheratonannarbor.com, click the box for SET # and enter 226544.
To receive a special discount on ticket prices, mention the promotion code AACVB when booking your concert ticket to receive $40.00 main floor tickets, $30.00 mezzanine tickets, or $20.00 balcony tickets to the performance! Mention AACVB at the start of your phone order with a UMS ticket representative, or type it into the promotion box at the top of the screen when purchasing online. Limit: 4 per customer; discount not valid on previously purchased tickets, at the door, or for online sales; subject to availablility. To book tickets, call the UMS Ticket office at (800) 221-1229 or (734) 764-2538, or book online at www.ums.org.
Cost: Tickets range from $22.00 - $46.00
8:00 pmFeb. 18, 2012 -
Mr. B’s Annual Birthday Bounce
415 N. 4th Avenue, Ann Arbor
(734) 769-2999
Boogie Woogie with Mark Lincoln Braun and drawings by John Pappas
This year Mr. B and visual artist John Pappas have collaborated to provide an evening of boogie woogie and blues piano combined with visual art depicting some of the blues greats. During the evening Mr. B will play selections from the musicians Pappas has portrayed, and offer some stories and anecdotes relating to each (some of whom he knew personally).
Cost: $30 Assigned Rows 1-2; $20 Assigned Rows 3-5; $15 General Admission; $10 Student
February 18, 2012
University Musical Society Presents: Wayne McGregor | Random Dance
Power Center, 121 Fletcher Street, Ann Arbor
(734) 764-2538
“If any artist has defined the decade, it’s Wayne McGregor.” (The Times, London) Wayne McGregor | Random Dance was founded in 1992 and became the instrument upon which McGregor evolved his drastically fast and articulate choreographic style. The company became a byword for its radical approach to new technology, incorporating animation, digital film, 3-D architecture, electronic sound, and virtual dancers into the live choreography. McGregor, an award-winning British dancemaker who serves as resident choreographer of The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, is renowned for his physically taxing movement style and ground-breaking collaborations across dance, film, music, visual art, and science. Specifically, he researches the relationship between dance and the mind as artist-inresidence at the Department of Experimental Psychology at the University of Cambridge. In addition, he is organizing a dance for 2,000 people in Trafalgar Square in London as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. Wayne McGregor is “doing some of the most exciting work in ballet on the planet.” (The New York Times)
Cost: Tickets range from $20.00 - $50.00
8:00 pmFeb. 18, 2012 - Feb. 19, 2012
Cantata Singer’s Valentine’s Concert “Serenades and Nocturnes: Songs of Love Lost and Love Found”
St. Paul Lutheran Church, 420 W. Liberty, Ann Arbor, MI
(734) 996-8867
The Ann Arbor Cantata Singers are dedicated to the presentation of great choral literature at the highest standards of artistic achievement. Our goal is to maintain growth, not only in musical excellence, but also in service to the community.
The Ann Arbor Cantata Singers were founded by Dr. Rosella Duerksen, who saw a need in the community for a small, independent, high quality chorus. The chorus was nurtured through the 1960's by directors Robert Pratt, Paul Foelber, Morris Risenhoover and Richard Crawford. Conductor Bradley Bloom, who retired in 1994, led the ensemble for twenty years and solidified its reputation as one of the finest choruses in the region.
Ann Arbor Cantata Singers
Valentine's Concert, "Serenades and Nocturnes: Songs of Love lost and Love Found"
Music of Brahms, Elgar, Vaughn Williams and others
Cost: General Admission, $12; Students/Seniors, $10; 18 and under, free
Sunday, 4 p.m.Feb. 19, 2012 - May. 26, 2012
Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra 2012 Concert Season
WCC Towsley Auditorium, EMU Pease Auditorium and Ypsilanti's Riverside Park
(734) 507-1451
2012 Concert Season:
Feb. 19 - Friends in Song III, 3:30 pm at the WCC Towsley Auditorium
April 29 - Experience The Master, 3:30 pm at the EMU Pease Auditorium
May 26 - Annual Riverside Park Pops Concert, 2:00 pm at Ypsilanti's Riverside Park (This is a free event)
Cost: $12 Adults; $6 Seniors 65+ and Students; $6 Children 12 and under; Family of 4 or more $30.
3:30 p.m.February 20, 2012
The Ark Presents: Gaelic Storm
The Ark, 316 Main Street, Ann Arbor
"A whirlwind ruckus"—Village Voice ... come back soon for more information.
Gaelic Storm's last album, "Cabbage," held the number-one position on the Billboard World Music album chart for three consecutive weeks in 2010. As many hundreds of thousands of album buyers and live music lovers know, Gaelic Storm tours over two hundred days per year, playing high-energy, foot-stomping, feel-good music. This band combines influences from rock, bluegrass, Jamaican, African and Middle Eastern music that may surprise those expecting purely traditional Celtic music. They make new Celtic music for today's world! And they've been at work on new music, so come on down and join the ruckus!
Cost: $22.50
Doors at 7:30 pm, Show starts at 8:00 pmFebruary 21, 2012
Big Top Revue 3 to Benefit Top of the Park
Gratzi Ristorante, 326 S. Main St., Ann Arbor
(734) 994-5999
The Roaring Twenties are back!
The Ann Arbor Summer Festival invites you back to the Big Top for a night of decadent food, music and entertainment. This year’s speakeasy theme offers an evening of music hall variety mixed with vintage jazz, electro-swing, and prohibition revelry all to support the 2012 season at Top of the Park.
Hosted by Gratzi in downtown Ann Arbor, the restaurant provides the perfect backdrop being housed in the former Orpheum Theater, a 1920’s movie palace. Glimpses of the venue’s former glory will be on display, along with plenty of hoofers, showgirls, and parlor tricks, as we support the festival’s admission-free concert and movie series at Top of the Park. Prepare to be razzled and dazzled with the grooves of days gone by with a neo twist.
A cocktail reception begins at 6:00 pm with passed hors d'oeuvres, followed by a seated dinner at 7:00 pm with a specially created three-course menu paired with fine wines along with strolling and stage entertainment. Following dessert, guests are invited to linger for coffee, conversation and more late-night follies.
ATTIRE: 1920's chic (flappers, fedoras, pinstripes, and pearls)
Cost: $150 per person. Proceeds benefit the Top of the Park series. A portion of your ticket purchase is tax deductible.
6:00 to 10:00 p.m.February 21, 2012
The Ark Presents: Mike Doughty
The Ark, 316 Main Street, Ann Arbor
Rich new solo music from the former leader of Soul Coughing
In 1992 Mike Doughty was working as a doorman at New York's legendary Knitting Factory club. With musicians he met there he formed Soul Coughing, a great 1990s band whose unclassifiable mix of rock, beat poetry, hip-hop, and electronica gained in passionate admiration what it lost in mainstream success. The reasons for Soul Coughing's 2000 breakup included Doughty's own drug addiction. His reinvention of himself as a solo singer-songwriter has brought new creativity, warmth, and, dare we say it, a bit of lightening up as he has sung, written, and blogged about a huge range of topics from the personal to the political to the whimsical. Mike comes to Michigan with a new release, "Yes and Also Yes," that includes one song in German and other accompanied by a Chinese zither.
Cost: $22.50
Doors at 7:30 pm, Show starts at 8:00 pmFebruary 22, 2012
University Musical Society Presents: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra & Wynton Marsalis
Hill Auditorium, 825 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor
(734) 764-2538
Under Wynton Marsalis’ direction, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) performs a repertoire across the full jazz spectrum — from the music’s New Orleans roots to bebop to modern jazz. By creating and performing an expansive range of brilliant new music for quartets to big bands, chamber music ensembles to symphony orchestras, tap dance to ballet, Wynton has expanded the vocabulary for jazz and created a vital body of work that places him among the world’s finest musicians and composers. On this new tour and to celebrate Wynton’s 50th birthday, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will showcase a retrospective of Wynton’s music written for big band. The JLCO may also perform the unique repertoire for which it is renowned worldwide: modern jazz renditions of traditional favorites, including tunes by Thelonious Monk; classic Blue Note Records selections by Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, Jackie McLean, Lee Morgan, and Joe Henderson; and modern compositions and arrangements by jazz contemporaries. “The audience was weak from applauding and shouting and jumping up and down with the joy of the great music it had heard.” (El Universal/The Herald)
UMS will offer luxury coach transportation from Oakland County to Ann Arbor for this performance. Round-trip cost is only $10 per person! For tickets and information, call the UMS ticket office at (734) 764-2538.
Cost: Tickets range from $10.00 - $54.00
7:30 pmFebruary 22, 2012
The Ark Presents: Playing For Change
The Ark, 316 Main Street, Ann Arbor
Maybe you've seen the "Stand By Me" video on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM)—it's been viewed more than 37 million times. It has quite a story behind it! Grammy-winning producer/engineer/filmmaker Mark Johnson founded Playing For Change on the simple idea that the world can be connected through music. Starting in Santa Monica, California, Mark captured a performance of “Stand By Me” by legendary street blues singer Roger Ridley, then he took the show on the road. In New Orleans, he put headphones on Grandpa Elliott, who harmonized with Ridley’s soulful rendition of the song. And he didn’t stop there. Using innovative mobile technology and traveling the world, they filmed and recorded more than 100 musicians, largely outdoors, in parks, plazas and promenades, in doorways, on cobblestone streets and amid hilly pueblos. Each captured performance created a new mix in which essentially the artists are all performing together, even though they're hundreds or thousands of miles apart. The Playing for Change has continued and evolved through worldwide concert tours musicians from around the globe, many of whom have appeared in the project's more than 50 videos. The PFC Band has performed on NBC’s The Tonight Show twice, and the two-disc CD/DVD set "Playing for Change: Songs Around the World" has reached the top ten on Billboard magazine's pop chart. The project’s deep emotional resonance, combined with the muscle of the Internet and sheer word-of-mouth, has struck a profoundly enduring chord worldwide. Playing for Change is a musical story of hope, joy, and redemption.
Playing For Change brings its "Back to Our Roots" tour to The Ark this time around! The tour's goal is not only to bring musicians together of all backgrounds, but to inspire, educate, and empower them through the creation of music and art schools in developing communities.
The 2012 Playing For Change Band lineup will feature renowned and wildly diverse musicians from around the world, making stops in major cities across the USA and Canada including Chicago, New York, Boston, Toronto, and Pittsburgh. The lineup includes:
Grandpa Elliott (vocals/harmonica)—USA
Clarence Milton Bekker (vocals)—The Netherlands
Mermans Mosengo (vocals/guitar/percussion)—Congo
Reggie McBride (bass)—USA
Jason Tamba (vocals/guitar)—Congo
Peter Bunetta (drums)—USA
Titi Tsira (vocals)—South Africa
Tom Canning (keyboards)—USA
Cost: $35.00
Doors at 7:30 pm, Show starts at 8:00 pmFebruary 23, 2012
Univeristy Musical Society Presents: Hagen Quartet
Rackham Auditorium, 915 East Washington Street, Ann Arbor
(734) 764-2538
“Their performance was filled with subtlety and wonder… the playing was breathtaking in its precision, dynamism, and agility…a thrilling encounter.” (The Independent) Regarded internationally as one of the foremost string quartets of the day, the Hagen Quartet consists of the two brothers Lukas (violin) and Clemens (cello) and their sister Veronika Hagen (viola), along with violinist Rainer Schmidt, who has been with the group for more than 20 years. For this return performance — they last appeared in Ann Arbor in 1998 — the Hagen Quartet presents a program of Beethoven quartets as part of Pure Michigan Renegade.
Watch the Pure Michigan Renegade trailer.
Program
· Beethoven : String Quartet in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1 (1801)
· Beethoven : String Quartet in f minor, Op. 95 (1810)
· Beethoven : String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 74 (1809)
Cost: Tickets range from $22.00 - $46.00
7:00 pmFeb. 24, 2012 -
The Ark Presents: BreakFEST 2012 to Benefit Breakfast at St. Andrew’s
316 South Main Street, Ann Arbor
(734) 761-1818
A benefit for the St. Andrew's Episcopal breakfast program
Ann Arbor's Breakfast at St. Andrew's is an all-volunteer charity that has served a free meal to anyone in need every day for 30 years. Today, Breakfast at St. Andrew's serves as many as 150 meals each morning. All concert profits will go to buy food and supplies, and cover other operating costs for the program. This year's BreakFEST show, benefiting the breakfast program, includes some superb artists who are rarely seen in Michigan. The headliners are guitar flatpicker Dan Crary, whose arrangements paved the way for much of the newgrass movement in the 1970s and 1980s, the Small Ponds featuring Whiskeytown alumna Caitlin Cary and Matt Douglas, and a traditional Irish band featuring Mick Gavin. You could come for the music. Host and special musical guest is Lansing's Joel Mabus. You could come to support a worthwhile program that helps people. Put it all together, and how can you miss this evening? Reserved-seat tickets ($40) are available through TheArk.org, the Michigan Union Ticket Office, and Herb David Guitar Studio; general-admission seats are $30. Note special 7:30 p.m. start time!
Cost: $30.00 - $40.00
07:30 p.m. (Doors open at 7 pm)Feb. 24, 2012 -
The Art of the Duo
415 N. 4th Avenue, Ann Arbor
(734) 769-2999
Violinists Gabe Bolkosky and Rachel Noyes will explore the often surprisingly complex range of texture within the duo and solo violin repetoire. This performance is made possible with support from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
Program
- Prokofiev Solo and Duo sonatas
- Bartók Duo Sonatas
- Bach Solo Sonata
Cost: $25 Assigned Rows 1-2, $15 Assigned Rows 3-5, $10 General Admission , $5 Student
08:00 p.m.Feb. 24, 2012 - Feb. 25, 2012
Vocal Arts Ensemble presents Pops Dinner Gala: Heroes and Villains
Kensington Court Hotel 610 Hilton Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI
(734) 302-1555
VAE's annual gala dinner concert and fundraiser looks at those extremes of human character -- heroism and villainy -- through music of the musical stage, pop, TV and movies, and a bit of classical. Between parts of a 3-course dinner, guests will be entertained by soloists, small groups and the entire ensemble. Complimentary glass of wine, cash bar, silent auction, coffee bar. Please note: ALL TICKETS ARE IN ADVANCE, NO SALES AT THE DOOR. Deadline for buying your ticket is Saturday, February 18 at 5pm.
IMPORTANT: If you buy your ticket online, in order to complete your reservation you will need to have seating assigned by Roxy Diederich, our event coordinator. After buying your ticket, contact Roxy at (734) 302-1555 or at roxymeggers [at] gmail.com to finalize your arrangements. Please tell her if there are others in your party with whom you would like to be seated. NOTE: Seats are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, so it is to your advantage to call early for best seating.
Parties of Ten or More: Discount tickets are available for parties of ten or more. In order to buy discount group tickets, do not purchase tickets online but rather contact Roxy Diederich directly, as noted above -- or work through a VAE member.
Cost: Ticket price: $55. Deadline for buying your ticket is Saturday, February 18 at 5pm.
February 25th, 5:30pmMarch 01, 2012
The Blind Pig Presents: DIA FRAMPTON with ANDREW ALLEN
The Blind Pig, 208 N. First St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-996-8555
Crafting a sound halfway between alternative rock and confessional singer/songwriter pop, she cites as influences Rufus Wainwright, Steel Train, Joni Mitchell, The Mars Volta, Rocky Votolato, Ben Folds, Coldplay, Death Cab for Cutie, The Cranberries, and Cursive. Dia Frampton's father was a DJ who exposed his daughters to a wide range of music while they were growing up in Draper, Utah. They were also encouraged to express themselves through the music medium: Dia sang at county fairs, while her sister, Meg, learned the guitar by playing along with the radio. Though the sisters played in several bands throughout their teens, they took a break from the music business when Meg relocated to Salt Lake City for college. By 2005, though, the Framptons were ready to try again, and Dia headed out to Salt Lake City to rejoin her sister.
Cost: $15 cover All ages
Doors open at 8:00pmMarch 02, 2012
The Ark Presents: Catie Curtis
The Ark, 316 Main Street, Ann Arbor
The songwriting of Catie Curtis combines insightful lyrics with addictive melodies and high energy. Catie's recordings and impressive touring career in the U.S. and Europe have earned her rave reviews and wide recognition. Her songs have been featured on "Dawson's Creek," "Felicity," "Alias," "Chicago Hope," and "Grey's Anatomy," as well as in several independent films. She's toured extensively with Mary Chapin Carpenter and with the original Lilith Fair. Catie was named grand prize winner of the International Songwriting Competition for her song "People Look Around," co-written with Mark Erelli. In January 2009 she performed at the Human Rights Campaign's official Obama inaugural ball, and she's been back to the White House several times. Catie's new album, "Stretch Limousine on Fire," delivers some of the finest material of her career: ten original songs that push at her own musical boundaries and explore harsh realities that are tempered with moments of fleeting beauty. This temporary nature of life is a theme that pervades the album from the first notes. The opening song "Let It Last," which features folk powerhouse and former tour mate Mary Chapin Carpenter singing harmony, finds Curtis pleading "I know it can't last / And all I ask is let it last a little longer."
Cost: $20.00
Doors open at 7:30 pm, Show starts at 8:00 pmMarch 06, 2012
BLIND PIG presents: BLACK MILK
Blind Pig 208 N. First St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-996-8555
As the buzz of many of hip hop’s young leaders-to-be evolves from loud commotion into hushed whispers, Black Milk has stayed relevant by remaining focused on creating music that endures. He’s achieved recognition from fans, critics, and his peers as one of the best producers around, and when coupling that talent with his sharp lyricism and stylish delivery as an emcee, Black has proven to be one of the most vital hip hop artists of his generation.
Cost: $15 Cover 18+
Doors open at 9:00 pmMarch 06, 2012
The Ark Presents: Hot Tuna
The Ark, 316 Main Street, Ann Arbor
From their days playing together as teenagers to their current acoustic and electric blues, probably no one has more consistently led American music for the last 50 years — yes! — than Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, the founders and continuing core members of Hot Tuna.
The pair began playing together while growing up in the Washington D.C. area, where Jack’s father was a dentist and Jorma’s father a State Department official. Along the way, Jorma became committed to the finger-picking guitar style exemplified by the Rev. Gary Davis. Jack, meanwhile, had taken an interest in the electric bass, at the time a controversial instrument in blues, jazz, and folk circles. In the mid-1960s, Jorma was asked to audition to play guitar for a new band that was forming in San Francisco, and the rest became Jefferson Airplane history. But the pair remained loyal to the blues, jazz, bluegrass, and folk influences of the small clubs and larger venues they had learned from years before. This led to an album and a record contract, all before they decided to name their band Hot Tuna. With that album they launched a project that has continued for more than 35 years, always finding new and interesting turns in its path forward. In an era in which old bands reunite for one last tour, Hot Tuna can’t, because Hot Tuna never broke up. They've turned increasingly toward acoustic roots in recent years, but two things have never changed: Jorma and Jack still enjoy playing together as much as they did as kids in Washington D.C., and there are still many, many exciting miles yet to travel on the group's musical odyssey. Hot Tuna recently released "Steady as She Goes," their first new studio album since 1990.
Cost: $35.00
Doors at 7:30 pm, Show starts at 8:00 pmMarch 08, 2012
The Blind Pig: Electric Six w/ Aficionado and Phantasmagoria
Blind Pig, 208 N. First Street, Ann Arbor
(734) 996-8555
Electric Six is a six-piece metro Detroit-based band that plays what has been described as a brand of rock music infused with elements of 'Garage, disco, punk rock, New wage, and metal.'
The band is touring in support of their most recent effort, Heartbeats and Brainwaves, their 8th studio album that they released in October 2011.
Cost: $12.00 in advance/$14.00 day of
Doors at 9:00 pmMarch 09, 2012
University Musical Society Presents: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Hill Auditorium, 825 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor
(734) 764-2538
Riccardo Muti, the Chicago Symphony’s new music director, makes his first UMS appearance since 2006, conducting an all-Brahms program. Violinist Pinchas Zukerman, recognized as a phenomenon for nearly four decades, returns to UMS for a performance of the Brahms Violin Concerto. “Youth sticks with some people…Zukerman seems the forever-young virtuoso: expressively resourceful, infectiously musical, technically impeccable, effortless. As usual, it was a joy to be in his musical company.” (Los Angeles Times)
A Prelude Dinner precedes the performance, with talk by Mark Clague, U-M Associate Professor of Music.
UMS will offer luxury coach transportation from Oakland County to Ann Arbor for this performance. Round-trip cost is only $10 per person! For tickets and information, call the UMS ticket office at (734) 764-2538.
Program
· Brahms : Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77 (1878)
· Brahms : Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73 (1877)
Cost: Tickets range from $10.00 - $120.00
8:00 pmMarch 10, 2012
University Musical Society Presents: Max Raabe and Palast Orchester
Rackham Auditorium, 915 East Washington Street, Ann Arbor
(734)764-2538
“Max Raabe and his 12-piece Palast Orchester are re-creating the music of the Weimar era with verve and class.” (Time Out New York) A nostalgic homage to the legendary nocturnal flair of the Weimar era, Max Raabe and Palast Orchester embody the high style and music glory of the 1920s and 1930s. The debonair Raabe has a singular ability to capture the cunning rasp of the cabaret singer, the confident bel canto hero, the oily melodiousness of the revue beau, the carefree timbre of early jazz, and the falsetto of ragtime, all backed by his stellar 12-member band. His art lies in revealing the enigmatic intelligence, ambiguity, musical power and complexity of the “German chansons” from the turbulent Weimar Republic —and then shaking it up with a completely unexpected cover from the contemporary pop realm. In his amazing and simply fun performances, he keenly reminds us that between melancholy and irony, rebellion and resignation, elegy and slapstick, there is often only half a measure, sometimes just a single note, or a mere word. Max Raabe will surely “disarm and charm with impeccable glamour.” (The Boston Globe)“Fascinating. A born crooner.” (The Washington Post)
Cost: Tickets range from $10.00 - $48.00
8:00 pmMar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 17, 2012
University Musical Society Presents: The Anderson Project, Ex Machina
Power Center, 121 Fletcher Street, Ann Arbor
(734) 764- 2538
Filled to the brim with his trademark humor and visual and technological brilliance, this off-the-wall masterpiece by Canadian theater visionary Robert Lepage stars Yves Jacques (Far Side of the Moon) in a one-man tour-de-force about a Canadian writer from the rock-and-roll milieu who is unexpectedly commissioned by the Opera Garnier to write a libretto for a children’s opera. Arriving in Paris, he finds that his living quarters for the next three months, which he acquired through an apartment swap with a friend, are in a building that is also home to a peep show in the city’s red light district. Freely inspired by the timeless fables written by Hans Christian Andersen who, as it turns out, didn’t really like children, as well as anecdotes from his Parisian travel diaries, The Andersen Project keenly explores unraveling relationships, personal demons, the thirst for recognition, and compromise that comes too late. The piece was commissioned by the Danish government in 2005 to mark the bicentennial of the birth of that country’s most beloved writer. “A theatrical conjurer, whose dazzling shows have captivated audiences around the world with their mixture of storytelling and stunning imagery.” (Guardian, London, on Robert Lepage)
Robert Lepage’s The Andersen Project is approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes in duration and is performed without intermission.
Content appropriate for mature audiences only. Performed in English and French (with projected titles). A strobe light is used in this performance.
Watch the Pure Michigan Renegade trailer.
Thursday, March 15 | 7:30 pm
Friday, March 16 | 8 pm
Saturday, March 17 | 8 pm
Cost: Tickets range from $18.00 - $48.00
Mar. 16, 2012 - Mar. 18, 2012
40th Annual Dance for Mother Earth Powwow
Pioneer High School, 601 West Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor
The Dance for Mother Earth powwow attracts American Indian dancers, singers and drummers from throughout the nation. Dancers ranging in age from toddlers to elders compete in several styles of dance---fancy, traditional, grass and jingle dress---wearing traditional and contemporary regalia. Competing drum groups provide vocal and rhythmic accompaniment to the dancers as they themselves are judged. Cash prizes are presented to winners in all the competitions.
A variety of American Indian culture is expressed through vendor exhibits of arts, crafts, music, contemporary and traditional foods, and information on social and political issues that currently challenge local, regional and national American Indian communities.
Cost: TBA
Schedule: TBAMarch 21, 2012
The Ark Presents: Terri Clark
The Ark, 316 Main Street, Ann Arbor
Medicine Hat, Alberta's Terri Clark has had a long and successful career that's consistently put her a cut above the common run of contemporary country stars. She's always had an ear for funny, sassy songs ("Girls Lie Too" is her latest U.S. number one), combining them with intelligently chosen covers -- with "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" she put Warren Zevon on the top of the charts where he always belonged. Terri is a CMA and ACM Female Vocalist of the Year award nominee, the first female Canadian member of the Grand Ole Opry, and an eight-time winner of the Canadian Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year nod. And she's still making great new music—AllMusic.com listed Terri's "Roots & Wings" as one of the best albums of 2011. In short, she's an entertainer of the kind you almost never see in an intimate venue like The Ark. Tonight's show is an opportunity not to be missed!
Cost: $35.00
Doors at 7:30 pm, Show starts at 8:00 pmMar. 22, 2012 - Mar. 25, 2012
University Musical Society Presents: The San Franscisco Symphony, American Mavericks
Hill Auditorium, 825 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor
(734)764-2538
As part of its centennial season, Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony will present the second American Mavericks Festival, which will tour in its entirety to only two US venues: Hill Auditorium and Carnegie Hall. The 2012 festival celebrates the creative pioneering spirit and the composers who created a new American musical voice for the 20th century and beyond. Aaron Copland’s Orchestral Variations were composed for piano before his prolific period that resulted in his most well-known works, and orchestrated nearly 20 years later. Mason Bates’ new work takes as its subject the first time technology bridged oceans. It sets radio transcripts to music in a work for chorus, organ, and electronics, revealing shimmering choral sonorities through a quivering static field. Henry Cowell’s threemovement Piano Concerto uses Cowell’s signature “tone clusters” expertly played by the edudite blogger and terrific pianist Jeremy Denk. And Lou Harrison’s Concerto for Organ with Percussion Orchestra shines a spotlight on the famous Hill Organ, as well as on an array of standard percussion instruments augmented by such items as oxygen tanks.
Watch: Michael Tilson Thomas on Ann Arbor's audiences.
Program
· Aaron Copland : Orchestral Variations (1930, orchestrated in 1957)
· Henry Cowell : Piano Concerto (1928)
· Mason Bates : Mass Transmission (2010)
· Lou Harrison : Concerto for Organ with Percussion Orchestra (1973)
Thursday, March 22 | 7:30 pm
Friday, March 23 | 8 pm
Saturday, March 24 | 8 pm
Sunday, March 25 | 4 pm
The Sheraton Ann Arbor Hotel will offer a special room rate of $129/night, based on availablility, for the nights of this performance. To make a reservation, visit www.sheratonannarbor.com, click the box for SET # and enter 226544.
Cost: Tickets range from $10.00 - $75.00
March 27, 2012
CURSIVE with CYMBAL EAT GUITARS and CONDUITS at Blind Pig
208 N. First St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-996-8555
Cursive premiered “The Sun and Moon”, the first MP3 off their upcoming seventh album I Am Gemini, yesterday as a free download on RollingStone.com. The irresistibly catchy track can also be downloaded and shared via the Saddle Creek online store http://saddle-creek.com/store/515; to directly embed the “The Sun and Moon” MP3 widget, please see the code below. Singles of “The Sun and Moon” and feverish second album track “The Cat and Mouse” are now available via iTunes. You can also preview them both on Spotify!
***Tickets on sale Wed. 1/4 @ 10 a.m. ***
Cost: $12 adv./ $14 day of 18+
Doors open at 9:00 pmMar. 28, 2012 - Mar. 29, 2012
New Song & Holt Internatiol present WINTER JAM at EMU Convocation Center
Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center, 799 North Hewitt Road Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197
734.487.5386
The Winter Jam Tour Spectacular has featured many of the top names in Christian music, including TobyMac, Third Day, Newsboys, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Jeremy Camp, among others. The Winter Jam 2011 Tour Spectacular outpaced attendance for all other tours in the first quarter, including Bon Jovi, U2 and Lady Gaga.
Show time: 7:00 PM
Door time: 6:00 PM
JAM NATION door time: 4:30 PM
Hosted by: Newsong
Speaker: Nick Hall
Illusionist: Brock Gil
Artists: Skillet, Sanctus Real, Peter Furler, Kari Jobe, Building 429, Group 1 Crew, Dara Maclean, For King and Country, We As Human Since its formation by NewSong in 1995.
Cost: $10
Thursday, 6pm – 11pmApr. 03, 2012 - Apr. 04, 2012
MAC MILLER LIVE AT EMU Convocation Center
Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center, 799 N Hewitt Rd., Ypsilanti Township, MI 48197
734.487.5386
Prime Social Group Presents MAC MILLER LIVE AT EMU wsg/ The Cool Kids and The Come Ups.
One of hip hop’s up and coming stars, Mac Miller, is set to return to the Detroit area on Wednesday, April 4 at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center. Miller started recording music in 2007 after getting noticed for his impressive freestyle skills. In 2010 this Pittsburgh native was offered a deal with Rostrum Records and released his debut K.I.D.S. that same year. After a handful of mixtapes, he followed up this release with 2011’s Blue Slide Park. Best known for the singles “Donald Trump” and “Nikes on my Feet”, Miller was named the iTunes 2011 Hip Hop Breakthrough Artist of the Year. In addition, DJBooth.net raved about Blue Slide Park saying, “after Blue Slide Park it’s going to become increasingly hard not to pay attention to Mac Miller.”
Cost: $28
Wednesday, 7pm – 11pmApril 05, 2012
University Musical Society Presents: St. Lawrence String Quartet
Rackham Auditorium, 915 East Washington Street, Ann Arbor
(734) 764-2538
One of the great finds of the 09/10 season was the St. Lawrence String Quartet, which made its UMS debut in a stellar program of Haydn, Ravel, and John Adams. Haydn returns to the program for this appearance, which is bookended with the composer’s quartets. In between, the ensemble performs a new work by Osvaldo Golijov, the Argentinean composer who has worked with the SLSQ since the early 1990s. The SLSQ appears twice with UMS in the 11/12 season; they also perform a new work by John Adams with the San Francisco Symphony as part of the American Mavericks concerts in March.
Please Note: The St. Lawrence String Quartet has postponed this concert from its originally scheduled date of Saturday, November 12.
Program
· Haydn : Quartet No. 57 in C Major, Op. 74, No. 1 (1793)
· R.M. Schafer : Quartet No. 3 (1981)
· Golijov : Kohelet (2011)
· Haydn : Quartet No. 61 in d minor, Op. 76, No. 2 (“Quinten”) (1796-97)
Cost: Tickets range from $22.00 - $46.00
7:00 pmApril 12, 2012
Univerity Musical Society Presents: Zakir Hussain & Master Musicians of India
Hill Auditorium, 825 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor
(734) 764-2538
The pre-eminent classical tabla virtuoso of our time, Zakir Hussain delivers brilliant performances that have established him as a national treasure in his native India and one of the world’s most esteemed and influential musicians, renowned for his genre-defying collaborations. His playing is marked by uncanny intuition and masterful improvisational dexterity, founded in formidable knowledge and study. Masters of Percussion, an outgrowth of Hussain’s memorable tours with his father, the legendary Ustad Allarakha, has enjoyed successful tours in the West since 1996. Joining the 2012 tour will be Fazal Qureshi, tabla& kanjira; Rakesh Chaurasia, bansuri (bamboo flute); T.H.V. Umashankar, ghatam; Dilshad Khan, sarangi; Navin Sharma, dholak; Abbos Kosimov, doyra; and the Meitei Pung Cholom (dancing drummer of Manipur).
Cost: Tickets range from $10.00 - $48.00
7:30 pmApril 13, 2012
Univeristy Musical Society Presents: Cheikh Lo
Michigan Theater, 603 East Liberty Street, Ann Arbor
(734) 764-2538
Cheikh Lô is one of the great mavericks of African music. A superb singer and songwriter, as well as a distinctive guitarist and drummer, he has personalized and distilled a variety of influences from West and Central Africa to create a style that is uniquely his own. Lô dedicates both his life and music to Baye Fall, a Senegalese form of Islam and part of the larger Islamic brotherhood of Mouridism, which emerged at the end of the19th century from opposition to French colonialism. Baye Fall is distinguished visually by patchwork clothing and long dreadlocks that lead some to confuse it with Rastafarianism. Born to Senegalese parents in Burkina Faso near the Malian border, Lô was interested in music from an early age, running away from school to teach himself guitar and percussion on borrowed instruments. As a teenager, he was influenced by Cuban music, which was all the rage in West Africa at the time. After emigrating to Paris and then returning to Senegal in the late 1980s, Lô attracted both the attention of and comparisons to Youssou N’Dour, who produced two of his early albums. His signature sound, based on the popular national mbalax style, was an instant success in Senegal and prompted rave reviews on his European tour: “a compelling performer with energy and personality to match that of the early Bob Marley.” (The Guardian, London) More recently, Lô has immersed himself in the Dakar scene, and his return home is reflected in his new album,Jamm. His blend of semi-acoustic flavors — West and Central African, funk, Cuban, flamenco — has been distilled into his most mature, focused, yet diverse statement today, with his husky, sensual voice sounding better than ever.
Cost: Tickets range from $18.00 - $42.00
8:00 pmApr. 14, 2012 - May. 14, 2012
University Musical Society Presents: Charles Lloyd New Quartet
Michigan Theater, 603 East Liberty Street, Ann Arbor
(734) 764-2538
Forty years ago, saxophonist Charles Lloyd was a pop star; his 1966 album, Forest Flower, sold a million copies. Four years ago, at 69, when most individuals are thinking of ways to slow down and kick back, Lloyd shifted to a higher gear and formed a new quartet. Lloyd has always led exceptional bands, and this is perhaps the best. With MacArthur fellow Jason Moran on piano, Reuben Rogers on bass, and Eric Harland on drums, the Quartet’s concerts are events of pristine beauty and elegance, full of intensely-felt emotion and passion that touches deep inside the heart. This is not entertainment, but the powerful uncorrupted expression of beauty through music. Lloyd’s latest release, Mirrors, “sees him attaining jazz nirvana, calling numbers that channel his love of Monk, eastern spiritualism, California, and traditional gospel music. Listening is like a meditation, and the sparse, taut accompaniment of the quartet keeps everything in focus.” (Jazz Choice)
Cost: Tickets range from $18.00 - $44.00
8:00 pmApril 18, 2012
University Musical Society Presents: Pavel Haas Quartet
Rackham Auditorium, 915 East Washington Street, Ann Arbor
(734)764-2538
“The world’s most exciting string quartet? Well, they suit the tagline better than most. Their tone is large, quasi-orchestral. They take risks. Above all, they play with passion.”(The Times, London) Based in Prague, the Pavel Haas Quartet is named for Czech composer Pavel Haas, who was imprisoned at Theresienstadt and died at Auschwitz in 1944. While the Quartet is passionately committed to the Czech repertoire, and particularly the three wonderful string quartets that Haas composed (including the one on this program, scored for string quartet and percussion), all of their performances receive extraordinary acclaim. “In a class of their own…” (The Strad)
Program
· Tchaikovsky : Quartet No. 1 in D Major, Op. 11 (1871)
· Pavel Haas : Quartet No. 2, Op. 7 (“From the Monkey Mountains”) (1925)
· Smetana : Quartet No. 1 in e minor (“From My Life”) (1876)
Cost: Tickets range from $20.00 - $42.00
7:00 pmApr. 19, 2012 - Apr. 21, 2012
University Musical Society Presents: Ballet Preljocaj, Snow White
Power Center, 121 Fletcher Street, Ann Arbor
(734)764-2538
It’s been more than a decade since Ballet Preljocaj (pronounced prezh-oh-kahzh) made its UMS debut, but this production of Snow White, created in 2008, will be well worth the wait. Angelin Preljocaj has created a work for all 26 dancers of his contemporary ballet company, setting the Grimm brothers’ version of the fairytale to the most beautiful scores of Gustav Mahler’s symphonies. With costumes designed by Jean Paul Gaultier, this production ofSnow White is sure to shake up those who have grown up with only the Disney version at their disposal. “I was very keen to tell a story, offer something magical and enchanted,” says Preljocaj. At the same time, he approaches Snow White’s stepmother, the Queen, as the centerpiece of the story, representing the conflict of her own longing to be desirable and seductive while watching her daughter grow up.
Please note: Snow White is a grown-up retelling of Grimms' fairy tale. Due to brief nudity and mature themes, it is not appropriate for young audiences.
Thursday, April 19 | 7:30 pm
Friday, April 20 | 8 pm
Saturday, April 21 | 8 pm
The Sheraton Ann Arbor Hotel will offer a special room rate of $129/night, based on availablility, for the nights of this performance. To make a reservation, visit www.sheratonannarbor.com, click the box for SET # and enter 226544.
Cost: Tickets range from $18.00 - $54.00
April 22, 2012
UMS Presents: Academy of St. Martin in the Feilds Joshua Bell, leader and violin
Hill Auditorium, 825 North Univeristy Avenue, Ann Arbor
(734) 764-2538
Sir Neville Marriner says that the small ensemble he founded in 1958 “had no intention of giving any concerts or continuing forever.” Happily, whatever the initial intention, the Academy is firmly established more than 50 years later as one of the world’s leading chamber orchestras. Formed from a group of London musicians and working without a conductor, the Academy gave its first performance in its namesake church in November 1959. For its first UMS appearance in 11 years, the Academy brings its highly lauded sound to an exquisite all-Beethoven program. Superstar violinist Joshua Bell attacks the stunning Beethoven Concerto with his breathtaking virtuosity and sumptuous tone and leads the rest of the program from the concertmaster’s chair.
Joshua Bell and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields will receive the 2012 UMS Distinguished Artist Award in a brief ceremony as part of their season-ending concert. The day also includes a Gala event, including the presentation of the DTE Energy Foundation Educator and School of the Year Awards, to raise funds for UMS’s Education and Community Engagement Programs. Tickets for the concert are available now; information about purchasing tickets for the Gala will be available later this fall.
UMS will offer luxury coach transportation from Oakland County to Ann Arbor for this performance. Round-trip cost is only $10 per person! For tickets and information, call the UMS ticket office at (734) 764-2538.
Program
· Beethoven : Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 (1807)
· Beethoven : Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61 (1806)
· Beethoven : Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92 (1811-12)
Cost: Tickets range from $10.00 - $100.00
4:00 pmApril 27, 2012
TORTOISE at Blind Pig
08 N. First St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-996-8555
Tortoise revolutionized American indie rock in the mid-'90s by playing down tried-and-true punk and rock & roll influences, emphasizing instead the incorporation of a variety of left-field music genres from the past 20 years, including Krautrock, dub, avant-garde jazz, classical minimalism, ambient and space music, film music, and British electronica. At odds as well with the shambling framework of alternative rock's normal song structure, the group -- as large as a septet, with at times two vibes players -- relied on a crisp instrumental aesthetic, tied to cool jazz, which practically stood alone in American indie rock by actually focusing on instrumental prowess and group interaction.
Cost: $18 Cover 18+
Doors open at 9 pmMay 06, 2012
Water Hill Music Festival
Water Hill Neighborhood, Ann Arbor
The Water Hill Music Festival is a one-of-a-kind music festival featuring residents of the Water Hill neighborhood of Ann Arbor, Michigan, performing on their front porches for other neighbors and visitors who stroll from house to house.
2012 Line-Up (so far) - The Vibrations, Jerry Hancock, Dan Mulholland, Brian Delaney, Andy Adamson, Rich Dishman, Tree Town Community Chorus (more announcements to come).
Sunday, May 6th, 2012, 2 to 6 pm Wear comfortable shoes, loose-fitting clothes and a hat, fill a water bottle and set off to wander Water Hill. You’ll find festival yard signs planted in front yards all over the neighborhood indicating sites where resident musicians will be performing on their own front porches, front yards, driveways, etc. (Some pianists will be inviting people inside to their piano rooms.) Chairs will be available on some lawns, but carrying a lightweight folding chair or camp stool might be a good idea.
Who, where and when? To know who is performing where and when you can print out the latest program from this site before you leave home or find it in printed form at locations around the neighborhood on the day of the event.
Parking: The best place to leave your car is parked in your driveway. But if you’re not lucky enough to bike or walk to the event don’t worry, there’s plenty of free parking available on streets throughout the neighborhood. Wherever you land please plan to park just once and experience the festival on foot, unless you have special needs.
Public facilities: Hunt Park, at the top of Spring Street, is a nice place for a lunch or dinner picnic, and has water and public restrooms. Belize Park is centrally located in the neighborhood at the corner of Fountain & Summit. It also boasts a drinking fountain, play structure, tree-shaded benches and a picnic table. Big City Bakery, at the corner of Miller and Spring, is a good source for coffee, muffins, scones, and on May 6th they’re offering a 2-for-1 special on their famous homemade dingdongs and extending their hours to 6 pm. Newly landscaped West Park, which borders the neighborhood to the south across Miller Avenue, features a playground and fields, and has a parking lot off Chapin Street.
Cost: This is a free event.
2:00pm - 6:00pmMay 25, 2012
The Ann Arbor Summer Festival Presents: Bonnie Raitt wsg. Marc Cohn
Hill Auditorium, 825 North Univeristy Avenue, Ann Arbor
(734) 764-2538
The Ann Arbor Summer Festival will present a pre-season concert with Grammy-Award winning artist Bonnie Raitt on Friday, May 25th at Hill Auditorium. The legendary singer/songwriter/guitarist returns to Ann Arbor in support of her newest album, Slipstream (release date: April 10). Special guest, Marc Cohn, will open the show.
Tickets will go on sale on Monday, April 9 at 9:00 am.
For info on tickets, go to http://a2sf.org.
Cost: $35.50 - $65.50
8:00 pmJun. 01, 2012 - Jun. 02, 2012
17th Annual African American Downtown Festival
Location- Downtown Ann Arbor on North Fourth Avenue & East Ann Street.
(734) 485-8889
The AADF annually pays tribute to the Historic Black Business District of Ann Arbor through music, art, theatre, dance, poetry, crafts, merchandise, food, and kids' activities.
Cost: This is a free event.
Saturday, June 2 from 9am-9pm.Jun. 02, 2012 - Jun. 03, 2012
Taste of Ann Arbor, Main Street area
Downtown, Ann Arbor
(734) 668-7112
Enjoy a taste of Ann Arbor! This annual community event features local restaurants offering visitors bite size, and some not so bite size, tastes of what they do best. Live music and children's activities. Free Admission. Tickets for food tastes can be purchased at the event. All are welcome.
2011 Restaurant participants include:
• Arbor Brewing Company
• Blue Tractor
• Busch’s
• Cafe Habana
• Conor O’Neill’s Traditional Irish Pub
• Gratzi
• Real Seafood Company
• La Dolce Vita
• Carson’s American Bistro
• Sabor Latino
• Miki Japanese Restaurant
• Black Pearl
• Blue Nile
• Cupcake Station
• Shalimar
• Parthenon
• The Melting Pot
• Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
• More
Cost: This is a free event.
Sunday, June 3rd. Time: TBAJun. 07, 2012 - Jun. 08, 2012
The 12th Annual Mayor’s Green Fair on Main Street in Ann Arbor
Main Street, Ann Arbor MI
(734) 794-6161, ext. 41602.
During the annual Green Fair, Downtown Main Street will be open to pedestrians for free entertainment, food, and over 120 exhibits with environmental information, hands-on activities for youth, Clean Energy Expo, Green Commute Options, BikeFest, WasteKnot Business Partners, walking tours, and more. For more information, please call the Mayor's Office at 734.794-6161 x 41602. WILL BE HELD RAIN OR SHINE!
Cost: This is a free event.
Friday, June 8, 2012 from 6 to 9 p.m.Jun. 14, 2012 - Jul. 08, 2012
Ann Arbor Summer Festival 2012
Ingalls Mall on North University campus
(734) 994-5999
Stay tuned for the 2012 lineup!
Ticketed performances of music, dance, comedy, and theater by national and international artists at various campus and downtown venues. Also, Top of the Park, a nightly series of free outdoor concerts, movies, and family activities at Ingalls Mall on North University (except Mondays). Tickets: 764-2538. June 15-July 8, 2012.
Cost: TBA
Various showtimes and activities (TBA)Jul. 13, 2012 - Jul. 14, 2012
Saline Celtic Festival
Mill Pond Park, West Bennett Street, Saline, MI
(734) 944-2810
Everyone is welcome at the Saline Celtic Festival! Whether or not you have Celtic ancestry, you are invited to :
- Listen to live music from regional and international headliners under the tents
- Watch and participate in dancing: Highland, Scottish Country Dancing, Cape Breton, Irish sean nos, and more
- Witness amazing athletic events while you enjoy a beer or lemonade
- Shop the outdoor markets of crafts persons and specialty merchants
- See the dogs, cows, sheep, birds of prey, and Millie the mascot
- Watch costumed reenactors demonstrate their skills, see jousters and their horses in action
- Stroll the park, paint a shield with the kids, braid a maypole and listen to bagpipes
Cost: TBA
TBAJul. 15, 2012 - Jul. 16, 2012
8th Annual Townie Street Party
East Washington Street, between Thayer and Fletcher
Fund-raiser and kick-off event for the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original. Townie Street Party happens on East Washington Street, between Thayer and Fletcher. With live music; art activities; a kids’ art fair; food and drink vendors; and an enclosed, private bar for Townie Friends of the Fair, the event provides locals with the chance to gather and enjoy an evening of free outdoor entertainment.
Cost: This is a free event.
Time of Event: To Be AnnouncedJul. 17, 2012 - Jul. 21, 2012
53rd Annual Ann Arbor Art Fair
Downtown Ann Arbor
This event, which is composed of 4 independent fairs, draws more than 1,000 artists and, promoters claim, more than half a million visitors over 4 days. In addition to the fairs, there are free concerts and a variety of food and drink vendors.
The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original (734-994-5260, artfair.org), is at Ingalls Mall between North University and W. Washington.
The State Street Area Art Fair (734-663-6511, a2statestreetartfair.com) is in the shopping districts around State and Liberty.
The Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair (734-662-3382, theguild.org/art_fair_summer.html) has a downtown section on Main and Liberty and a campus section on S. State.
Ann Arbor's South University Art Fair (734-663-5300, a2southu.com) occupies most of the South University business district and adjoining East University and Church.
Cost: This is a free event.
9am - 9pm each dayJul. 26, 2012 - Jul. 28, 2012
Sounds & Sights Festival
Downtown Chelsea
(734) 433-2787
The Sounds & Sights Festival is an annual summer festival in historic and culturally savvy Chelsea, Michigan. The event started over three decades ago as merchant sidewalk sales and has since burgeoned into a highlight of summer that draws visitors from all over the state and beyond. The two-day, three-night event features an open-air art market, live music, a food and social tent, children's entertainment and activities, a classic car show, and much more. The open-air art market is back for its 2nd year and expanding, after a successful debut in 2011 at this popular festival and the organizers are looking for artists and fine craftsmen and women to be a part of the event.
Cost: This is a free event.
Thur. 6-8 p.m.; Fri & Sat 12 - 8 p.m.Jul. 27, 2012 - Aug. 03, 2012
77th Annual Saline Community Fair
Washtenaw County Farms Council, 5055 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd., Saline, MI 48176
734-429-1131
The Saline Community Fair is celebrating its 77th year! Carnival rides are always a favorite for families to enjoy along with events scheduled every day. Activities and admission prices will be decided soon. Go to the fair website for a complete daily schedule.
Cost: To Be Announced
All daySeptember 09, 2012
Dawn Farm 39th Anniversary Jamboree
Dawn Farm, 6633 Stony Creek Rd., Ypsilanti
Megan Rodgers (734) 485-8725
When people want to have a great time while supporting a great cause, they head for the annual Dawn Farm Jamboree. The Jamboree is a family event with free admission and free activities for all ages, including great live music all day by a popular band, hayrides, animals to pet, pony rides, lots of games and activities for children, a rock climbing wall, tours of the 74 acre farm, and live and silent auctions, including a gift table with a variety of donated goods and services - many at bargain prices! Food and beverages will be available. Our 'Fellow Traveler' award ceremony will honor one or more supporters for their contributions to Dawn Farm and the recovering community. Dawn Farm welcomes old friends and new friends to join us and share in celebrating our successes in helping people with alcohol and other drug additions become part of the recovering community, and to celebrate the tremendous power of hope, recovery and community in the lives of individuals, families, and our entire society. Funds raised from the sales and auctions will help defray treatment costs for individuals who need help and lack resources.
Cost: This is a free event.
1:00 pm - 6:00 pmNovember 30, 2012
Midnight Madness on Main Street
Main Street Area, Kerrytown
(734) 668-7112
It's party time in the Main Street area! The stores will be open late! There will be tons of Holiday Sales! Santa Claus and Miss Washtenaw County will be roaming the streets from 7:00 - 9:00 pm! Join local business owners as they welcome guests with extra special savings!
Also, don't forget to head to Kerrytown for a fun-filled evening of shopping and dining. You'll find great holiday sales throughout the stores, strolling carolers, treats, live music, and more!
*Entertainment runs from 7:00 - 9:00 pm, with participating stores staying open until Midnight.
Cost: This is a free event.
Entertainment: 7:00-9:00 pm, participating stores open until Midnight