We saw three acts at the Ark in Ann Arbor this October. The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Ingrid Michaelson and the warmup act for Ingrid Michaelson, Matthew Perryman Jones.
The Carolina Chocolate Drops are amazing. We saw them at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival last winter and were charmed and impressed. Charmed is the word I keep using with this band. The band IS charming and engaging and remarkably talented, playing a variety of instruments with tremendous fluency and acumen. We fell in love and you will too. They are a must see whenever nearby:
http://www.carolinachocolatedrops.com/
Then, we saw Ingrid Michaelson for a midweek show (preceded by a 2 Hearted Ale and tempeh burger at the Old Town Tavern on Liberty - YUM! http://www.oldtownaa.com/ - happy hour prices on Bell's on tap from 4-6). Ingrid Michaelson was more than entertaining. The music was excellent, the band tight and obvious closely knit, the show sold out. But Michaelson herself was terrifically funny and original. My perennial dining companion was actually crying from laughter at one of her interludes and at one point one of Ingrid Michaelson's band members couldn't start a song because she was laughing too hard. Good stuff.
http://www.ingridmichaelson.com/
The most anticipated part of seeing a show at the Ark is the warm up act. For truly singular acts like the Carolina Chocolate Drops, there may be no warm up band. But for most of the shows, look out! You may find yourself at a concert looking forward to seeing the headliner and walk out 25 dollars lighter in the pocket but 2 CDs richer in music by the warm up band as we did tonight. Matthew Perryman Jones (http://www.myspace.com/mpjmusic) hooked us almost instantly with the catchy singer/strummy guitar fare I so enjoy. Check him out if you can.
