Things really heated up musically across Michigan amid the last full week of January, from Ann Arbor to Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo to Grand Haven. Check out the Folk Festival recap and 11 photo galleries.
All-Star Cast: Emmylou Harris, Jeff Daniels, Michigan Rattlers and company during Saturday night’s Ann Arbor Folk Fest finale. (Photo/Andrew Rogers)
Returning in full-fledged fashion for the first time in four years, the 47th annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival may have hit a new high water mark with its weekend lineup at Hill Auditorium on the University of Michigan campus.
Support our coverage of
West Michigan's music scene
From headlining sets by iconic acts Old Crow Medicine Show (Friday) and Emmylou Harris (Saturday) to entertaining sets by Michigan’s own Michigan Rattlers and Jeff Daniels (who emceed the festival) to evening-ending finales featuring all of the performers, the 2024 edition of The Ark fundraiser unfurled as a gem for artists and fans alike.
The second evening of the prestigious event included riveting performances by Michigan Rattlers, Lizzie No, Emmylou Harris and Jeff Daniels.
On a busy night in Ann Arbor, with cars lined down State Street and pedestrians filling the sidewalk, the festival concluded with serenades, traditional acoustic folk music and rock ‘n’ roll.
Hosted at the beautiful and cavernous Hill Auditorium, the performances captivated an attentive audience. From the spotlight glint reflecting off of Graham Young’s fire red electric guitar during the Michigan Rattlers set, to the familiarity of Jeff Daniels’ warm voice and Lizzie No’s mesmerizing harp, Saturday boasted no shortage of magical moments.
Elsewhere, the weekend was also full of stars, from Digable Planets pumping up Kalamazoo State Theatre to Sophia McIntosh & The Sages making their buzz-generating debut at Grand Rapids’ SpeakEZ Lounge to super-cozy sets by Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish at Grand Haven’s Off the Record and Molly in “The Stacks” at the Grand Rapids Public Library to album-release shows at The Pyramid Scheme and Bell’s Brewery Eccentric Cafe.
Scroll down through 11 photo galleries at Local Spins.
PHOTO GALLERY: Ann Arbor Folk Festival (Friday and Saturday)
Photos by Andrew Rogers
Photos by Julia Olmos
SATURDAY
PHOTO GALLERY: Jeff Fest III (Hardcore Music Fest) at Papa Pete’s in Kalamazoo
Bronson Arm, He Who Dwells, Slugchild
Photos by Derek Ketchum
