The Ark

Cool venue with tons of potential, but our experience was a bit disappointing. We went to see Willie Watson for my first trip to the Ark and he put on a truly great show. Puzzlingly, there was a really drunk heckler down in the front row who persisted throughout the show. There were some other minor distractions, including a couple whose bright phones and whispers took me out of the moment a few times. I can’t really blame the Ark for this, and if people want to enjoy the show how they want to enjoy it that’s totally up to them. However, I saw it as an unfortunate experience that will make me think twice about returning.

Cool place to see a concert. A friend and I came here yesterday for the Michelle Chamuel Sonic Lunch concert, since the venue changed from outdoors to the Ark due to possible rain.
The seats aren’t super comfortable but it’s a very intimate venue, which I liked. I’ve seen Michelle Chamuel play in a lot of different venues (I’ve been a fan of hers since the My Dear Disco days) and this was a fun place to see her play … she seemed to like the venue as well.
Fun fact: I had been to the Ark before although had never seen a concert there, as a class I took at UM «back in the day» (in 2007. lol) called music in Detroit and Ann Arbor had taken us there for a tour (a «field trip») of sorts. It’s definitely different when you’re actually experiencing a concert there, though.
As you walk to the restrooms you’ll see black and white photos of all of the past concerts/​musicians who have played at the Ark previously, too, which was cool.

The Ark is a great place to play. They are quirky to be sure. With their volunteers and membership rules, it seems like they would go under but they have been here for years and they thrive. They have music almost every night of the week and the sound techs and staff are top notch. Ken is the sweet guy who helps w the merch and pays out at the end of the night. At first I was a bit uncomfortable having a blind person counting my money and selling my merch but Ken is truly talented and amazing. This is the premier venue to play in Ann Arbor. If you can pack this room, you are assured an audience of music lovers and volunteers who really care about the artists and the music! LOVE Ann Arbor and the ARK!

Love this place. A complete gem that hosts live music over 300 days a year. Get down thee to see a show or 5, and better yet write them a check for fundraising.

Have seen over 25 shows there, and have never been disappointed. Reasonable prices for tickets, patrons who don’t act like idiots, and great seats and sound. If you think this is for only aging hippies, think again and give this place a chance.

The Ark. Ann Ann Arbor staple since ’65. This is one of the best venues in Metro Detroit to see a live show. There are no bad seats in this place, and the venue makes it so intimate that you feel like the concerts are performed in your basement.
It is chock full ‘a history, posters, photos, and rumor has it walls backstage with plenty of messages from performers.
The storytelling festival annually is one of my favorite things. And the annual fundraiser, the Folk Festival, is one of the best bargains around – multiple national acts all over the course of a few days. That’s held over at Hill Auditorium.
Even if you are not particularly in love with a band or singer, The Ark seems to change your mind.
Get tickets early and be on time, as it’s general admission. If it’s raining, bring an umbrella, because you’ll stand outside for a while. If it’s cold, bring friends to huddle and snuggle with.
If you are a member, you can buy alcohol and popcorn. They have daily memberships to purchase if you plan on visiting only once and need to get your drink on.
Just go. Listen to music. Make friends. It’s where music lives, according to their tagline, and they couldn’t be more right.

Outstanding concert venue in the heart of Ann Arbor. Cozy and intimate seating area. Attracts a lot of big name acts for such a small venue. Seating layout could be improved, and parking in Ann Arbor is always an adventure. Combine a trip to the Ark with a meal or a drink in Downtown Ann Arbor and you have all the components of a memorable evening. Worth the effort to see top names in music, and you may even be surprised to discover a new favorite if you decide to just drop in some night.

This is an intimate and eclectic concert hall, that sits about 400 people. There is literally not a bad seat in the place. Stage center seating is reversed, about 100 seats, all the other seats are general admin. Doors typically open at 7:30pm, with shows starting promptly at 8pm. People start lining up in from of the Ark, to either purchase tickets or they are holding general admin tickets, around 7pm. They have a small bar and pop corn stand.
The Ark is a not for profit organization, and all of the ushers are volunteers. These people are passionate and knowledgeable about music and the performers.
It’s a great location to see a long lost musical acts, or a talented local group just starting or a place to sing a long to classic folk songs. We typically go 2 – 3 times a year, depending on the artists/​band. You buy tickets online or you can go to the Michigan University Student Union and pay a $ 1 dollar service charge.
I’ve Bruce Cockburn here, and last Friday night we saw Jill Sobule and Julia Sweeney. Occasionally a big name will play at The Ark, but mostly is regional (Michigan) specific artist.
Its worth looking at their calendar, pick a music genre you like, and show up — its better than watching most Hollywood movies.

As David Byrne said… «Same as it ever was, same as it ever was»
Although the concert line up has grown and become a bit more eclectic, The Ark is the same as it ever was.
It’s the perfect spot in Ann Arbor to see a concert. It’s still the only place where you can actually hear the performer louder from the stage than through the sound system. Although it tends to cater to the singer/​songwriter crowd, they are equally good at handling high volume bands.
Another thing that I appreciate at the Ark is that the concessions are away from the performing area. These days too many clubs have bars set up in the performance spaces which are a real distraction for both the audience and performer.
Lastly the Ark is loaded with memorabilia. Old concert posters and photos cover the walls, but the one that caught my eye and brought back lots of good memories was the small tribute to Dave and Linda Siglin, the previous managers of the Ark, whose vision really made the club what it is today: The premier place to enjoy music in the Ann Arbor.

What a great venue! Went here for the first time on a «Take a Chance Tuesday» — free admission and canned goods are accepted for their food pantry partnership. The size is intimate think of your grade school classroom and multiply that by… 2.5? Seriously for a music venue that’s awesome! The staff here is friendly and they have over 300 concerts each year! I have no idea how they manage that. The Ark’s endless support for real artists will ensure my patronage for years to come!

Had a good time the other night to see the Steel Wheels. Seating was ok. Sound system vas very good. Didn’t try the refreshments, but they had been and popcorn so most people would be happy. Ticketing process was smooth, easy to get in, had to wait in the line outdo, but that’s how it’s done. Good experience, will go again.

The Ark is one of the most amazing places to see a concert, hands down. The Ark is a small venue with remarkable acoustics. It is a treat to see and hear talented acts in such an intimate setting. Shows at The Ark feature artists outside the mainstream and lean toward folk and Americana, although are certainly not limited to those styles of music. We have never seen anything but a great show here. The Ark is a non-​profit that depends in part on membership contributions and only members can purchase alcohol at the concert, but they do offer a «one day» type membership. The Ark is definitely worth supporting financially in my book. Aptly named, it provides a venue for amazing music we would not otherwise have the opportunity to experience live.
We like to park at the structure at 4^th and William and walk. There are plenty of excellent food choices in Ann Arbor for before the show.

This is an awesome place to see a concert. It is small and personal, so you can see/​smell the sweat on your favorite up and coming artists. If there is a musician that you like and they are coming to The Ark, then GO! Unlike huge arenas, this bar set-​up allows you to get up close and personal with the artist you came to see. It is very affordable and the bar is too, which makes for a great time.

Ann Arbor is clearly supportive of this fantastic venue. That’s great to see. When we come to town, we usually try to catch a show and dinner at Grazi; for a great night. We keep returning, keep up the fantastic job.
Remember, open seating, and they que up early.

I can’t tell you how many shows I’ve seen a the Ark.
If there’s a folk artist to be seen there, I’m in. And, while some are better than others, they’re all beautiful.
Thanks for hosting.

If you’re in Ann Arbor, MI for any reason, try to visit the Ark. Cozy venue. Real music’s last stop where anything can be tried and heard. I saw a duo tribute to Simon & Garfunkel performed by A.J. Swearingen & Jonathan Beedle. Not a terribly big fan to S&G (before my time) but they were excellent to the classics of S&G. This was a pleasant surprise. I gave a bit to the Ark too. It is a non-​profit joint. Must find a way to revisit.

this is without a doubt the premier venue to see quality acoustic music. Put your feet up on the stage and relax with the phenomenal sounds!
FYI: Membership is required for adult beverages.

The Ark is in my top 10 places I will miss the most when I move to Ferndale list. I started volunteering at the Ark in 2001 and was instantly in love with the venue for its welcoming staff, and friendly patrons.
I have seen some really big names come through this little venue including Dar Williams, Arlo Guthrie, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Greg Brown and Tom Paxton. I still cannot believe how close I sat to these legends!
Not to mention that alothough the tickets are reasonably priced I saw all of these shows for free in exchange for volunteering which consists of working the bar before the show and at intermission followed by sweeping up stray popcorn after the show. (Anyone could do this)

So many wonderful artists have played here, check this list an tell me there isn’t someone you love on there:
I have only been here a handful of times, but every time was a great experience and this place holds many fond memories for me! The quaint atmosphere makes it a great place to see shows and the venue is just really neat!
Check out their list of upcoming shows and see if one strikes your fancy! This is a definite must visit place in Ann Arbor and it has had a big impact on the community.

I just caught the Jer Coons concert there last night with a couple friends and it was a blast. My first visit to The Ark can be counted as a win! The Ark is a very intimate venue to watch an artist play and it is different then any other space I have seen a performance.
I was slightly disappointed that a membership was needed to purchase an alcoholic beverage but got over it pretty quickly. If I go back for another show in the next couple months I definitely think a membership would be a good investment.