Observer Editor
49th Annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival: The Ark
See 30 Friday. Tonight’s headliner is Amos Lee, a Philadelphia-based veteran Americana roots-rock singer-songwriter whose bluesy and misleadingly simple sound has been compared to that of John Prine and Norah Jones. Lee employs classically structured tunes, honeyed yet funky vocals, and subtly complex lyrics to convey everyday emotions without resorting to sentimentalism. Also appearing: Dawes is a Southern California guitar-driven pop- and folk-tinged rock quartet led by singer-songwriter Taylor Goldsmith. Its 2018 album Passwords ranges from arena rock to soft rock and explores political and personal reconciliation. NPR critic Stephen Thompson calls it “smooth and ingratiating California folk-rock that never bothers to hide its big, beating, bleeding heart.” Jon Muq is a Ugandan pop-rock singer-songwriter whose career started when Norwegian Cruise lines hired him after an online video of him entertaining a group of children went viral. Now based in Austin, and being taken under the wing of The Black Keys’ cofounder Dan Auerbach, Muq has gained a following for his honest songwriting and the joyful clarity of his voice. “The velvet-voiced Muq embroiders his songs with all the euphoria and heartbreak that come with searching for a foothold in new, unfamiliar territory,” writes No Depression. The Crane Wives is a Grand Rapids Americana folk-rock quartet fronted by the soulful singer-songwriter duo of guitarists Emilee Petersmark and Kate Pillsbury. Rabbitology is the stage name of quirky Michigan-based alt-folk singer-songwriter Nat Timmerman. Tonight’s emcee is Massachusetts blues-folk singer-songwriter Ryan Montbleau. 7 p.m.
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