Ann Arbor Folk Fest Ditches Tradition for New Format
For its 49th anniversary, the Ann Arbor Folk Festival is making a bold change. Gone are the days of two nights of up-and-coming folk and roots acts at Hill Auditorium. Instead, the festival will kick off on Friday, January 30 with a full concert from a headlining artist, followed by the traditional format on Saturday, January 31.
According to the festival organizers, the decision was made based on audience feedback, suggesting that fans are eager for something new and exciting. While details about the Friday night headliner won't be announced until November 17, the Saturday lineup has been revealed.
The diverse lineup includes a mix of established acts and emerging talent. Grand Rapids indie rock band the Crane Wives will take the stage on Saturday, alongside Philadelphia singer-songwriter Amos Lee and Los Angeles folk rock band Dawes. The festival will also feature Uganda-via-Texas act Jon Muq, University of Michigan student Nat Timmerman (performing as Rabbitology), and Massachusetts singer-songwriter Ryan Montbleau.
Montbleau, who is set to serve as the festival's MC, will bring his signature soulful voice and energetic stage presence to the event. Tickets for the festival range from $56.60 to $281.50 and go on sale at 10 a.m. for members and 10 a.m. for the general public.
While some may miss the traditional format, it's clear that the festival organizers are committed to innovation and creativity. The new format promises an exciting twist on a beloved tradition, and fans of folk music will be eager to experience it.
For its 49th anniversary, the Ann Arbor Folk Festival is making a bold change. Gone are the days of two nights of up-and-coming folk and roots acts at Hill Auditorium. Instead, the festival will kick off on Friday, January 30 with a full concert from a headlining artist, followed by the traditional format on Saturday, January 31.
According to the festival organizers, the decision was made based on audience feedback, suggesting that fans are eager for something new and exciting. While details about the Friday night headliner won't be announced until November 17, the Saturday lineup has been revealed.
The diverse lineup includes a mix of established acts and emerging talent. Grand Rapids indie rock band the Crane Wives will take the stage on Saturday, alongside Philadelphia singer-songwriter Amos Lee and Los Angeles folk rock band Dawes. The festival will also feature Uganda-via-Texas act Jon Muq, University of Michigan student Nat Timmerman (performing as Rabbitology), and Massachusetts singer-songwriter Ryan Montbleau.
Montbleau, who is set to serve as the festival's MC, will bring his signature soulful voice and energetic stage presence to the event. Tickets for the festival range from $56.60 to $281.50 and go on sale at 10 a.m. for members and 10 a.m. for the general public.
While some may miss the traditional format, it's clear that the festival organizers are committed to innovation and creativity. The new format promises an exciting twist on a beloved tradition, and fans of folk music will be eager to experience it.
but do we really need to change things up every year? It feels like they're trying too hard to keep it fresh and exciting. The traditional format was perfect, you know? It gave the newer acts a chance to shine without all the hype and expectation that comes with a big-name headliner on Friday night 
. Now it just feels like they're catering to the fans who want more "Instagrammable" moments rather than really innovating for the sake of innovation 
. Still, I guess it's cool that the festival is listening to what the audience wants... maybe this new format will work out and we'll all be pleasantly surprised 
.
they're shaking things up but im so down for a headlining artist on friday night!!! the saturday lineup looks amazing btw cant wait to see amos lee & dawes live!!! 
"The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it." ~ J.M. Barrie 
It's time for the Ann Arbor Folk Fest to spread its wings 
and try something new! The decision to mix things up with a headlining artist on Friday night will surely bring in a fresh crowd of music lovers. Who knows, maybe this is just what the festival needed to stay relevant and exciting? 
then the usual saturday vibe 
montbleau is gonna bring the soul to this fest as mc tho 
anyways, tickets are available now and range from $56.60 to a cool $281.50 
! Montbleau as MC is a great addition too - his energy is always infectious 
I mean, who wouldn't wanna kick off the festival with a headlining artist?! It's gonna be SO much fun! I love that they're mixing things up and trying new things... it's all about keeping it fresh and exciting for us fans! 
And can we talk about how awesome the lineup is?! I've heard of most of these artists before, and I'm DYING to see them live! 
The fact that Nat Timmerman is performing as Rabbitology is also super cool - love the creativity! 
. But at the same time, I can see why they'd wanna mix things up and try something new 
. The lineup looks pretty solid though, especially with Amos Lee and Dawes on Saturday 
. And Montbleau's gonna bring a ton of energy to the whole thing! 
. But I guess if fans are asking for it, they're getting it 
. The lineup does look pretty solid tho 
. He's got that soulful voice and live performance vibes that just make you wanna rock out 
. It's all about keeping it fresh and exciting for the fans, and I think they're on the right track 
. Mine is like, 5 years old now and it's just not keeping up with the new stuff. I mean, have you seen those new gaming laptops? They're like mini supercomputers 
. Maybe after the festival, I'll have some inspiration for a fun road trip 
!
Still can't wait to see what this new format has in store for us!
. I mean, part of me loves the idea of having a headlining act kick off the festival, but another part of me is like "but what about all the new talent that's gonna get lost in the shuffle?" 
. Will the Friday night headliner be a total game-changer or just another excuse to charge more money? We'll just have to wait and see 
.
. I get that fans are looking for something new and exciting, but at the same time, isn't part of the folk festival's charm being that it's a community-driven event where everyone gets to discover new artists together? 
I'm not sold on this whole " Friday night headliner" vibe just yet... we'll see how it plays out though! 
. More concert vibes = more fun 
! The lineup looks fire 
, and I'm hyped to see Montbleau rock the stage with his soulful voice 
! Ticket prices are a bit steep for me 
but I'll def cop them when they go on sale