Ann Arbor is the University of Michigan's hometown and one of the most musical college towns in America. It's home to The Ark, one of the country's great folk listening rooms, and it hosted the first major blues festival in the United States in 1969. The local scene produced the MC5, Iggy Pop and Bob Seger. Players will find a famous lottery-style open stage, a weekly Irish session in a Main Street pub, a bluegrass jam circle and a Sunday open mic led by a jazz trumpeter. This guide covers Ann Arbor's history, its music scene and venues, and where to find open mics and open jams.
A Brief History of Ann Arbor
The Huron River valley was home to the Potawatomi, Ojibwe and other Anishinaabe peoples. In 1824, land speculators John Allen and Elisha Rumsey founded a settlement there. Legend says they named it for their wives, both named Ann, and for the stands of burr oak that grew there.
In 1837, the University of Michigan moved from Detroit to Ann Arbor, and the town's destiny as a college city was set. The university grew into one of the world's great research institutions, and the city became a center of political and cultural life. In 1960, presidential candidate John F. Kennedy proposed the idea that became the Peace Corps from the steps of the Michigan Union. In the 1960s and '70s, Ann Arbor was a hub of student activism and counterculture.
Today Ann Arbor is known for its walkable downtown, its tree-lined neighborhoods, its football Saturdays at "the Big House" and a thriving tech and medical economy. It routinely ranks among the best places to live in the country.
The Ann Arbor Music Scene
Ann Arbor's music history is remarkable for a city its size. In 1969, the Ann Arbor Blues Festival brought legends like Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King and Muddy Waters to town. It's widely considered the first major electric blues festival in the United States. Around the same time, the MC5 and Iggy Pop's Stooges were inventing proto-punk in Ann Arbor, and native son Bob Seger was building his career in the local clubs.
The Ark, a nonprofit folk club founded in 1965, is one of the most respected acoustic venues in the country, and it presents the annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival each January. The University Musical Society, founded in 1879, brings world-class classical, jazz and world music to Hill Auditorium, and U-M's School of Music, Theatre & Dance is among the nation's best. The Blind Pig, where Nirvana played early in its career, remains a rock club institution, and the Blue LLama Jazz Club is a high-end jazz room.
Popular Live Music Venues in Ann Arbor
- The Ark (316 S. Main St.) – A beloved nonprofit listening room for folk, Americana, bluegrass and world music.
- Hill Auditorium – A grand 1913 concert hall on the U-M campus, home of University Musical Society performances.
- Michigan Theater – A restored 1928 movie palace for concerts and film.
- Blind Pig – A legendary rock club for local and touring bands.
- Blue LLama Jazz Club – An upscale downtown jazz club and restaurant.
- Kerrytown Concert House – An intimate venue for jazz, cabaret and chamber music.
- Conor O'Neill's (318 S. Main St.) – An Irish pub with a weekly traditional session.
- Earle (121 W. Washington St.) – A restaurant and wine bar with live jazz.
- Ann Arbor Summer Festival – Free outdoor concerts on Ingalls Mall each June.
Open Mics and Open Jams in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor's open stages are some of the best-run in Michigan, and neighboring Ypsilanti adds more jams 10 minutes away. Below are the standout events, followed by a schedule.
Before you go: Open mics and jams change hosts, nights and venues often, and some follow the U-M calendar. Always check the venue's or host's website before heading out with your gear.
Open Mics
- The Ark's Open Stage (316 S. Main St.) – Doors at 7:30 p.m., music at 8:00 p.m. Performers are chosen by drawings at 7:55 and 8:30 p.m., and each gets eight minutes or two songs. If you're not drawn, bring your raffle ticket next time to improve your odds. Tickets at the door only. A chance to play one of the most storied stages in American folk music. Check theark.org for dates.
- The Sunday Circle – A Sunday set by a house band led by jazz trumpeter Ingrid Racine, followed by an open mic for vocalists, instrumentalists (including electronic), MCs and poets. Check the Ann Arbor Observer calendar for the venue.
- Moonwinks Tavern Open Mic (5151 Plymouth Rd.) – An open mic for all performers hosted by Mike Gentry. Confirm the current schedule.
Jams and Sessions
- Traditional Irish Session at Conor O'Neill's (318 S. Main St.) – Sundays, 7:00–9:00 p.m. A weekly instrumental session; come to play or listen. Free.
- Bluegrass Jam Circle at the Ann Arbor Senior Center (1320 Baldwin Ave.) – An evening bluegrass jam circle (it has met on Wednesdays, 5:00–9:00 p.m.). Confirm upcoming dates.
- Ann Arbor/Ypsi Acoustic Jammers – A Sunday group that holds an open mic followed by an hour-long acoustic jam. Bring chord-and-lyric sheets for well-known songs.
- Nearby in Ypsilanti – A first-Tuesday jazz jam at Ziggy's and a second-Sunday blues jam at Water Tower Distilling. See our Ypsilanti guide.
Ann Arbor Open Jam & Open Mic Schedule at a Glance
| Day | Event | Venue | Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Traditional Irish Session (7 p.m.) | Conor O'Neill's | Irish |
| Sunday | The Sunday Circle (house band + open mic) | Check listing | Jazz / All Styles |
| Sunday | Acoustic Jammers (open mic + jam) | Check listing | Acoustic |
| Check dates | Open Stage (8 p.m.) | The Ark | Folk / Acoustic |
| Wednesday (confirm) | Bluegrass Jam Circle (5 p.m.) | Ann Arbor Senior Center | Bluegrass |
| Tuesday (1st) | Jazz Jam (8 p.m.) | Ziggy's, Ypsilanti | Jazz |
Tips for Playing Ann Arbor's Open Mics and Jams
- Bring your best two songs to The Ark. It's a true listening room, and the crowd pays attention.
- Learn some session tunes. The Irish session at Conor O'Neill's welcomes players who know common reels and jigs.
- Watch football Saturdays. Home games flood downtown; plan parking accordingly.
- Go to the Folk Festival. The Ark's January festival at Hill Auditorium is a highlight of the year.
Helpful Local Resources
- Ann Arbor Observer calendar (annarborobserver.com) – The most complete listing of open mics, jams and nightspots.
- The Ark (theark.org) – Open Stage dates and concerts.
- WEMU 89.1 FM (wemu.org) – Jazz and blues radio with a community calendar.
- Destination Ann Arbor (annarbor.org) – Event listings.
