Live music in Washtenaw County, MI

Ann Arbor Farmers Market welcomes the return of its summer Food Truck Rallies, featuring more than a dozen vendors, live music, and tables hosted by community groups. Vendors from across Southeast Michigan will serve flavors inspired by cuisines from around the world. Come with family, meet friends, or enjoy a solo outing, and take in a festive summer evening in Ann Arbor filled with great food.

Lauren Sanderson performs live at a show open to attendees of any age.

Buffalo Rose is a six-piece band from Pittsburgh often tagged as “Theatre Kid Americana,” bringing an upbeat, joy-forward performance where their songwriting takes center stage. Their concerts highlight carefully crafted, emotionally rich songs, arranged with precision to engage both heart and mind. The band released a covers collection, All You Can Eat, produced by the group with Malcolm Inglis, which offers a window into the influences behind their genre-crossing sound. The release ushers in a phase defined by playful spirit, vivid color and sound, boundless possibility, and pure fun.

This Latin dance social at Phoenix Center in Ann Arbor features two rooms so you can choose your vibe. One room centers on bachata with touches of merengue and kizomba, while the other showcases salsa, timba, and a bit of cumbia. The evening includes registration, a salsa class, and plenty of social dancing across both spaces, with a refreshed music selection and added styles to keep the energy high. A limited guest list of 12 spots is reserved for longtime Michigan dancers who supported the community before COVID, and advance reservation is required. Discount cards are available, and there are special discounts for dancers visiting from Canada, Toledo, and Grand Rapids. Tickets are $10 for the social or $15 for the class plus social. Clean dance shoes are required, and outside food or drinks are not permitted.

A free happy hour concert at North Star Lounge spotlights Blou Reed, pronounced BLOO Reed. The group blends improvisation and rich jazz harmony with groove driven rhythms, carrying forward tradition while exploring a modern sound. The band performs original compositions alongside fresh takes on familiar jazz standards. Formed in 2022 while its members were still in their high school jazz programs, Blou Reed has continued performing around Michigan since.

HARBOUR brings part two of the Great, Big Tour with special guest Basic Comfort. This event is open to all ages.

Middle-earth takes the spotlight as the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra performs Howard Shore’s music from The Lord of the Rings at Hill Auditorium, joined by Kaitlyn Lusk and the U-M Men’s and Women’s Glee Clubs under guest conductor Robert Boardman. The concert presents the trilogy’s score as a large-scale musical portrait of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world, illuminating its cultures, languages, histories, and characters through voice and orchestra. This is a live symphonic performance only and does not include film projections.

Praised for “spotless harmonies,” wrote the Dallas Morning News, Jackopierce features longtime collaborators Jack O’Neill and Cary Pierce. The duo formed in 1988 while studying theater at the Meadows School of the Arts at SMU in Dallas, building momentum that led to a deal with A&M within five years and a debut album, Bringing on the Weather, recorded with producer T Bone Burnett. Their travels have taken them across three continents, nine countries, and 46 states, sharing stages with John Mayer, Dave Matthews, Matchbox20, Counting Crows, Wallflowers, Sheryl Crow, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Vertical Horizon, and Lyle Lovett. After a five-year break they reunited in 2002 and have performed together ever since. They continue to release new music every month and tour across the country, delivering energetic performances to a devoted following built over 35 years.

Karaoke at the Dexter Legion is led by Rex, giving attendees an opportunity to take the mic and sing their favorite songs.

The Michigan Blue Zone Tailgate delivers a full pregame experience ahead of Michigan home matchups. Guests can enjoy included food and beverages, plus live music and other entertainment, all amid a spirited crowd of football fans. The gathering takes place in a dedicated tailgate area a short walk from The Big House, bringing everything needed for a fun and convenient start to game day into one spot.

Made possible by the ongoing generosity of Friends of Opera, a donor group that supports vocal performing arts at U-M, this annual competition features student singers vying for cash prizes. Performances determine recipients of the Anna Chapekis Graduate Award, the John Knapp Undergraduate Award, and the Kittie Berger Morelock Prizes in Voice. Audience members may attend for any portion of the program and are asked to enter or exit the auditorium between performers. Admission is free and no tickets are required.

The Tallest Man On Earth brings a kinetic, free-roaming performance to a two-night stop in Ann Arbor, with special guest Gwenifer Raymond. Known for covering every corner of the stage with quick moves and playful energy, he has long drawn comparisons to Bob Dylan in both voice and songwriting. That early influence led him to explore the roots of American folk through artists like Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie, yet he remains committed to following his own instincts in how he plays and writes. His 2023 album Henry St. was his first recorded with a band, which he describes as his most personal work to date, shaped by time away that renewed his confidence and sense of play. With support from ann arbor's 107one.

Billed as Michigan's largest music swap meet, this buy, sell and trade gathering returns to the Eastern Michigan University Student Center. Expect a floor filled with vendors that range from amateur and professional musicians to collectors, luthiers, inventors and current or former music store owners, all offering new, used, vintage, custom and handmade instruments, amplifiers and accessories. Attendees are welcome to bring as many instruments and pieces of gear as they would like to sell or trade. Many people carry items, use a small cart for heavier loads or make a few trips to the car as deals come together. Beyond the gear, the event emphasizes community, often sparking reunions with old bandmates, new collaborations and fresh contacts for future projects. Admission is $15 per person and can be paid at the door or online.

The landmark 53-bell Charles Baird Carillon returns to full voice after a significant restoration that replaced the 30 largest clappers by Meeks, Watson & Co., along with refurbishment of the steel frame that supports 43 tons of bells. The rededication recital features guest artist Jonathan Lehrer, University Carillonist of Grand Valley State University and Michigan State University. It begins with the first complete rendition of “The Victors” on this instrument since the U‑M Bicentennial, performed as a duet with U‑M University Carillonist Tiffany Ng. “The Victors” will also be available on SMTD’s YouTube channel. Lehrer’s program includes “To The Sun,” an interactive performance for carillon and audience cell phones that highlights data from NASA’s Parker Solar Probe. The U‑M Frankel Detroit Observatory plans a solar viewing station at the base of the carillon during the recital, weather permitting, using a solar telescope to show features such as sunspots and prominences. The outdoor listening area is Ingalls Mall, and attendees are advised to dress for the weather. Tours of the bell chamber follow the recital. Access requires a combination of elevator and stairs and is not ADA accessible. Support is provided by an Arts Initiative Project Support grant.

Jacob Hart, a 17-year-old pianist, composer, and arranger from Detroit, brings award-winning artistry to the stage. A multiple DownBeat honoree, he has appeared at the Michigan Jazz Festival, the Detroit Jazz Festival, and the Toledo-Peacock Jazz Festival with artists such as Herlin Riley and Ryan Devlin. His credits include opening for Herbie Hancock, Branford Marsalis, and Terence Blanchard, along with performances at noted clubs like Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe, the Blue Llama, and Cliff Bell’s. Hart studies at the Detroit School of Arts and participates in the DSO Civic Jazz Orchestra and the MSU Spartan Youth Jazz Program. He is also preparing to release his second album, Short Circuit, in the near future.

At The Ark in Ann Arbor, The Tallest Man On Earth delivers a kinetic performance, roaming the stage with constant motion and expressive presence. Critics often note echoes of Bob Dylan in his songwriting and voice. Matsson has said he discovered Dylan in his teens, which led him to explore early American folk pioneers such as Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie. Even with those roots, he emphasizes following his own instincts in how he plays and writes. His album Henry St. was the first he recorded with a full band, reflecting a wider sonic palette along with fresh confidence and playfulness. This appearance is part of two nights in Ann Arbor. With support from ann arbor's 107one.

Share your songs on The Ark’s stage in an encouraging room that welcomes first-timers and seasoned performers alike. Whether you are aiming for a breakthrough, refining your live presence, or playing purely for fun, this open stage offers a friendly crowd and a quality listening environment. Each act has eight minutes or two songs to perform. Names are drawn twice during the night, and if you are not selected, hold on to your raffle ticket for next time to double your chances. Many artists have grown here, including local standouts Dick Siegel, Misty Lyn, and Matt Watroba, and the space has also seen early appearances from nationally known talents such as Mary Chapin Carpenter, Gilda Radner, and David Alan Grier. If you are not ready to step up yet, spend some time as a thoughtful listener and discover new music in the making.