Aziz Ansari, Andrew Bird and Steve Martin
by Amanda Slater

Aziz Ansari // Fillmore Detroit / June 12

*Don’t miss Aziz in Ann Arbor at the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase Monday June, 20th for 2 shows at 7 and 9pm!

Even if the name doesn’t sound familiar, chances are you’ve seen Aziz Ansari. Lately, this comedian has been popping up everywhere—from hosting the 2010 MTV Movie Awards to his current role as Tom Haverfordt on NBC’s “Parks and Recreation.” Ansari began performing stand-up comedy in New York while in college and was mentioned by Rolling Stone in their 2005 “Hot List” as their “Hot Standup” pick. In 2006, he won the Jury Award for “Best Standup” at HBO’s U. S. Comedy Arts Festival. When he was cast in “Parks and Recreation” in 2008, he began receiving recognition from publications like Entertainment Weekly, who named him as one of 2009’s “Breakout Stars,” TV Guide, who called him a “Scene Stealer” and “Yahoo! TV,” who gave him the top spot on their “TV MVPS” list. In addition to his role on “Parks and Recreation” and his standup career, Ansari has made a number of TV and film appearances in shows like “Flight of the Conchords” and “Scrubs” and movies including “Get Him to the Greek,” “I Love You, Man,” “Observe and Report” and “Funny People.” Soon audiences will be seeing Ansari again on the big screen in the upcoming “30 Minutes or Less” starring Jesse Eisenberg, but before then he will be making a stop at 7:30 p.m. on June 12 at the Fillmore Detroit for his Dangerously Delicious Tour. Tickets start at $37.50 and can be purchased at www.livenation.com.

Andrew Bird // Power Center / June 18
Chicago native Andrew Bird is perhaps one of the most beloved and talented indie-folk musicians. Currently signed to Fat Possum Records, Bird sings, whistles and plays the guitar, violin and glockenspiel. A graduate of Northwestern University with a bachelor’s degree in violin performance, Bird self-released his first solo album in 1996. After a stint playing in a full band called Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire, he returned to being a solo musician, this time reinventing his sound. Now, years later, Bird continues to release records and wow audiences at concerts and festivals around the world, and Ann Arbor will get to experience Bird, along with special guest Haley Bonar, firsthand at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival Mainstage at 8 p.m. on June 18 at the Power Center. Tickets start at $30 and are available online at www.annarborsummerfestival.org.

Steve Martin // Power Center / June 25
We’re all familiar with Steve Martin’s comedy, but many do not know about his music. That’s right. Film actor Steve Martin specializes in more than acting and stand-up. He also plays the banjo. In fact, he has a Grammy. Martin fans first caught on to his musical side in the ‘70s, as the banjo was a staple of his stand-up act, and on his “Comedy is Not Pretty!” album, he included an instrumental piece called “Drop Thumb Medley.” His 1981 album, “The Steve Martin Brothers” consisted of part stand-up material and part live performances of Martin playing banjo with a bluegrass band. However, it was Earl Scruggs’ remake of “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” (on which Martin played banjo) that received a Grammy for Best Country Instrumental Performance in 2002. When Martin released his own an all-music album in 2008 called “The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo,” he received a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album in 2010. Martin has also appeared at the Grand Old Opry and has showcased his banjo playing skills on American Idol, The Colbert Report and Conan. This month, Martin will be performing at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival Mainstage along with The Steep Canyon Rangers at 8 p.m. on June 25 at the Power Center. Tickets start at $55 and are already sold out, but be on the lookout for last minute sales on eBay and ticket sale sites.