Joan Baez // Michigan Theater / Nov. 1
By Amanda Slater
In many ways, Joan Baez is a legend. Known as the “queen of folk,” not only has she been a notable singer-songwriter for over 50 years, but she is also a prominent human rights, peace and environmental justice activist. In addition to creating her own work, Baez is famous for recording songs by artists like the Beatles, Paul Simon, The Allman Brothers Band and, of course, Bob Dylan.
Baez and Dylan were romantically involved in the early sixties, and since Baez achieved her fame prior to Dylan’s breakthrough, she was responsible for introducing Dylan for the first time to several of her audiences. (The two continued to tour and work together in the future.) On November 1, Ann Arbor will welcome Baez to the Michigan Theater’s stage, and attendees will get a chance to witness the queen of folk’s live performance firsthand at 7:30 p.m. at the Michigan Theater. Tickets start at $27 and are available at ticketmaster.com.
Civil Wars // Michigan Theater / Nov. 2
By Amanda Slater
Singer-songwriters Joy Williams and John Paul White met during a songwriting session at a Nashville studio in 2008. Soon after, they were performing together and causing a stir in the music scene. Their second live performance at Eddie’s Attic in Georgia in April 2009 was recorded and released as a free internet download, which has now been downloaded over 300,000. Later that year, their song “Poison & Wine” was featured on “Grey’s Anatomy.” By December of 2010, Paste Magazine had selected the duo as the “Best of What’s Next,” and in January 2011 they performed their first single “Barton Hallow” on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno – and this was all before they had released a full length studio album.
On February 1, 2011, their debut studio album, “Barton Hallow” was released, selling 25,000 copies in its first week. Since then, VH1 has named The Civil Wars as artists “You Oughta Know.” They were nominated for a CMT Award for their “Barton Hollow” video in April 2011 and in May 2011 were asked to open for Adele for the fist six shows of her North American album release tour. Now, Ann Arbor will get a chance to check out this critically acclaimed duo at 7:30 on November 2 at the Michigan Theater. Tickets start at $20. But hurry – they will sell out fast.
Manchester Orchestra // Clutch Cargos / Nov. 8
By Ian Cruz
Manchester Orchestra shouldn’t go without notice readers who enjoy the likes of bands and past tour mates Brand New, Kevin Devine and Thrice. Within the past decade, front man Andy Hull has been writing and recording music by himself – and later with members of the five-piece outfit. Having already put out three records, the first being their breakout album, “I’m like a Virgin Losing a Child,” they are now currently on tour in support of their follow up album to 2009’s “Mean Everything to Nothing,” 2011’s “Simple Math” – which has garnered a good deal of critical acclaim.
This month, Manchester will be making their way back to the mitten to on November 8th with White Denim and The Dear Hunter at Clutch Cargos. As for Andy Hull’s own side project, Right Away, Great Captain!, the third installment for the concept album’s shipwrecked first mate’s account of his voyage through a great storm will see the light of day sometime this year. The first two albums in the series, “The Bitter End” and “The Eventual Home,” have both gained Hull a degree as a rocker and a fine folk guitar artist. Come see Hull and the rest of the crew live on November 8 at Clutch Cargos in Pontiac. Tickets are $16 in advance and $19 at the door.
Russell Brand // EMU Convocation Center / Nov. 16
By Amanda Slater
Russell Brand got his start as a stand-up comedian in Britain and is known for his inappropriate and out of control flare. In 2000, he was a video journalist on MTV, where he was fired for coming to work dressed as Osama bin Laden the day after the September 11 attacks and for bringing his drug dealer to work. He moved from his MTV hosting gig to a series of other shows, returning in 2006 as the presenter of 1 Leicester Square.
Notorious for his former heroin, alcohol and sex addictions, as well as numerous run-ins with the police, Brand has been on the straight and narrow for some time now. In 2008, he starred in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” which catapulted him to fame in the U.S. Since then, he hosted the MTV Video Music Awards in 2008 and 2009 and starred in “Get Him to the Greek.” Now, he is perhaps more famous for being married to Katy Perry, who he met at the 2009 VMAs and married in October 2010. Don’t miss the chance to see Brand perform live at EMU’s Convocation Center on November 16. Tickets start at $23 and can be purchased at emich.edu/convocation.
Paul Simon // Fox Theater / Nov. 18
By David Nassar
When it comes to Paul Simon, what can you say about the man that hasn’t been said before? The legendary singer / songwriter and former member of Simon and Garfunkel released his twelfth studio album this spring, the critically acclaimed “So Beautiful or So What,” and he will be following it up this October with the much anticipated, “Songwriter,” an anthology of cuts hand-picked by Simon himself, spanning a career that has lasted nearly a half-century. In support of both albums, Simon will be playing what is sure to be an intimate and diverse show at Detroit’s Fox Theater on Friday, November 18. It will be a night of beautiful songs played in one of the most beautiful venues around and is sure to warm things up as the cold November nights start rolling in. The show begins at 8 p.m., and tickets are still available starting at $95.