There are a few telltale signs that summer is finally approaching. Our favorite eateries open their patios, the sun actually stays visible for more than a measly six hours a day and, for those meandering throughout the Washtenaw county area, the Ann Arbor Summer Festival sounds its alarm and brings some of the best and brightest talent to your favorite locales.
While the festival kicked off in late May with its inaugural concert featuring Bonnie Raitt, it’s the ones taking place in June that really set our souls ablaze. The incomparable will Feist bring her soft, dreamy vocals to the Power Center on June 5, no doubt showcasing her latest release, “Metals.” Her fourth studio album, “Metals” was the first album Feist has created since 2007’s “The Reminder.” (Little-known fact: Feist’s first album was titled “Monarch” and was generally sold at shows. It’s now out of print.) Look forward to hearing some of Feist’s hits like “1234,” “Sea Lion” and “My Moon, My Man,” as well as some older jams (fingers crossed for “Intuition”). And of course, how can one forget “How Come You Never Go There?” fresh off “Metals.” Fans of Feist realize how very little this lady actually tours and how special this performance will be. It’s not one to miss, so don’t sit on your laurels for this one.
In addition to Feist, Al Green and Rufus Wainwright will be performing on the Mainstage throughout June (and let’s not forget about the roster of impressive local acts also playing the festival). The always-captivating Esperanza Spalding will be sharing the Festival spotlight at 8 p.m. on June 21 showcasing her modern take on jazz. Spalding’s 2011 Best New Artist victory at the Grammy’s marked her as the first jazz musician to receive the award. Since then, Spalding has been off and running, fastly becoming a respected and sought after musician. In March of this year, Spalding released her fourth solo album, “Radio Music Society.” Marked as her most diverse album to date, it features her trademark neo-jazz sound, with highlights of funk, pop and a tinge of R&B, so if you ever had doubts that jazz would be a genre worth listening to, here’s your reason to dive headfirst into a new world of music.
And don’t forget, the Summer Festival has several non-music events and activities to offer as well. One of our favorites is The Moth, a live storytelling event. For centuries, civilizations have been telling stories. (Sure, back in caveman days it may have be done with drawings since they didn’t really have that pesky talking thing down.) But the art of storytelling isn’t as simple as some may surmise. First, there’s picking a good story. Not just one that has shock value, but one with a good foundation, build up, climax and satisfying ending. Then it’s important to be able to captivate the audience, making them hang on to your every word – it is a skill that must be honed. And so comes The Moth, an event borne out of the New York City living room of founder George Dawes Green in ’97.
Moth participants pride themselves on being able to take an ordinary life story and turn it into an extraordinary, spellbinding tale that piques the interest of many. It is a gathering that exhibits one of the most cherished human experiences – connecting with an audience while sharing a personal tale of struggle, excitement or happiness. The event is so popular, in fact, that a few celebrities have tried their hand at it, including Moby, Al Sharpton, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels and Ethan Hawke. Thankfully, this critically acclaimed not-for-profit organization spread its wings and now has more events and a full-scale tour so that everyone may enjoy what it has to offer.
Many of The Moths “StorySLAM” events have sprouted up throughout the country, two of which take place at Detroit’s own Cliff Bells and Circus in Ann Arbor. But this time around, The Moth is a traveling showboat of talent. On June 28, The Moth On The Road will hit the Michigan theatre part of the Summer Festival. The theme of the evening will be “Under the Influence: Stories that Shape and Shake Us” and will, undoubtedly, prove to be nothing short of entertaining. Doors are 7 p.m., and the show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at themoth.org or annarborsummerfestival.org.
Visit annarborsummerfestival.org for the full list of Summer Festival events.
