One of my absolute favorite summer events, the free concert series Sonic Lunch, will be returning in 2012 with an impressive lineup of local and national bands and fantastic grub served up by local vendors.
Every Thursday at noon between June 7 and August 30, Bank of Ann Arbor presents free shows in Liberty Plaza with lunch served by a revolving list of local restaurants. Kicking off the season on June 7 is Laith Al Saadi, an accomplished guitarist who was named “King of Blues” by Guitar Center and has toured all over Michigan. June 14 sees one of the most talked about national bands to come out of Detroit, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., along with lunch by Arbor Brewing Company. On July 5, Frontier Ruckus and Chris Bathgate share the bill and, on July 26, our favorite sonic chameleon, Mayer Hawthorne and the County, takes the stage.
On August 2, you can grab lunch fare from Sava’s and catch another shared bill as Sophistafunk joins the fun with local legends, The Macpodz. August also brings performances from Seth Bernard & May Erlewine, The Ragbirds and Black Jake and the Carnies before closing the season with Theo Katzman on August 30.
Liberty Plaza is located on the corner of Division and Liberty in downtown Ann Arbor. All shows are free and run from noon until 1:30 p.m. Many local restaurants also offer to-go specials during Sonic Lunch, so you can always pick something up along the way. Or, feel free to pack a picnic, bring some lawn chairs enjoy the sights and sounds. All ages are welcome.
While you’re there, be sure to stop by the iSPY Magazine booth and pick up a free copy of Washtenaw County’s best arts and entertainment monthly. For more information including maps and parking info, visit SonicLunch.com.