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Monday, June 4, 2007
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

A newgrass prodigy strums at the Ark

By DEREK BARBER
DailyArts Writer
Friday night, Mandolin virtuoso/
singer Chris Thile and How to Grow
a Band will perform at Ann Arbor's
sanctuary for pickers and grinners
of all customs and creeds, The Ark.
Although Thile is best known for
his contributions to the Grammy-
winning acoustic trio Nickel Creek
and considered a world-class musi-
cian - all by age twenty-five, no.less
- the tour-ramblin' man would like

to be remembered for a little more
than his technical prowess.
"One of the things I'm most
excited about,"
Thile said, "is Chris Thile
the opportu-
nity to expand Friday June 8
the repertoire 7:30 p.m.
of the bluegrass $25
ensemble."
This expan- The Ark
sion has taken
shape in Thile's widely diverse
sources of musical inspiration.

Much of that can be found on his
latest record, 2006's How to Grow a
Woman from the Ground.
With feet firmly rooted in his
prodigious bluegrass upbringing,
Thile has covered material rang-
ing from the avenues of indie rock
(Pavement, The White Stripes) as
well as the pop candy land of Brit-
ney Spears. Thile's most ambitious
work - a forty minute suite in four
movements -recently debuted at a
little venue called Carnegie Hall.
"We choose a cover based on how
natural it is for usto play it, yet how
unnatural it would be forus to write
it," Thile said.
But don't be fooled by Thile's
ambition; his bubbling enthusiasm
never appears to get the best of his
humility.

"It's a pretty exciting thing to be
starting a new band," Thile said, in
reference to his all-star cast of musi-
cians, including renowned flat-pick-
in' guitarist Bryan Sutton. "But also
to have a certain amount of notori-
ety. It's a nice juxtaposition."
Concertgoers should expect
a night filled not only with the
exceptional technical display of
bluegrass pickers of the finest ilk
but also a truly unique voice in an
age-old musical tradition - some-
thing that even Jake White could
grin about.
"[The Ark] is honestly one of my
favorite places to play in the coun-
try," Thile said. "I have as much fun
there as anywhere. And of course
we'll be full of Zingerman's deli.
That's always a happy thing."

HURON HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH
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CALENDAR
The Daily Arts guide to
upcoming concerts,fairs,
screenings and other events
Monday
Dirty Dozen Brass Band
The Ark
8 p.m. $20
Yuganaut
The Canterbury House
8 p.m. $5-$10
Wednesday
Levi Weaver
The Blind Pig
7 p.m. $7
Thursday
Ann Arbor Civic Theatre
presents Hair
Mendelssohn Theatre
8 p.m. $21 for students
Friday
Steve Sabo
Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase
8 and 10:30 pm. $8 advance/$10 at
the door
Gary Prince and Sara Curtin
Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tearoom
8:30pm free
Canada, Chris Bathgate and
Elm From Arm
The Elbow Room, Ypsilanti
9:30 p.m. $8-$10
Saturday
Steppin' In It and Lost
World String Band
The Ark
8 p.m. $15
Great Lakes Myth Society
The Magic Stick
9 p.m. $8
Sunday
Slaughterhouse Five
The Michigan Theater
3 p.m. $6.75
Please send all press releases
to artspage@michigandaily.com

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