Hi neighbors!

It’s officially been 1 year since the start of The Ann Arbor Insider! 🎉

This week’s newsletter marks the 52nd consecutive week and I just have to say THANK YOU for being part of this community.

52 weeks ago, I started with 0 followers and 0 subscribers.
Today, there are over 1,100 subscribers & hundreds of followers on IG.

That’s pretty special.

So, thank you. Thank you for reading. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for reaching out and telling me how much you love it — it has kept me going!
And, pretty pretty please — keep sharing it!

Cheers to another year 🥂

🗓️ What’s Happening?

🛠️ Repairsday Thursday @ All Hands Active | Thursday 6-8pm
If you’re ready to throw something out because it stopped working, try bringing it here first! This awesome nonprofit has volunteers onsite who will try to repair your item.

🛍️ BYOB 90% off Clearance Sale @ Once Upon A Child | Saturday-Sunday
Bring your own bag & get some great deals on gently used kids items on super clearance!

❄️ Dexter Ice Fest | Saturday at 10am
Come to downtown Dexter to see over 80 ice sculptures, live ice carving demos & walk around downtown for the cocoa crawl and shop special sales from local businesses!

🥃 Ypsi Bourbon Fest | Saturday at 4pm
Whiskey lovers unite! This festival will feature 100+ whiskeys, handcrafted cocktails, live music, vendors & a food truck.

🍽️ Ann Arbor Restaurant Week | Sunday-Friday
It’s going to be an arctic week, but this is the perfect excuse to get out for some comfort food! Dozens of local restaurants are participating and putting together special menus for restaurant week.

📰  What’s New?

🍕 Hometown Pizza is set to open this Saturday, January 18th at 5060 Jackson Rd (Suite G) in Ann Arbor. They will open at 9am on Saturday (pizza breakfast?!) and they’re offering a grand opening special of an extra large 2-topping pizza, cheesebread & beverage for $15.

Later on this year (likely end of summer), they will also open their indoor golf side of the business — they currently operate another location in Adrian and will bring the same concept here!

🎵  Live Music Lineup

(Live music events in Ann Arbor/Ypsi unless otherwise noted & those marked with ($) charge a cover or require a ticket to the best of my knowledge)

Thursday, January 16th:
Ann Arbor Symphony KinderConcert @ The 109 Cultural Exchange (Saline) from 10am-10:30am (free)
Keaton Royer and Josef Deas @ Weber’s from  6-9pm (no cover)
Devyn Mitchell @ Erratic Ale (Dexter) at 6:30pm-8:30 (no cover) 
Jake Reichbart @ The Earle from 7-9pm (no cover)
Pittsfield Open Band @ Ypsi Alehouse at 7pm (no cover)
Jonathan Barahal Taylor Quartet @ Blue Llama Jazz Club from 7-8pm & 8:45-9:45pm ($)
Fallout Shelter show @ 734 Brewing Co (Ypsi) from 7:30pm-midnight ($5 suggested donation)
Django Reinhardt Birthday Celebration @ The Ark at 8pm ($25)
Hares On The Mountain, Chuck Sipperley, Martin Babl @ Ziggy’s at 8pm (Ypsi) ($)
Out of Focus w/ Money Soup, On Tap @ The Blind Pig at 8pm ($)
Relics of the Future @ Zal Gaz Grotto from 8-11pm ($)
House Music For All @ Elks Lodge AA from 8pm-midnight ($5 cover)
The Pherotones @ Last Word from 9pm-midnight (no cover)

Friday, January 17th:
The Dangling Participles @ North Star Lounge from 5:30-6:30pm (no cover)
Pontiac Trail Blazers Ft. Andy David @ North Star Lounge from 7-10pm ($)  
Dog Latin @ Ypsi Alehouse at 7pm (no cover)
Sean Dobbins Quintet @ Blue Llama Jazz Club from 7-8pm and 9:30-10:30pm ($)
Robert Johnson @ Triple Goddess Tasting Room (Ypsi) from 7-9pm (no cover)
Etienne Charles: Earth Tones @ Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre (UofM Campus) at 7:30pm ($)
Ann Arbor Folk Fest Kickoff w/ Multiple Artists @ The Ark at 8pm ($)
MusicMix Rick Hicks @ 734 Brewing (Ypsi) from 8pm-midnight (no cover)
Moth Duster @ Mash (Ann Arbor) @ 8pm (no cover)
Ferrario @ Zal Gaz Grotto from 8-11pm ($) 
Human Skull, Shindig Machine, Adam J Snyder @ Ziggy’s (Ypsi) at 8pm ($)
Jay Fry @ Mash (Ypsi) at 8pm (no cover)
Rob Crozier Ensemble @ The Habitat Lounge from 9-11pm (no cover)
ThrillKill and Danny Fantom @ Alley Bar from 10pm-2am (no cover) 

Saturday, January 18th:
The Mark Williams Band with Judi Williams @ Ypsi Alehouse at 4:30pm (no cover)
Josh Silas @ Revel Run (Chelsea) from 6-8pm (no cover)
Shari Kane & Dave Steele @ North Star Lounge from 6:30-7:45pm (sold out)
Matt Von Roderick @ Blue Llama Jazz Club from 6:30-7:30pm and 9-10pm ($)
Feminine Energy @ Ypsi Alehouse at 7pm (no cover) 
Robert Warren and others @ The Earle from 7-9pm (no cover)
Josie ALA @ 4M Venue from 7-9:30pm (no cover)
Etienne Charles: Earth Tones @ Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre (UofM Campus) at 7:30pm ($)
Sudden Death Syndrome, Closed Circuit Cassettes, Meek, Pillow Princess @ Ziggy’s (Ypsi) at 8pm ($) 
Heywood Banks @ The Ark at 8pm ($35)
Jessey Adams & RyneShyne @ Mash (Ypsi) at 8pm (no cover)
Hot Wired @ Zal Gaz Grotto from 8-11pm ($)
Hemmingway Lane w/ Final Boss Fight!, Clipboards, The Dartmoors @ The Blind Pig at 8pm ($)
Brian Curran w/ Shari Kane & Dave Steele @ North Star Lounge from 9-10:15pm ($)
Rob Crozier Ensemble @ The Habitat Lounge from 9-11pm (no cover)
JP & The Energy @ Mash (Ann Arbor) at 10pm (no cover)
Blou Reed @ Blue Llama Jazz Club from 10:30-11:55pm ($)

Sunday, January 19th:
Houston Patton @ 4M Venue from 11am-2pm (included with brunch) 
Ann Arbor/Ypsi Acoustic Jam @ Ypsi Alehouse at 2pm (no cover) 
Ann Arbor Concert Band: Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue at Michigan Theater at 2pm ($15)
Giving Voice! A concert of songs, duets, and spirituals by African American composers feat. Kisma Jordan, Robert Sims, Timothy Cheek @ Kerrytown Concert House at 4pm ($)
Etta & Ella ft. Sarah D’Angelo & Cliff Monear @ Blue Llama Jazz Club from 6-7pm & 7:30-8:15pm ($)
PORK @ Zal Gaz Grotto from 5-8pm ($)

Monday, January 20th:
Keaton Royer and Josef Deas @ Weber’s from  6-9pm (no cover)
Paul Keller Orchestra @ Zal Gaz Grotto from 7-10pm
Friends With Benefits @ Ziggy’s (Ypsi) at 8pm ($)

Tuesday, January 21st:
Easy Street Jazz Band @ Zal Gaz Grotto Club from 5-7pm ($) 
Keaton Royer and Josef Deas @ Weber’s from  6-9pm (no cover)
Jake Reichbart @ The Earle from 7-9pm (no cover) 
Brad Fritcher’s MOODS @ Ziggy’s (Ypsi) at 8pm ($)

Wednesday, January 22nd: 
Keaton Royer and Josef Deas @ Weber’s from  6-9pm (no cover)
Charlie Millard Band @ North Star Lounge from 6:30-9:55pm ($)
Rick Roe Trio @ Blue Llama Jazz Club from 7-8pm & 8:45-9:45pm ($) 
Jake Reichbart @ The Earle from 7-9pm (no cover) 
Running on Blues @ Ypsi Alehouse at 7pm (no cover)
Pete Siers & the Kerrytown Stompers w/ Steve Pistorius @ Kerrytown Concert House from 7:30-9pm
RetroVolt, Sodalite, Head Full of Ghosts, Big Brew @ The Blind Pig at 8pm ($)
Brian C. McFarlane, Joon Won Park, Linden de Leeuw @ Ziggy’s (Ypsi) at 8pm ($)

And if you haven’t already… make sure you follow me on Instagram to get more updates & ideas of things to do and see in the area! 

👋🏻 Who Am I?

💙 THANK YOU!

Thanks for reading the AA Insider this week!

If you enjoyed it enough to share it with someone else, that would make me super happy too 🙂