MAMA's Coffeehouse

09/16/2024

Alberto “Bear” Whitmer will be opening for the Heather Pierson Duo this Saturday!

Alberto "Bear" Whitmer is a guitarist and teacher from Metro Detroit. As an instrumental fingerstyle acoustic player, Bear plays music that draws from British and American folk, Irish Traditional Music, Celtic, blues, classical, jazz, pop, and percussive fingerstyle. He expands the sonic palette of a 6 or 12-string acoustic guitar by synthesizing melody, bass, and harmony on a single instrument while also incorporating percussive tapping techniques, expressive effects, and alternate tunings.
Bear is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee's fingerstyle guitar performance program under John Stropes. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in Irish Traditional Music from the University of Limerick. Bear has played with Mick Gavin and Friends, opened for Stefano Barone, Robert Jones & Matt Watroba, and James Keelaghan as well as being the special guest of Blackthorn. Around Detroit, he performs regularly at Irish sessions, open mics and farmers markets as well as busking when the weather cooperates.

Noah Kelly (fiddle) and Alberto Whitmer (guitar) perform The Gravel Walks - The Musical Priest - The Virginia Reel at the University of Limerick on 8/25/2023...

09/09/2024

Heather Pierson Duo will be at MAMA’s Coffeehouse on Sept. 21 7:30 PM

Heather Pierson is a pianist, singer/songwriter, song leader, and performer with a passion for cultivating joy, both onstage and off.
Best known for her ease at the piano and bell-tone vocals, Heather’s uplifting live performances with bassist/partner Shawn Nadeau
delve into New Orleans jazz, blues, and folk. From the delta to the mountains and back again, this duo’s performances take listeners’
ears and hearts on a journey with their conversational style of musicianship, speaking the language of music with ease and wit.

This show will happen less than one week before Heather's new album 'Back To The Light' is released on September 27, 2024.

The Heather Pierson Duo spent some time on The Nite Show stage with the Nite Show Performance Series brought to you by Cross Insurance. They stuck around for...

08/26/2024

05/19/2024

Thanks to everyone who made it out to our final show of the 2023/24 season - a double whammy with opener Katie Dahl and headliners Sons of the Never Wrong. They capped our season with beautiful, inspired performances. Join us again in September for another slate of terrific artists.

05/18/2024

Hope to see you all tonight for Sons of the Never Wrong wsg Katie Dahl! Just noticed that the event info lists the time as 7:30pm CDT - strange, since we're not in the Central Time Zone. Rest assured that the show will begin at 7:30pm EDT- tonight!!!

05/10/2024

May 18 MAMA's Coffeehouse
Sons of the Never Wrong wsg/Katie Dahl

SONS offer a fresh perspective on a traditional form. The songs, all originals, are lovingly crafted with catchy hooks and clever verses. An exuberant, optimistic approach to music-making.
The Chicago Tribune

Our shows will start earlier this year - doors open at 7:00pm, open mic at 7:15, concert begins at 7:30.

Enjoy this video from Sons of the Never Wrong

You could flow a hundred years child or disappear in the muddy muddy river...

04/16/2024

Jim Bizer this Saturday at
MAMA's Coffeehouse details in this event:
Jim Bizer CD release concert

Please enjoy this video from Jim!

Jim Bizer performs his song Long Stretch of Nowhere at Live from the Living Room in Lake Orion, MI

04/15/2024

This Saturday MAMA's Coffeehouse
Jim Bizer will be on stage with new music from his new release About Time!
Jim Bizer CD release concert

03/11/2024

March 16, Saturday!
The Linden Thoburn Trio and the Nows will share the Stage
at MAMA's Coffeehouse.

The Lucky Nows (Jen Cass, Eric Janetsky, and Rosco Selley) play dynamic, high-energy Americana folk-rock with echoes of Isbell and a bluesy center. Their music draws from every genre, delivering a wide range of lyric-driven originals with intricate arrangements and gorgeous harmonies. If Steve Earle had a love-child with Lucinda Williams, and that child was raised by Kris Delmhorst and Jeffrey Foucault, and frequently visited by the ghost of Townes Van Zandt, they’d surely sound a bit like The Lucky Nows
Please enjoy listening to Cannonball Girl from the album Rise below. Saturday night you are in for a treat.

Doors open at 7:00pm, open mic at 7:15, concert begins at 7:30
Admission: $17 ($15 student/senior)
Cash or check at door only

Provided to YouTube by CDBabyCannonball Girl · The Lucky NowsRise℗ 2018 The Lucky NowsReleased on: 2018-03-31Auto-generated by YouTube.

03/06/2024

Linden Thoburn and her Trio will be part of a shared show at MAMA's Coffeehouse on March 16th.
Brighton country-folk singer-songwriter Linden Thoburn deeply mines the head and the heart through a majestic journey of self-discovery. “It’s about personal journeys – reflective and physical. (These) … songs came from deep internal explorations, and they represent the struggles to find meaning and to resolve my confusion and find ground in the rapidly-changing US,” she said. “I hope to move people to feel or think. I would love it if people saw their own questions reflected in mine. The music I love the most makes me feel mirrored and less alone in the world.” Linden will be accompanied by Sara Gibson on cello and Cheryl Beauchamp on piano.
On March 16 she will be sharing the stage : Linden Thoburn Trio & The Lucky Nows

We hope you enjoy this song from Linden

Provided to YouTube by CDBabyWhen the Sun Comes Shining Through · Linden ThoburnThe Sun Comes Shining Through℗ 2022 Linden ThoburnReleased on: 2022-08-09Auto...

02/17/2024

Special announcement for tonights show at MAMA's Coffeehouse

Sadly, Buddy Mondlock has met with a flight cancellation and will not be able to be part of tonights lineup.

Do not change your plans! There is good news!

The incredible Jan Krist will join Michelle Held to bring you a beautiful evening of original music and conversations.

Doors open at 7:00pm, open mic at 7:15, concert begins at 7:30.
See you all tonight at MAMA's Coffeehouse

02/12/2024

Saturday night at MAMA's Coffeehouse
BUDDY MONDLOCK wsg/ MICHELLE HELD!

A little information about Michelle Held.

Michelle Held is a contemporary folk musician from Detroit. Michelle has spent more than a decade writing and performing. Held has received three Telluride Troubadour Honorable Mentions, and has been welcomed onto renowned stages, such as Kansas City Folk Festival, Wheatland Music Festival and The Ark.

The Detroit Metro Times writes, “Held plays gentle folk with oft-scathing lyrics. It’s her voice that adds the X-Factor; that little bit of welcome strange.

“Two years ago, I told Michelle that I thought she had the gift. I am changing ‘thought’ to ‘know.’”
— Tom Paxton

Her new and first single was released in November 2023.
"The World Moves On" is now a nominee for the Michigan Music Video Awards, finalist of Rome Music Video Awards and an official selection of the Prague Music Video Awards.

You can listen to the video here:

Official Music Video for Michelle Held's new single "The World Moves On."Animated by Cara Dunning.About This Song: This folk song reflects on the fragility o...

02/07/2024

BUDDY MONDLOCK
Saturday, February 17, 7:30 pm
Admission: $17 ($15 student/senior)
Cash or check at door only
Buddy Mondlock grew up south of Chicago but makes his home in the music city of Nashville these days. He writes songs. Interesting songs. Beautiful songs. Songs that have been recorded by folks such as Guy Clark. Nanci Griffith. Joan Baez. Garth Brooks. Peter, Paul and Mary. To name just a few.

“Mondlock’s songs are like movies you want to see again. He starts with the same world we all see and hear, but he transforms the sights and sounds into revelations that delight and melodies that linger.” -Ed Morris, Billboard magazine

Michelle Held opens the show

Doors open at 7:00pm, open mic at 7:15, concert begins at 7:30
If you would like to perform in our pre-show open mic

Enjoy learning about Buddy Mondlock here:https://www.buddymondlock.com/
https://youtu.be/A_9MrlGAimM?si=nvAcdksoj0UTghmF

In November 2013 Buddy Mondlock stopped by my workshop to record a few videos. Buddy is playing a rosewood GF model. As usual, you are listening to the artis...

01/14/2024

Saturday, January 20 MAMA's Coffeehouse is pleased to present Wilson Thicket.

Wilson Thicket has the acoustic soul of an Appalachian string band, but there is more to this Thicket than just a patch of bluegrass! Wilson Thicket combines a hand-picked group of the top singers, instrumentalists, and songwriters that Michigan has to offer, with decades of performing experience under their collective belts. Old school favorites, creative covers, and dynamic original songs are all delivered with strong doses of vocal harmony and creative instrumental mastery. This music has plenty of roots and lots of grass. There may be some thorns, but also some flowers. Welcome to the thicket!

Annie Bacon opens the show
Our shows will start earlier this year - doors open at 7:00pm, open mic at 7:15, concert begins at 7:30.
Admission: $17 ($15 student/senior), cash or check at door only
MAMA’s Coffeehouse is located in the Birmingham Unitarian Church



Here is a little video from Wilson Thicket for you to enjoy!

01/07/2024

Jan 20,2024 Wilson Thicket wsg/Annie Bacon will be on the stage at MAMA's Coffeehouse.

Annie Bacon opens the show for Wilson Thicket
Annie Bacon is a writer, singer, and songwriter living in Ann Arbor, Michigan. With her OSHEN she merges a literary writing style and folk-rock Americana sound to create rich and emotionally complex music. She also composed a Folk Opera, has written a forthcoming novel on themes of motherhood & war, is currently collaborating on an original full-length musical called The Keeper, and lends her talents through the Midwest as a harmony singer both live and in studio.
https://www.anniebacon.me/

Our shows will start earlier this year - doors open at 7:00pm, open mic at 7:15, concert begins at 7:30.
Admission: $17 ($15 student/senior), cash or check at door only
MAMA’s Coffeehouse is located in the Birmingham Unitarian Church



Here is Annie's song "California Heat"

https://youtu.be/kaXhcBE16dQ?si=V6UloZphnVpYgqFa

"California Heat"I'm not ready to write a song about youSo I'll write about your benchOn Robert Dollar hiking trailHow I wound the roads of Santa RafaelWitho...