Blog Post
Come Play Games at International Table Top Day!
by Spectacular Reference-Man
This Saturday, March 30th, from Noon-10pm The Vault of Midnight will be hosting International Table Top Day based on the popular Geek & Sundry YouTube channel's show, TableTop. The goal is to encourage everyone to play more games.
From the International TableTop Day website, "International TableTop Day is a reminder to spend more time and strengthen the bonds with the people who matter most, our friends and family, by playing games together. Tabletop gaming promotes many positive social and cognitive benefits like increased communication, team work, planning, and is an excellent stress relieving activity for all ages."
The Vault of Midnight will be showcasing at least 12 games previously featured on the TableTop show, such as:
-Settlers of Catan
-Ticket to Ride
-Zombie Dice
-and many more.
They will also have access to the Vault's extensive game library.
Representatives of Mayfair Games, creators of the popular game, Settlers of Catan, will be on hand with a brand new Catan expansion. Snacks will also be provided for players.
TableTop is hosted by super-nerd actor Wil Wheaton (Star Trek, Big Bang Theory, Leverage), and he, along with 3-4 guest stars, feature a new game every episode. He teaches both the players and the viewer how to play the game. The gaming sessions are often hilarious as the group of friends enjoy each others company and tell jokes.
Blog Post
The 41st Annual Dance for Mother Earth Powwow is this Saturday & Sunday
by prlhw
This weekend, April 6th & 7th, the 41st Annual Dance for Mother Earth Powwow will be held in Ann Arbor at the Crisler Center. The event is hosted by the Native American Student Association at the University of Michigan, and will feature an amazing display of singers, dancers, drummers, artisans, and food vendors.
I had the opportunity to attend this massive Powwow last year, and was blown away by the the turnout; The Mother Earth Powwow attracts people from all over the country, and is the largest Powwow held in the Midwest. The drum circles, dancing, and beautiful traditional dress created a wonderfully energetic atmosphere. In addition, the food was delicious; I tried the buffalo burger on the Native American staple, fry bread. You can’t go wrong there.
Powwows are commonly known as large gatherings that “Native American people use as a place to meet, dance, sing and otherwise renew and strengthen their rich culture. The Ann Arbor Powwow is one of the largest university-run pow wows in the country, with more than 1,000 of North America's greatest singers, dancers, artists and craftspeople.” For more information about what Powwows are all about, check out this fabulous information page on the U of M’s website, or read about Powwow’s and Native American History in the AADL’s catalog. In addition, if you’d like to sample some of the music you might hear at the Mother Earth Powwow, the AADL also has a large collection of Native American Music.
This is an event that only happens once a year, and is not to be missed! Doors will open at 10:30am and grand entries will be at 12pm on both Saturday & Sunday. Admission ranges from $10 for adults, with discounts for students, seniors, families, and children. For more information be sure to check out the official information page, as well as the event schedule. See you there!
Blog Post
AADL @ FoolMoon
by hillary dorwart
Friday April 5, 2013: 6:00 pm to 11:59 pm
Join us for the annual FoolMoon event on Ann Arbor's Washington Street! Be sure to stop by the AADL activity area on Washington and Ashley to try your gaming skills playing Johann Sebastian Joust! If you participated in our March 'Logo remix' workshops, you may even see your animations projected above AADL's activity area!
Blog Post
Jazz Musician Esperanza Spalding to Visit Ann Arbor
by prlhw
At the prime age of 26, Esperanza Spalding won the 2011 Grammy for Best New Artist, and for good reason. The jazz musician may be best known for her rad skills on the bass guitar, but she also both sings and composes her extraordinary tunes. The Grammys weren't the only ones to take notice to Spalding's sharp musical skills - at 20 she became one of the youngest faculty members ever at the world renowned Berklee College of Music.
The Ann Arbor District Library has several of Spalding's albums in our collection, including the winner of the 2012 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album, Radio Music Society.
Now, the city of Ann Arbor will have a chance to see her shine in action on the eve of Saturday, April 6th at the Michigan Theatre, starting at 8pm. For more information, see the UMS's website.
Blog Post
Ann Arbor Film Festival: Films, Archives, DVDs
by manz
The Ann Arbor Film Festival is next week! I love this time of year. So many films to see in just a few days time. Have you been hawking over the schedule and taking notes of what you’d like to see? Be ready, as the fun begins gala-style on Tuesday, March 19 and runs through Sunday, March 24.
Established in 1963, The Ann Arbor Film Festival is the longest-running independent and experimental film festival in North America, and we are lucky to have it in our own backyard. The 51st annual festival is bringing some wonderful experimental films to the Michigan Theater, and a visit from Ken Burns is also on deck!
Fore more film fodder, be sure to check out the Ann Arbor Film Festival Archive, accessible online. You’ll have full access to old photos, flyers, articles, festival programs, and interviews from past festivals. Meanwhile, to view some of the films of past festivals, check out these collections available at AADL:
Time Pieces: 46th Ann Arbor Film Festival, DVD collection, Volume 1
Unexplored territories: 47th Ann Arbor Film Festival, DVD collection, Volume 2
Blog Post
Harpbeat! African Musical Safari
by Caser
Thursday, February 21 | 10 - 11 am | Downtown Library Multi-Purpose Room | Preschool - Grade 5
Harpbeat's harpist, vocalist, and percussionist Donna Novack takes you on a magical world tour and explores the geography, culture, language, and music of Africa. Featured languages include Swahili and Zulu.
Travel across the "Middle Passage" to the West Indies. Take a ride on the Underground Railroad and arrive "dancin" in Motown. Learn how African musical styles -- call & response, work songs, spirituals and more, have revolutionized American music. Martin Luther King, Jr. is featured in Harpbeat's original "I Have A Dream," song, which is accompanied by simple sign language.
Harpbeat! recordings and Donna's original songs have won many national awards. The AADL has the Harpbeat! CDs Around the world from A to Z as well as Hopes & Dreams & Rainbows for checkout.
Blog Post
Performance Network: Good People
by annevm
Performance Network will show Good People by David Lindsay-Abaire Feb. 21 through March 31. David Wolber directs this Michigan Premiere of a 2011 Tony Nominee for Best Play. The PN website describes the play as "a touching and funny look at American's great economic divide." Ticket information is here. Lindsay-Abaire also wrote Rabbit Hole which was made into a 2011 movie.
Blog Post
Human Rights Held Captive: Perspectives on the Justice System Conference
by shookr
Thursday February 7th - Saturday February 9th "> Rackham Graduate School Amphitheater Room 2435 (map)
The University of Michigan student organization Human Rights Through Education (HRTE) is holding a conference exploring imprisonment of minorities, prison conditions, incarceration and sentencing, prisoner reentry and rehabilitation, the school-to-prison pipeline, the death penalty, and detention and torture on both domestic and international levels.
Guest speakers include: Shane Bauer - an investigative journalist detained in Iran from 2009 - 2011, William "Buzz" Alexander - founder of the Prison Creative Arts Project, and David Shapiro - attorney at the ACLU National Prison Project, among other speakers whose work focuses on the above topics.
There will be a film screening of "The Invisible War" and a theater workshop with Frannie Shepherd-Bates.
The conference is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged but not required.
Blog Post
Mittenfest VII is coming up soon!
by prlhw
Mittenfest is an annual local music festival held in Michigan and played by Michigan bands. The festival serves as a fundraiser for 826michigan, dedicating 100% of its profits to the non-profit organization which helps tutor students ages 6-18 with writing. 826michigan is part of a nationwide network of non-profits, started in San Francisco by the acclaimed author Dave Eggers. Last year, Mittenfest raised $21,290.00 for 826michigan, bringing the total raised over the last six years to $55,000.00!
For its seventh consecutive year running strong, Mittenfest is going to run a full 5 days, over which 50 Michigan bands will perform live, including Frontier Ruckus, Starling Electric, Shigeto, Patrick Elkins, and Our Brother the Native, just to name a few! To see the other 45 bands and a complete 5-day schedule, click here.
Mittenfest VII will be held this year at Woodruff's at 36 East Cross Street in Ypsilanti, starting Friday Dec. 28th and running through Tuesday Jan. 1st. Bands will starting playing at 5:30pm and will run through 12:30am each day. Tickets are $10/day or $82.60 for the full 5-day pass. It's only 9 days away - don't forget! - head on out next weekend to hear some great live music and support a great local organization!
Blog Post
Found and Read
by manz
Brothers Davy and Peter Rothbart visit their hometown of Ann Arbor tomorrow night at The Last Word as part of FOUND Magazine’s epic 10th Anniversary tour, which brings them to 37 states this fall. (The Ann Arbor stop benefits 826Michigan.) The tour also celebrates the release of Davy’s new book My Heart is an Idiot. MHIAI is a collection of personal essays, many regarding his search for love in all the wrong places. See here for info on the tour, and here for FOUND books at AADL.