The Henhouse Prowlers 5.18.11

The Circus (Bluegrass Night) – Ann Arbor, MI

Words & Photos By Greg Molitor (ReMIND Photography)

Times remain tough for the majority of us that live in Michigan, and everyday the opportunities to see shows, especially free ones, shrink alongside our fading

optimism for the future of this once prosperous state. It’s painful to face the overall reality of the situation, but there’s no sugar coating it. Things could be much, much better for many Michiganders. Yet we persevere somehow…

Every Wednesday night in Ann Arbor, hope can be seen in the form of free bluegrass at The Circus. It’s become quite the party over the years, something we can all share regardless of where our individual lives are headed. This evening marked the return of the Midwest’s finest traditional bluegrass outfit, The Henhouse

Prowlers. We love the Prowlers in Michigan and this was proven by the incredible turnout at The Circus.

Consisting of Ben Wright (banjo), Eric Lambert (guitar), Jon Goldfine (bass) and Grant Ziolkowski (mandonlin), the band played two hearty sets of bluegrass at The Circus, Henhouse Prowlers style. The group has found its feet since the departure of former fiddler Ryan Hinshaw and the consequent addition of Ziolkowski on the mandolin, a change that took some time to gel but has blossomed into something new and exciting for both the band and its fans.

The only negative of the show was the low volume of the music. The band needed to be louder, but that certainly wasn’t the fault of The Henhouse Prowlers. What the Prowlers brought this evening was a synthesis of multiple influences that formed into a unified bluegrass movement that was original, danceable and enjoyable throughout. I’m looking forward to catching these guys again in Lansing come July, and if you get the chance, make sure you see these guys when they come around your neck of the woods.

www.henhouseprowlers.com

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