No Longer A Freshman

Michigan native Brian Vander Ark, frontman for the popular '90s-era band The Verve Pipe, performed a free solo acoustic show Thursday afternoon at Liberty Plaza in downtown Ann Arbor as the kickoff to this season's Sonic Lunch concert series. Vander Ark has put out multiple solo albums in recent years and continues to tour and record music. His style has grown increasingly folksy and lyrically his songs have become more personal (he even confesses his Facebook addiction in a new tune). He made Thursday's performance a family affair, bringing his wife and daughter up to the stage during the encore. View this year's Sonic Lunch lineup.