Each year, the organizers of The Ark's monthly Open Stage pick one or two artists who they feel have really honed their stuff and are ready for prime time. This year's Open Stage Showcase features Scott Fab and Katie Pederson. Katie grew up with music, got involved with the Indianapolis music scene as a student at Butler University, and, she says, began training to be an entertainer at the Indianapolis dueling piano bar Howl at the Moon. She was one of six finalists that were chosen for the Sara Bareilles' Blessed Unrest Cover Contest. Katie released her debut EP, "Happimess," in November 2013. Rather than reaching for sympathy or absolution, Scott Fab disarms audiences with an almost churchlike reverence ... a voice that can charm through dark and heartfelt emotions. Near-hypnotic presence, sincerity, and always memorable performances have earned Scott Fab a well deserved reputation as a master songsmith in the Detroit area. He has advanced from coffeehouses to 15,000-seat theaters, sharing the stage with artists such as Sheryl Crow, Patty Griffin and Grant-Lee Phillips among others.