Former Folk Festival MC Vance Gilbert is a stalwart of Boston's vibrant songwriting scene, and he's opened for Arlo Guthrie, Anita Baker, and the late George Carlin. (How many songwriters can say that?) Vance's songs explore the experience of being nonwhite in America along with many other themes, and he's got a varied sense of rhythm and genre that allows him to go just about anywhere he wants to go musically. Vance's compositions, while frequently employing sophisticated melodies and harmonies that attest to his jazz roots, attest as well to his storyteller's craft. He even has a tune on a Grammy-nominated children’s album. How rounded is that? Come and renew acquaintances with a longtime Ark favorite!