Parsonsfield is a five-piece alt/folk band from Massachusetts that infuses a rowdy, rock 'n' roll spirit into its bluegrass and folk influences, blowing away any preconception of what you think banjos and mandolins should sound like. They weren't always called Parsonsfield—the band started out as Poor Old Shine. The new name was born of the inspired experiences recording two albums in beautiful, rural Parsonsfield, Maine. "We owe a lot to what happened there," they say. "It pulled us from being a more traditional string band to something that felt much more uniquely ourselves. It made us the band we are today." The joy is palpable when this band takes the stage, and NPR says they make "the most jubilant and danceable indie roots music this side of the Carolinas." Parsonsfield returns to The Ark from its debut at the 2019 Ann Arbor Folk Festival.