Darlingside performing at The Ark’s Fall Fundraiser on September 17, 2017. (Photo by Andy Rogers)

In order to play at The Ark’s nearly sold-out fall fundraiser on Sunday night, Darlingside had to skedaddle out of Kansas City after a show on Saturday night. The Boston-based quartet packed into a minivan with its sound engineer and drove through much of the night.

This hadn’t been the original plan, but the sudden appearance of a 200-mile-wide storm system meant that Darlingside’s flights, scheduled several months earlier, weren’t going to happen. “So we arrived in Ann Arbor this morning, badly in need of a shower,” confessed cellist/guitarist Harris Paseltiner.

The innovative folk foursome surely wanted to honor their commitment, but there may have been a little something extra pushing them to go the extra mile(s). For earlier in the band’s career, when Darlingside shows consistently drew just a small handful of people, the quartet arrived at The Ark for the first time and found about a hundred people willing to listen to its music and give the group a chance.

That local affection for the band has only grown over time. “Things are going well for us elsewhere,” said mandolinist/violinist Auyon Mukharji, “but not as well as in Ann Arbor.” READ THE REST HERE