Best live venue for folk/singer-songwriters

House concerts and the Indy Hostel
4903 Winthrop Ave., 317-727-1696, www.indyhostel.us; www.fieldsofbluegrass.com, www.indyindie.com
At house concerts, the crowd is there to listen to the music. There are no cappuccino machines, blenders or bar conversations getting in the way of the music. There are several house concert series in Indianapolis. The Indy Hostel, Live from the Fields and Indyindie all have concerts scheduled.

1. Tad Armstrong
www.tadarmstrong.net
Armstrong is flying solo on his latest release, Start All Over Again, showcasing his talents as one of Indiana’s finest singers and songwriters. He has been a strong part of the local music scene for the last 15 years with several popular bands: All Day Suckas, Tad Armstrong and His Righteous Fold, Shaffer Street, Middletown, Otis Gibbs Band and the Benders.

2. Amy Lashley
www.myspace.com/amylashley
Lashley writes of heartache, sunshine and family. Her voice will break your heart and make you glad that you have one. She has taken her music from the coffeehouse to the stage, playing venues from the Jazz Kitchen to the Melody Inn.

3. Arrah and the Ferns
www.arrahandtheferns.com
Muncie’s trio Arrah and the Ferns creates upbeat pop music to the delight of the band’s ever-growing fan base. Its live sound includes a Wurlitzer organ, electric guitar, horns and a violin.

4. Chad Mills
www.chadmillslive.com
Engineer by day, singer/songwriter by night, Mills has hit his stride with his latest album, 2 Places @ Once. He sings of love, angst and accountability, performing both as a solo artist and with his band, which often includes his sister Megan Mills. 

5. Ebenezer and the Hymnasters
www.myspace.com/hymnaster
Folkestra group Ebenezer and the Hymnasters plays eclectic versions of murder ballads, spirituals and songs that tell a story. The eight-member band fills the stage with three-part harmony, saw, fiddle, washboard, drums, guitar and bass.