Top of the Park with Thornetta Davis and Kenyatta Rashon

A sure sign of Summer in Ann Arbor is the outdoor concert series known as Top of the Park at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival. Held each year on the spacious green of Ingalls Mall on the campus of the University of Michigan, the Ann Arbor Summer Festival is an exploration of music and art rolled into a celebration of community. Throughout June, you can spend each day at this free festival soaking up the sun, summer vibes, and outstanding local music.

Over the years, we’ve been fortunate enough to see many fabulous performances by Chris DuPont, The DayNites, Kate Peterson, The Gasoline Gypsies, The Whiskey Charmers, Jennifer Westwood, Captain Ivory, and so many more. With the opening night of Top of the Park for 2024 featuring the incredible Thornetta Davis, we headed downtown early to enjoy.

Kenyatta Rashon

Bringing the heat of soulful R&B with hints of hip-hop was Kenyatta Rashon. This was our first time experiencing this phenomenal vocalist and performer. Using her powerful and expressive voice, Kenyatta took the stage and made it her own. Her tight backing band and vocalists made the evening hum that much harder. As a special treat, Kenyatta invited Detroit singer J. Santino to the stage. They put on a superb and vibrant show.

Queen of the Blues: Thornetta Davis

We were late in joining the Thornetta Davis Fanclub. She’s truly the Detroit Queen of the Blues. I can remember first witnessing her irresistible vocals at the Ann Arbor Blues Festival. She left us in a state of shock. Why hadn’t we found her sooner?

On the opening night of Top of the Park, Thornetta Davis enthralled us with her sassy and soulful music. Focusing primarily on songs from her captivating Honest Woman album, Thornetta was riveting and vivacious. Her magnetic band played with a fiery brilliance that compounded the spellbinding attraction. This left the crowd powerless to resist. They flocked to the front of the stage to dance the night away.

This had to be one of the biggest crowds I’ve seen at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival on a Friday night. By the time we headed home, there was a sea of happy people. A picture perfect evening featuring the music of Kenyatta Rashon and Thornetta Davis set a high bar for the rest of the season.

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Top of the Park with Thornetta Davis and Kenyatta Rashon