“Hey, let’s put on a show!”

That old quote from the Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland film “Babes In Arms” sums up the giddy feeling I have about curating and hosting a concert at this year’s Ann Arbor Summer Festival. Gotta tip my straw hat in thanks to Robb Woulfe, the festival’s executive director, who asked me to select the acts for Come Together: a Beatles 50th Anniversary Celebration. I’m really honored to be part of this commemoration of the first-ever Beatles concert, which took place in August of 1960 when John, Paul, George, Pete (Best) and Stu (Sutcliffe) played a gig in Hamburg, Germany.

"Come Together" will take place at Power Center on Saturday, June 19, and I think the night will be a special one, featuring a wide range of musicians and genres. In alphabetical order, here’s a list of the artists — all Michigan-based —who’ll be covering Beatles tunes:

• Chris Bathgate: A singer-songwriter with a truly haunting voice, Chris is also the music coordinator at the Neutral Zone, Ann Arbor’s teen center. Unanimously acclaimed as one of the leaders of Michigan’s indie-folk scene, he has been justifiably compared to the likes of Nick Drake and Sufjan Stevens.
• The Brothers Groove: Led by the ridiculously talented keyboardist Chris Codish, the Brothers Groove are equally adept playing rock, funk, blues and jazz. The band has won numerous trophies at the Detroit Music Awards, and plays tons of music festivals and studio sessions.
• Lucciana Costa: This young Ann Arbor singer and pianist released her debut album, “Last Chance For a Pony,” to great acclaim last year. Blessed with an enormous amount of talent and known for her high-energy stage presence, Lucciana won over audiences recently at The Ark and at Plymouth’s Green Street Fair.
• Thornetta Davis: I am thrilled to have Detroit’s blues diva on the bill, and wait until you hear the Beatles songs she has chosen to sing! No, I can’t spoil things by giving away the titles, but suffice it to say this recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Detroit Blues Society will knock it out of the park with her emotional and commanding vocal stylings.
• The Hard Lessons’ Augie Visocchi with students from the School of Rock: The best rock band to come out of the Motor City since the White Stripes, The Hard Lessons are known for both their dynamic live performances and allegiance to melody. Frontman Augie Visocchi also happens to be an instructor at Rochester, Michigan’s School of Rock, and will be bringing along some of the School’s most talented kids for a truly unique performance.
• Hot Club of Detroit: Some of the top Gypsy-jazz players in the world playing the Beatles? Why not? You will be thrilled by the Hot Club, a vibrant and electrifying act whose chief influence is jazz legend Django Reinhardt.
• Frank Pahl’s Little Bang Theory: Pahl’s band utilizes toy instruments, and they’re sure to interpret the music of the Beatles in strangely delightful ways. Frank’s been a fixture on Michigan’s vanguard music scene for many years, and is also an internationally recognized sound artist.
• Dick Siegel & The Brandos: One of Ann Arbor’s most cherished musicians, Dick is known for his witty, perceptive lyrics and seriously great guitar playing. The man behind “What Would Brando Do?” and “Angelo’s,” Siegel has a knack for fusing folk, Americana and jazz into something pretty special.
• Sole Transit: This up-and-coming septet incorporates a wide range of influences into their brassy sound, including New Orleans R&B, funk and rock. Energetic live shows have helped the young Ann Arbor band quickly make a name for themselves.

Martin Bandyke is the 6-10am morning drive host on Ann Arbor’s 107one. Follow him on Twitter @martinbandyke and at his website.