MUSIKFEST 2019 PREVIEW:
Here’s what’s new and hot
Brandon “Taz” Niederauer will perform Aug. 4 on the Americanplatz stage at Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
In celebrating the 35th anniversary of Musikfest last year, festival officials say they got the feeling the Bethlehem event had momentum behind it.
The milestone showed Musikfest it could “really continue building the brand of the festival, the energy of the festival, the excitement of the festival,” says Patrick Brogan, chief programming officer of ArtsQuest, the non-profit organization that presents the festival of music, food and more that draws a million people each year to Bethlehem’s downtown and South Side.
“We’ve honed it to where we know the areas where we can continue to excel and we continue to build on top of that,” Brogan says. “And here in our 36th year ... the festival really just feels like we’ve got this great momentum around Musikfest right now."
So this year, Musikfest will use that confidence to continue to make changes to America’s largest free-admission music festival.
The crowd cheers and sings along at Musikfest's Steel Stage. (Morning Call file photo)
It will kick off Thursday, Aug. 1 with a preview, stretching Musikfest to 11 days for just the third time in festival history, but the second year in a row.
The festival will continue through Aug. 11 with a new performance stage, new art installations and new exhibits, a gathering of Grateful Dead fans for a film screening, and a main-stage lineup that Brogan says “is the most spectacular lineup we’ve ever had at Musikfest,”
Here’s what to look for at Musikfest 36.
Preview Night with Earth Wind & Fire and The Grateful Dead
After more than three decades as a 10-day festival, Musikfest had its first preview night in 2015 to include a ticketed concert by British new wave band Duran Duran. Then last year, it again started a day early to accommodate a concert by Trombone Shorty’s Voodoo Threauxdown, an all-star revue of New Orleans musicians.
That same type of opportunity arose this year, as the festival negotiated with Earth Wind & Fire, one of the most innovative and best-selling soul-funk-R&B bands of all time, Brogan says.
“Their [tour] routing put them here that night, and we thought, ‘Earth Wind & Fire? We’d love to have them as part of Musikfest,' ” Brogan says. "So let’s make it happen for this night, and let’s have a preview night again. The right artist will make us excited about making the festival begin a night sooner.
"But in the meantime, we don’t approach the festival with that intent on an annual basis.”
Preview night will offer festivities only at SteelStacks on Bethlehem’s South Side.
To fill out the night, there will be six hours of performances by four regional and nationally touring bands: Robert Miller’s Project Slam, Post Junction, The Groove Merchants and Big Bone Daddy, as well as some merchants and food vendors.
Also that night, SteelStacks’ Alehouse Cinemas will participate in the ninth annual “Grateful Dead Meet-Up at the Movies.” This year’s event is the first to go global, with fans uniting in cities worldwide to celebrate one of the band’s greatest performances. It’s also the late Grateful Dead founding member Jerry Garcia’s birthday.
The previously unreleased film is of a 1991 concert at Giants Stadium in New Jersey.
“The distributor of that title offered it to us because our cinemas here have had success with similar presentations," Brogan says. "We’re not typically the type of movie theater that those get offered to. They’re usually the major chains. ... [But] with our music connections, we were looking to fit it in sometime that weekend, and preview night seemed to be the right opportunity.”
Tickets, at $12, $10 for students and seniors and $9.50 for ArtsQuest members, are available at ArtsQuest Center box office at 101 Founders, at www.steelstacks.org and 610-332-3378.
The main stage
Brogan says his excitement about the lineup for Musikfest’s newly named Wind Creek Steel Stage comes from both the schedule’s diversity and its quality. Steel Stage, a large temporary stage built in the parking lots at the SteelStacks campus in South Bethlehem, is the only stage that has paid admission.
“One of the measures of the main stage is always the diversity of the lineup. It’s an integral part of success, as is the quality within that diversity," Brogan says. “And I think this year’s lineup checks off both with flying colors.”
He noted that Musikfest, in addition to the funk, soul and R&B of Earth Wind & Fire, will offer classic rock from Steve Miller Band with Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives opening on Aug. 3. In country music, Brad Paisley (closing night, Aug. 11) "is a superstar,” Brogan says. "Lady Antebellum [Aug. 4] is another hot artist in the past decade.
Steve Miller Band with Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives will play Wind Creek Steel Stage on Aug. 3. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
"The lineup has a lot of contemporary artists on it in a lot of different genres, from The Chainsmokers [Aug. 2], who are at the top of the charts over the last couple of years, and their very modern, electronic song, which is very new for us. A lot of EDM (electronic dance music) there.
“To artists like Train and Goo Goo Dolls [Aug. 6], who have certainly hit the top of the Pop charts over the last two decades, to rock like Godsmack [Aug. 9] to indie rock like The Revivalists [Aug. 8], who certainly have made a name for themselves over the last couple years.
“And then, naming all those artists, I haven’t even said Weezer [Aug. 5] or Incubus [Aug. 7], who are two top-tier names on any festival lineup.”
He says Musikfest already has more than a dozen offers out to artists for the 2020 festival.
The main stage also will have shows that use a general admission, standing-only “pit” section — offered for the first time ever at Musikfest last year for concerts by country singer Dierks Bentley and pop-punk band All Time Low with emo band Dashboard Confessional.
“It was great," Brogan says. “The main stage pit experience allows guests to get right up there at the stage in a party environment that artists and audiences are looking for. So this year for The Chainsmokers, it’s very natural and appropriate.” Paisley’s pit area will be surrounded by a walkway that juts from the stage.
A new stage, and free stages
But the changes are significant: For one, it will have has a true stage that will be programmed all day long on weekends and all evening weekdays — mostly with original music by local and nationally touring artists. Then each night, the stage will be headlined by a tribute act.
“We’ve seen the popularity in cover bands, tribute bands, rise over the years," Brogan says. "And wanting to give that a little bit of a home, this seemed like an opportunity to do so. And wanting to present a diverse lineup.
“So you’ve got a night that’s ABBA music, a night that’s blink 182 music, a night that’s Van Halen, a night that’s Yacht Rock. It’s a diverse lineup of tributes there, but original music still being very important to us, we made sure we approached that stage weighted toward original musicians all throughout the course of the day."
Not returning after several years is the Wireless Disco or Headphone Disco, which had been held at Experienceplatz.
In all, Musikfest will have nearly 500 performances by nearly 400 artists playing on its 16 free performance stages this year.
Among them will be an 11 p.m. “after party” with Incubus turntablist and keyboardist DJ Kilmore in Musikfest Cafe after the group’s Aug. 7 concert on Steel Stage. Sixteen-year-old blues rocker phenom Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, who starred on Broadway in the Tony Award-nominated Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway play "School of Rock the Musical, " will perform Aug. 4 on the Americanplatz stage at Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks.
Boston Alternative rock band Guster, whose last two albums have topped the Indie chart and whose recent single “Overexcited” recently broke the Top 10 on Billboard’s Adult Alternative chart, will perform Aug. 7, also at Americaplatz. Dance-punk band !!! (pronounced Chk Chk Chk), which hit the Top 5 on Billboard’s Electronic chart in the mid-2000s, will perform Aug. 9 on the Volksplatz stage.
And funky young female-led blues-rock quartet The New Respects, whom Rolling Stone magazine listed among its 10 Artists You Need to Know a year ago, will perform Aug. 8 at Americaplatz.
“I’m really excited to deliver Guster and !!! (Pronounced Chk Chk Chk) and some of these top-tier artists for free," Brogan says. “Guster is a $35 to $45 club show. So to be able to see Guster or Taz Niederauer or some of the names at the top of the lineup without having to pay a cover charge is great.”
Brogan says choosing favorites among the filed is “like choosing your favorite child,” but says he’s “really excited about Choir! Choir! Choir!,” the collective singing group that teaches the crowd a song, after which they perform it en masse. It performs 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8 in Musikfest Cafe.
He says the band has “the ability to create community and an especially unique experience that transcends music, transcends Musikfest, and brings the community together.”
He says he’s also excited to bring back March Forth Marching Band, a loud, high-energy festival favorite that performs several times Aug. 5, 6 and 7.
“And then, I’m excited for the discovery artists and for people to see &More, which is Chill Moody from Philly and Don T together, and their collaboration with a backing band that has a hip-hop/rap feel to it while still being very soulful and accessible," Brogan says. He also notes there’s a good amount of world music on the free stages.
Big attractions and buskers, dance and comedy
Prismatica, a traveling art installation, is composed of 50 pivoting prisms, each more than six feet tall. As visitors wander among and manipulate the prisms, they create infinite interplay of lights and colorful reflections. As the prisms rotate, a variable-intensity soundtrack comprised of bell sounds will play.
"It’s a multi-sensory art installation that we think is going to make a pretty cool Instagram picture for many people,” Brogan says. “They reflect sunlight naturally during the day and are illuminated from the inside in the evenings.”
The installation also spills over to Americaplatz at Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks.
Yarn bombing is back, with The Knitter’s Edge store and community in Bethlehem filling Familienplatz with colorful creations.
SteelStacks also will get “a little bit of an artist village,” added near the large steel flywheel at the end of the Levitt Pavilion. With a dozen artisan crasftmen, It will be centered around the ArtsQuest Glass Studio tent, previously at Handwerkplatz, where with the guidance of an artist, visitors can create glass artwork.
Also there will be vendors Pittston Popcorn Co. and Kelly Berkey Jewelry & Art.
Buskers, who will perform on and around Main Street, are Shinbone Alley Stilt Band, an ensemble of musicians who parade and dance on stilts while playing Dixieland, swing, rock, jazz and blues on saxophones, trumpets, drums and more. They’ll perform 3:30-6 p.m. Aug. 3, 4, 10 and 11. Orbital Drumline, with five main percussionists, have performed throughout the Valley. It will play four times on Aug. 2.
Throughout the festival, there also will be 19 dance performances, with DanceWorks Now offering street dance theater and educational company Passion Fruit on Aug. 2, 3 and 4 at Town Square at SteelStacks, and Attic Projects: Luke Murphy and HUMA: Chelsea Ainsworth and Jessy Smith on Aug. 9, 10 and 11.
Comedy also will be expanded at Musikfest, with Comedyplatz expanding to offer 10 shows over two weekends with more than 30 comics at The Ice House, with both traditional comedy shows as well as family offerings. “We’re excited to expand it,” Brogan says. “It has been an exciting addition to the lineup.”
New Musikfest experiences
The Art & Craft of Storytelling, 5-9 p.m. Aug. 2 and Noon-9 p.m. Aug. 3-11 in Crayola Creativity Tent at Familienplatz, will feature a different book or story each day, with a craft relating to that story. Original collaborative artwork created by campers in the Art & Craft of Storytelling Summer Camp program will be on display. Visitors also can leave a mark on the art world by contributing to community art projects at the festival.
The Musikfest Arcade, Aug. 2-11 at Zinzenplatz will let visitors play 20 arcade games from the last four decades, including pinball machines and multicades including Eightball Deluxe, Nitro Ground Shaker and Monster Bash. Wristbands, at $10, are available at the Zinzenplatz food and beverage ticket booth.
Axe Throwing, Aug. 2-11 at Familienplatz. The hot craze, which Brogan says was “extremely popular at our Oktoberfest last year,” will be open each day of the festival. Cost is $5 for 5 throws and $10 for 12 throws, payable in Musikfest food and beverage tickets only.
Photo Op with the Iconic “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” Photo, 1-5 p.m. Aug. 3 and 4, and 1-5 p.m. Aug. 10 and 11, National Museum of Industrial History, 602 E. 2nd St. At the museum, adjacent to Musikfest’s SteelStacks campus, visitors can take a free selfie recreating the iconic photograph of construction workers eating lunch high atop 30 Rockefeller Plaza as it was being erected in 1932, on a real steel beam with the photo as a backdrop.
A “Greetings from Bethlehem” postcard mural will be created Aug. 2-3 at Familienplatz by sign painter Samantha Redles for fest-goers to take snapshots of and share via social media.
Nintendo Switch Road Trip, Aug. 2-4 at Volksplatz will have playable demos of some of the hottest Nintendo Switch games, photo opportunities, Nintendo-themed challenges and more.
Expanded children’s ride area. Familienplatz will have a larger children’s ride selection, with a zipline, bounce houses and swing rides. Weekday wristbands at $20 are available 12-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and include all rides plus one zipline ride.
New food, drink and artisans
Musikfest this year has 10 new food vendors among more than 40 at more than 60 locations scattered throughout the north and south sides.
New vendors are Wood Fired Pizza, Meltdown Gourmet Philly cheesesteaks, Knot of This World pretzel braids, El Tlaloc tacos, burritos and quesadillas, La Pepa pollo frito and Spanish style pulled pork, Thai Jasmine, The Sausage King, Waffle De Lys, Dietz & Watson Hot Dog Cart and Wiz Kiz cheesesteaks.
Thirty festival favorites will return, including Aw Shucks Corn, Heidi’s Strudel, Mr. Bill’s Poultry, Hogar Crea, Theo’s Gyros and Heaven on a Bun.
There also will be 20 new artisans and retailers at Musikfest.
Throughout the festival will be Sunflower Trading Co. hats & clothing, Lucas Candies craft beer brittle, Your Birth Moon glow-in-the-dark jewelry, HillBilly’s Jerky, iJerkyGuy gourmet beef & exotic meats and Torchbearer Sauces.
At Handwerkplatz will be botanically balanced health and wellness products containing cannabis derivitive, D Johnson Custom Drums, Doctor Gus Designs handcrafted pewter accessories, Finneran Jewelry made from vintage tea and cookie tins, GiGi Singh clay jewelry, Larry Morgan Woodturner designer pens, pepper mills, bowls and vases, Mediterra hand-carved olive wood table and kitchenware, RAVE Bandz lifestyle and fitness nonslip headbands, Rediscover Handbags totes and handbags made from albums and theater programs, Skyseed Energy gemstone jewelry and Tiger Lily Botanica artisan jewelry, leathercraft and accessories.
New at Familienplatz will be Festive Face Painting.
Opening, worship and closing
Opening ceremonies will be at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 2 at FestPlatz on the north side
During the ceremony, ArtsQuest will give out its Founders Awards, recognizing long-time business supporters MacIntosh Services, Bethlehem Area School District and Lehigh Valley Health Network.
There will be four worship services during Musikfest. On Aug. 4, Grace Church of Bethlehem will hold services 10-11:30 a.m. at Festplatz; a Trilingual Catholic Mass will be 10-11:30 a.m. at Plaza Tropical, presented by Holy Infancy Church of Bethlehem; and Asbury United Methodist Church, Allentown, will hold services 10-11:30 a.m. in Musifkest Cafe.
On Aug. 11, a Polka Mass presented by St. Luke’s Hospital will take place 10-11:30 a.m.
As always, a fireworks display will conclude the festival at 10 p.m. Aug. 11.
Morning Call Lehigh Valley Music reporter and columnist John J. Moser can be reached at 610-820-6722 or jmoser@mcall.com
MUSIKFEST DETAILS: WHERE, WHEN AND HOW MUCH
When: Aug. 1-12
Where: Downtown Bethlehem and South Side at SteelStacks, First Street and Founders Way
Hours: North side: 5-11 p.m. Aug. 2, noon-11 p.m. Aug. 3-11 (No activities Aug. 1). South Side: 5 p.m.-midnight Aug. 1, 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Aug. 2, Noon- 1 a.m. Aug. 3, Noon-midnight Aug. 4, 4 p.m.-midnight Aug. 5-8, 4 p.m.- midnight Aug. 5-8, 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Aug. 9, noon-1 a.m. Aug. 10 and 4-11 p.m. Aug. 11.
Concert tickets: All concerts and shows free except headliners at the main Steel Stage. Call 610-332-FEST or see www.musikfest.org. Tickets also available at the box office at ArtsQuest Center, Sands Steel Stage and Festplatz merchandise tent.
Food tickets: Tickets in denominations of $1, with perforations that can be torn into 50-cent halves, required for food and drink. You can buy tickets at every platz. Discount on beer refills with Musikfest beverage mugs.
Parking: Free and metered parking on streets downtown and surrounding SteelStacks; no parking (except limited disabled parking) at SteelStacks.
Walnut and North Street Parking garages will be $10 per day, cash or credit, open at 3 p.m. Aug. 2, 10 a.m. both weekends, and 2 p.m. Aug. 5-9 for event parking.
Surface lots are $10 per day, with no re-entry. Hours and: Old York Road open 3 p.m.-noon daily $10, with no reentry. Pay using your license plate at the paystation on site or through MobileNow. Third and Taylor Street, $10, with no reentry. Pay using your license plate at the paystation on site or through MobileNow. Open 3-9 p.m. Aug. 2, 5-9 p.m. Aug. 5-9 and both weekends 2-9 p.m. Third and Polk, cash and credit to attendants. Open 3-9 p.m. Aug. 2, 5-9 p.m. Aug. 5-9 and 2-9 p.m. both weekends. Mechanic Street Lot 2, Pay using your license plate at the paystation on site or through MobileNow. 3 p.m.-midnight Aug. 2-11. (Presale $15 per day, not available same day; provide 2 business days’ notice. Please email info@bethpark.org or call BPA offices at 610-865-7123.)
Offsite Musikfest lots: North Side: 1550 Valley Center Parkway, shuttle service starts 5 p.m. weekdays and 11:30 a.m. weekends. South Side: 240 Emery St. (Lehigh Valley Industrial Park, off Route 412) shuttle service begins 5:30 p.m. weekdays, 11:30 a.m. weekends.
Late Night Service: Service after 11:30 p.m is provided directly from Shuttleplatz South to either Valley Center Parkway or the SouthSide Satellite lot. The last departure will be a half hour following the end time of the last performance.
Parking at both lots is free. Shuttle $5 ages 13 and older, $3 ages 3-12 when accompanied by a fare-paying adult; 10-pack of tickets $35 adult, $15 ages 3-12); free ages 2 and younger sitting on adult’s lap. Price includes same-day access to the North South Transfer Shuttles.
LANTA Loop, 4-11:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-11:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, $2 single ride, $4 all-day pass. Or $35 for 10-day pack for adults and $15 pack for ages 3-12. A 10-day North-South transfer is $25. Additional LANTA events loop between the Route 33 Park & Ride and Broad & Guetter, 4-11 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-11:30 p.m. Saturdays, noon-6:15 p.m. Sundays.
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