Musikfest: Hundreds of musical acts coming to Bethlehem
Copyright 2016
Musikfest 2016 features more than 550 performances on 15 stages during 10 days on Bethlehem’s North and South sides.
More than 500 of the performances are free.
Ten nights of ticketed headliner concerts at the festival’s Sands Steel Stage include: X Ambassadors, Rachel Platten, Friday; Run-D.M.C., Saturday; Dierks Bentley, Sunday; Boston, Tuesday; Don Henley, Aug. 10; Bush, Chevelle, Aug. 11; Sabrina Carpenter, Aug. 12; Lady Antebellum, Aug. 13; and The Avett Brothers, Aug. 14.
The 33rd annual Musikfest takes place from Friday to Aug. 14 at SteelStacks on Bethlehem’s South side and in 18th Century Industrial Quarter, at the Sun Inn and other downtown Bethlehem locations.
Among the free venues on the North side are: Central Moravian Church Old Chapel, Chamber Music Series, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8-12; Familienplatz, Main and Lehigh streets; Festplatz, Main and Spring streets; Handwerkplatz, 18th Century Industrial Quarter; Liederplatz, Sun Inn Courtyard; Main Street; Plaza Tropical, Main and Spring streets; and Volksplatz, Johnston Park.
Among the free concert venues on the South side are: Community Stage, Town Square; Americaplatz, Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks; Lyrikplatz and Jazz Cabaret Stage, ArtsQuest Center, Cinemas, and Musikfest Cafe.
There are 350 performers, 45 artists and 40 different food vendors at the 2016 Musikfest.
There are also children’s activities, dance performances, comedy shows and a festival-concluding fireworks show Aug. 14.
Opening ceremonies are at 6 p.m. Friday at Festplatz.
Here are a few bios of some of the performers who will be gracing the Sands Steel Stage this year.
X Ambassadors
Fans will be far from “Unconsolable” when the X Ambassadors, along with Rachel Platten and Jukebox the Ghost, headline Musikfest at 7 p.m. Fridayat the Sands Steel Stage.
The X Ambassadors, formed in 2009, have gained a following for their smooth vocals and elegant melodies.
The band’s “Renegades,” from 2015’s full-length debut album “VHS,” has become an international hit, peaking at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping other Billboard charts.
Among the group’s other popular singles are “Unsteady” and “Jungle” from “VHS,” and “Unconsolable,” from the “Love Songs Drug Songs” EP.
The band includes brothers Sam and Casey Harris, Noah Feldshuh and Adam Levin.
Rachel Platten has had the Top 10 hits “Stand by You” and “Fight Song.”
Jukebox the Ghost has appeared on “The Late Show with David Letterman.”
Dierks Bentley
Chart-topping country superstar Dierks Bentley wants fans to “Come a Little Closer” when he headlines Musikfest with a Sands Steel Stage performance at 7 p.m. Sunday.
Bentley, with two platinum-selling records, his “Dierks Bentley,” 2003, and “Modern Day Drifter,” 2005, rose to stardom on the strength of hits like “What Was I Thinking,” “How Am I Doin’,” Settle for a Slowdown,” “Lot of Leaving Left to Do” and “Come a Little Closer.”
In 2005, he received the Country Music Association’s Horizon Award for Best New Artist, while also being invited to join the Grand Ole Opry.
Bentley continued his string of hits with “Every Mile a Memory,” “Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go),” “Feel That Fire,” “Sideways,” “Home,” “I Hold On,” “Drunk on a Plane” and “Say You Do.”
Bentley’s album, “Riser,” was released in 2014, topping the Billboard Country Albums chart and reaching No. 6 on the Billboard 200. His newest release, “Black,” featuring the No. 1 hit, “Somewhere on a Beach,” was released May 27.
The Arizona native has 14 No. 1 hits, received 11 Grammy nominations and sold more than 5 million records worldwide.
Opening the concert is singer-songwriter Tucker Beathard, whose single, “Rock On,” charted at No. 26 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.
Boston
8:30 p.m. Tuesday
Boston, the dynamic rock group that took the world by storm with its multiplatinum selling debut album in 1976, headlines Musikfest 2016 when it rocks the Sands Steel Stage at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Boston, launched by studio technician, producer and musician Tom Scholz, became an iconic rock fixture when they joined the music scene with their self-titled debut album, which has sold more than 17 million copies.
Boston generated hits such as “More Than a Feeling,” “Foreplay-Long Time,” “Peace of Mind” and “Smokin’,” staples that are still in heavy rotation on classic rock stations.
Boston’s second album, “Don’t Look Back,” was another chart-topper, followed by “Third Stage,” which hit No. 1 on the charts, with the top single of 1986, “Amanda.” Boston has sold more than 31 million albums.
Boston is celebrating its 40th anniversary with its “Four Decades North American Tour” in summer 2016.
Fans can expect to hear the group’s classic and new additions to the set list based on recent requests.
Don Henley
8:30 p.m.Wednesday
Grammy-winner and Eagles founding member Don Henley will headline Musikfest when he performs at 8:30 p.m. Wednesdayon the Sands Steel Stage.
As vocalist, drummer and frequent frontman for the Eagles, Henley anchored the group as they made music history as one of the Top 5 best-selling United States music artists of all time.
He wrote and sang many of the group’s biggest songs, such as “Hotel California,” “Desperado,” “The Long Run,” “Best of My Love,” “Life in the Fast Lane” and “One of These Nights.”
With Henley’s voice immortalized by the airwaves, the group amassed six Grammys, five American Music Awards, six No. 1 albums, five No. 1 hits and 17 Top 40 singles.
As a solo artist, Henley collected two more Grammys for his independent work.
He released his first album, “I Can’t Stand Still,” in 1982, with his second single, “Dirty Laundry,” spending four weeks at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and being certified gold.
Two years later, Henley released the Top 5 Billboard single “Boys of Summer” from the album “Building the Perfect Beast,” named one of Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s.”
His most recent recording, 2015’s “Cass County,” debuted as No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums and No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
