LIVE MUSIC FROM ZOELLNER
Enjoy Joan Osborne and Grammy-winning artists at home as Lehigh University’s Zoellner Arts Center presents its first virtual season
Here’s another edition of
Now Hear This, which this week includes new albums from a pair of artists that have been absent from the scene for quite some time, plus a fine deluxe reissue of a key album from a punk icon. Perhaps you’ll find some music this time around to put on your playlist.
‘Family Album’ Lia Ices
It’s been six years since
Ices released her third studio album, and “Family Album” reflects some major changes in her life. In the time between albums, she moved from the East Coast to Moon Mountain in the Sonoma area of California. She also had the couple’s first child during the time in which she made “Family Album,” whose songs are informed by that event and the rich natural surroundings of her new home. “Family Album” is being billed as
psychedelic-tinged Americana, but there’s also a good deal of pop in Ices’ sound — particularly
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volunteer opportunities. in the vocal melodies, which are the focal point of the nine songs on the album. To these ears, her music on “Family Album” falls somewhere in the spectrum of Sarah McLachlan to Sarah Bareilles. Many of the songs feature
Ices returning to her original instrument of piano (her aforementioned third album, “Ices,” was more modern and synthetic sounding), and songs from “Family Album” like “Our Time” and the title track are melodically strong enough to need little more than Ices’ voice and that instrument. Most of the songs, though, are judiciously fleshed out. “I’m Gone” makes nice use of strings to add layers of melody to this gentle track. There’s a choir-like tone to “Anywhere At All,” on which Ices adds some lovely touches with strings and what sounds like clarinet. “Beauty Blue” mixes in some synthetic tones and beats and a bit of light twang to go with piano and Ices’ adventurous vocal melody. Made up almost entirely of ballads, Ices’ songwriting has taken a significant step up, and it feels like Ices has found her true musical self on this deceptively potent and melodically enchanting album.
CONTACT US ‘ShiftinGears’ Rich Arithmetic
The last time we heard from Rich Arithmetic was in 1995, when his album “Sleep In A Wagon” caught the attention of pop music enthusiasts. Whatever Arithmetic (real name Rich Horton) has been doing all these years, it didn’t dull his knack for writing ‘60s-influenced pop songs that show those roots, but aren’t a slavish imitation of that era. On “ShiftinGears,” he assembles 13 originals that touch on quite a variety of pop flavors. The album opens on a strong note, with “In Our Time (Ode to the E-Types), a jangly, highly melodic rocker that indeed tips its hat to the E-Types, a shortlived, coulda-been-stars group that made a mark in the latter ‘60s in the San Francisco area. “Make Me Over” is another fairly punchy tune with some bluesy harmonica, while “Book of Lamentations” is a particularly peppy track. “He’s A Good Man” is a perky song in the vein of later-era XTC. “Do You Remember” is a sunny Beach Boys-ish number. There’s a bit of folk in the guitar tones on “You Were Always Trouble.” The ballad “Before the First
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Slice (Wedding for the Disenchanted)” has a bit of a baroque “Eleanor Rigby”-like chamber pop feel. A couple of songs don’t quite click, but otherwise “ShiftinGears” is a fine return — and return to form — for a talented popsmith who’s been on the sidelines for too long.
‘Resuscitator’ The Carloways
The easy description of the Carloways is to call their music folk-rock. But on “Resuscitator,” the band’s take on folk-rock often has a twist. Like many a folk-rock act, the Carloways employ plenty of acoustic instrumentation on songs like “Worrying Kind,” “Twenty Two” and “1,2,3 (Oh Well).”
But what’s different are the rocking drums that give these tunes a swift kick to go with their agreeable melodies. Other songs bring considerable variety to “Resuscitator.” “The King” slows things down a notch with more of a loping tempo, while “How It’s Meant to Be,” “December” and “It Would
Not Matter,” demonstrate that this Scottish group is capable of crafting pleasant ballads. On “Small Town Fever” and “Lonesome,” the band shifts the instrumental mix toward electric guitars, which combined with the melodic vocals, moves the songs in more of a power pop direction, while retaining just a touch of twang. From the sound of things, “Resuscitator” was held back for release for a year because of the pandemic. That couldn’t have been easy for a group like the Carloways, who are trying to build momentum created by a 2018 EP. But “Resuscitator” is a full-length
debut album that’s been worth the wait.
‘Intuition’ The Watters
If you’re familiar with the Continental Drifters, a band that featured Peter Holsapple of the dB’s, Vicki Peterson of the Bangles and Susan Cowsill of the Cowsills, you’ll want to get to know the Watters. Blending upbeat pop with soul-tinged horns, this Austin, Texasbased duo of Daniel and Jenna Watters on songs like “Déjà Vu,” Fire Inside,” “Wash Away” and the title track, evoke the breezy, melodic fun that characterized a good number of Continental Drifters songs — only with more of a soul influence. “Let Me Know” takes a similar approach, except there’s even more of a soul accent on this standout song. There are, however, a couple of flaws to “Intuition.” The self-affirming lyrics occasionally have a little too much of a New Age/selfhelp thread to them. And while there is one ballad — the elegant string-laden “Go Home” — the “Intuition” album could use a couple more songs that vary what is a pretty similar musical feel from song to song. Still, those are small issues for an album that is consistently solid from start to finish.
‘Destiny Street Complete’ Richard Hell
Hell’s second and final album with his band, the Voidoids, gets the deluxe reissue treatment. A solid punk-era release, it featured several standout songs that cemented Hell (briefly an early member of Television and Johnny Thunders’ Heartbreakers before going solo) as one of the original punk era’s leading artists. That’s not to say “Destiny Street” was a perfect album; it had a few songs (the title track and “Downtown At Dawn”) that landed with a bit of thud, but also several gems (“The Kid With The Replaceable Head,” “I Can
Only Give You Everything,” “I Gotta Move” and “Time”). This expanded edition starts with a remastered version of the original album and a newly
remixed version of the album. A third disc is the version of the album that was released in 2009 under the title “Destiny Street Repaired.” Hell hated the original mix of the album, and after finding a cassette with the original basic tracks, he re-sang some vocals and replaced some of the instrumental parts with new performances to give “Destiny Street Repaired” its rougher originally intended sound. The three mixes of the album all have their selling points, but diehard Hell fans will likely be drawn to disc four, which includes 12 demos from the “Destiny Street” era, six of which didn’t make the album. The songs all have their moments, and a case can be made that “I’m Your Man,” a shuffling rocker, and “Don’t Die,” a rocker with a bit of a jagged feel, should have displaced a couple of the “Destiny Street’s” weaker tunes. While not quite the equal of Hell’s classic 1979 debut, “Blank Generation,” “Destiny Street” remains a memorable effort. And this two-CD set is as complete a document of the album as anyone could hope to hear.
MUSIC Open Mike with Phil Stahl:
7 p.m. Bowers Hotel, 298 Bowers Road, Mertztown. Free. 610-899-0183.
KIDS & FAMILY
Fore! The Planet: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Through March 28. Linvilla Orchards, 137 W. Knowlton Road, Media. $9; $7, ages 10 and under. 610-876-7116. linvilla.com. Interactive indoor miniature golf course designed by the Academy of Natural Sciences to help broaden children’s awareness about crucial environmental issues. Eighteen unique, educational holes designed to allow participants to explore butterfly metamorphosis, a tropical rainforest, evolution, dinosaur extinction, food chains, more. Timed tickets required.
THEATER
Turning: 7:30 p.m. Through March 7. Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center, 715 Grand Ave., Hackettstown,
NJ. $15-$27.50. 908-979-0900. centenarystageco.org. In the heart of 1930s Newark, a group of scrappy young women began to train in backyard gyms for what would become the experience of a lifetime, the controversial 1936 Berlin Olympics. Live streaming, 2 p.m. Sunday; $10.
OTHER
Greater Northern Lehigh Winter Restaurant Week: Through Sat. lehighvalleychamber.org. Participating restaurants offer set-price or prix fixe breakfast, lunch, dinner, and/or dessert selections with both takeout and options.
Guided Tours at Pennypacker Mills: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Through May 2. Pennypacker Mills, 5 Haldeman Road, Schwenksville. $2 donation. 610-287-9349. montcopa.org/ pennypackermills. Experience country life in the 1900 s when the Governor of Pennsylvania lived across the Perkiomen Creek from the Borough of Schwenksville. Reservations required.
VIRTUAL EVENTS FAME the Musical:
7 p.m. Through Sun. Cedar Crest College, Allentown. $10. 610-606-4608. cedarcrest.edu/stage. Live streamed performance set in New York City chronicling the lives and hardships of students attending the High School of Performing Arts from their auditions through their high school years.
On Stage at Home Virtual Event: Sankofa Danzafro:
Zoellner Arts Center, Bethlehem. zoellner.cas.lehigh.edu. Sankofa Danzafro, an Afro-Colombian dance company, performs their work The City of Others. Artistic director and choreographer Rafael Palacios created this work
by drawing from the troupe’s personal experiences with racism and oppression in their daily lives. Available to view online through March 5.
Steelstacks Improv Comedy Festival: Through Sun. steelstacks.org/festivals/improvfest. Seventh annual festival will be held via livestream on the event’s Facebook page. Events include keystone address from The Astronomy Club, the first all-black house team at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater and the creators of a self-titled sketch show currently streaming on Netflix. (8 p.m. today); Ophira Eisenberg, host of NPR’s “Ask Me Another,” regular panelist on Hulu’s new late-night show “Up Early Tonight” and a veteran standup comedian and storyteller, leads the talk “How to Have an Unfocused Comedy Career (and Succeed!)” (5 p.m. Feb. 27); improv jams hosted by Staycation; workshops including how to make sketches say something; how to make improv a career; and how to make improv more fun; roundtable events.
Taste of Art: 7-8 p.m. Through Feb. 25. Lehigh University Art Galleries, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. 610-758-6880. luag. lehigh.edu/event/current/tasteart. Virtual event weaves culture and history together by pairing cuisine and recipes from the local SouthSide Bethlehem community with works of art from Lehigh University Art Galleries permanent
collection.
Friday MUSIC
King Solomon Hicks: 8-11 p.m. Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave. $21.50. 215-257-5808. st94. com. Blues artist.
Mike Mittman’s Throwback Friday Party: 7-11 p.m. Mixx Nightclub, 801 N. 15th St., Allentown. Free. 610-437-3970.
Pentley Holmes: 7-10 p.m.
Palette & Pour, Williams Brew Stage, ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem. $10, food and drink minimum per person. 610-2977100. steelstacks.org/about/venues-at-steelstacks/palette-pour/. Contemporary folk and soul pop. Table reservations required.
KIDS & FAMILY
Fore! The Planet: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. See Thurs.
THEATER
Lucky Lindy’s Not So Lucky Landing: 7 p.m. Through May 9. Pines Dinner Theatre, 448 N. 17th St., Allentown. $30. 610-4332333. pinesdinnertheatre.com. Famous aviator Lucky Lindy is
scheduled to take a quick hop to the world famous Merriwether’s Outpost but Lindy may not be the pilot he’s cracked up to be as a series of unfortunate events befall him during his visit.
Turning: 8 p.m. See Thurs.
OTHER
Greater Northern Lehigh Winter Restaurant Week: See Thurs.
Guided Tours at Pennypacker Mills: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. See Thurs.
Holiday Train Display: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Through Sun. America On Wheels, 5 N. Front St., Allentown. $12; $10, seniors; $7, students; free, ages 12 and under. 610432-4200. americaonwheels. org. Enjoy the sounds, lights and action of model trains including G Scale, O Scale and HO Scale as they chug around the museum.
VIRTUAL EVENTS
Easton Out Loud: 6 p.m. facebook.com/EastonOutLoud. Virtual tours of downtown retail stores, live and pre-recorded events and happenings, cocktails and food demonstrations, children’s activities, live music, online shopping, more.
FAME the Musical: 7 p.m. See Thurs.
My Life is a Sketch: Live Zoom Reading: 7 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, 71 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre. Free. 570-826-1100. gaslight. Live, virtual reading of Alicia Nordstrom’s newest project produced by Gaslight Theatre Company.
Steelstacks Improv Comedy Festival: See Thurs.
On Stage at Home Virtual Event: Sankofa Danzafro: See Thurs.
On Stage at Home Virtual Event: Ulysses Quartet: Through March 26. Zoellner Arts Center, Bethlehem. $10. zoellner. cas.lehigh.edu. Youthful string ensemble, whose members hold a prestigious fellowship at The Juilliard School, has mastered classical repertoire such as Bach, Haydn, Schubert and Ravel. Available to view online through March 26.
Saturday MUSIC
aGirl and aGuy: 7-10 p.m. Palette & Pour, Williams Brew Stage, ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem. $10, food and drink minimum per person. 610-297-7100. steelstacks.org/about/venues-at-steelstacks/palette-pour/. Americana folk/rock act. Table reservations required.
KIDS & FAMILY
Fore! The Planet: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. See Thurs.
SPECTATOR SPORT
World-Wide Wrestling Alliance: 6:30 p.m. Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Road. $12; $15, ringside. 215-362-7184. quakertownfarmersmkt.com. High-flying kicks, back flips, punches, and more classic wrestling moves. Advance tickets required.
THEATER
Lucky Lindy’s Not So Lucky Landing: 4 p.m., 7 p.m. See Fri.
Turning: 8 p.m. See Thurs.
OTHER
Easton Farmers Market Winter Market: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Through April 24. Church Street behind the Easton Public Market. hhtp:// eastonfarmersmarket.com.
Nine vendors offering fresh, local options including produce, mushrooms, pasture raised meat and eggs, artisan cheese, bread and baked goods, prepared food and pickles.
Greater Northern Lehigh Winter Restaurant Week: See Thurs.
Guided Tour of the Historic Castle Inn: 2 p.m. Through May 30. Castle Inn, 20 Delaware Ave, Delaware Water Gap. $8; $7, seniors; $5, ages 12-17; free, 11 and under. 570-730-0547. tourthecastle.com. Tour the resort built by Dimmick Daniel Drake in 1906.
Guided Tours at Pennypacker Mills: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. See Thurs.
Holiday Train Display: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. See Fri.
Moravian Story Walking Tour: 3-4:30 p.m. Through March 28. Historic Bethlehem Visitor Center, 505 Main St., Bethlehem. $15;
$10, members. 800-360-TOUR. historicbethlehem.org/visit/historic-bethlehem-tours/#MoravianStory. Learn what made the Moravian community so unique and explore the Single Sisters’ House, Nain-Schober House, the 1741 Gemeinhaus, and the 1810 Goundie House.
Tours of High Point Mansion: 9:30 a.m. Through April 24. High Point Mansion, 100 Mansion Road
East, Hershey. $15; $13, seniors, ages 3-12, military. 717-534-8939. hersheystory.org/. Tours of the home of chocolate magnate Milton Hershey and his wife, Catherine with advance ticket purchase.
VIRTUAL EVENTS
An Evening of Romance: 7:30 p.m. Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown. $15. millersymphonyhall.org. Concertmaster Eliezer Gutman, acting principal cellist Jameson Platte, and other Allentown Symphony Orchestra musicians perform classical works by Rachmaninoff, Saint-Saens, and Elgar recorded live and available On Demand.
“Black History: Then, Now, and Black Joy”: 7 p.m. Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, 321 E. Third St., Bethlehem. $3. 610-868-2971. CharterArts.org. Students use their art to celebrate the Black community as well as their personal experiences with systemic racism and oppression. Produced by the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts Black Student Union. Proceeds benefit the BSU’s Free Little Library Project.
FAME the Musical: 7 p.m. See Thurs.
Inspired Word with Basement Poetry: 6-7 p.m. Allentown Art Museum. 610-432-4333. zoom. us/j/92617987340#success. Live poetry presentation and workshop commemorating Black History Month followed by a workshop led by artist and activist Chloe Cole Wilson.
On Stage at Home Virtual Event: Ulysses Quartet: See Fri.
On Stage at Home Virtual Event: Sankofa Danzafro: See Thurs.
Steelstacks Improv Comedy Festival: See Thurs.
West Reading Virtual Fashion Show: 7 p.m. event.gives/ supportwestreading. Livestream and virtual runway showcasing independent merchants, online actions, raffled and voting contests. Pre-show, 6 p.m. Hosted by the West Reading Community Revitalization Foundation. Registration required.
Sunday
KIDS & FAMILY
Fore! The Planet: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. See Thurs.