John Cafferty, The Melvins and Kendal Conrad
The Top 3 Lehigh Valley area concerts this week include a band that gave birth to Nirvana and the grunge scene, the gropu that played the music behind the fictional “Eddie and the Cruisers,” and a local artist that’s appeared on MTV and sang with Keith Urban.
So put on your dancing shoes (or converse, or cowboy boots) of choice and plan your week ahead.
The Melvins
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: Musikfest Cafe, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem How much: $25-$35 Tickets: steelstacks.org/ 610-297-7100
Musical style: Sludge
Metal, Grunge, Punk Known for hits like: “Honey Bucket,” “Revolve,” “Goin’ Blind,” “Night Goat,” and “A History of Bad Men.” Honors: Formed in 1983, the band is partially responsible for the sound that paved the way for grunge. Drummer Dale Crover played with
Nirvana briefly in 1988, and introduced the band to future percussionist, Dave Grohl. In 1993. The Melvins were signed to Atlantic Records and their album “Houdini” debuted at number 29 on the Billboard Heatseekers charts. In 1993 Gene Simmons, of
Kiss, joined the band on bass for a cover of “Goin’ Blind.” In 2009 they co-curated the All Tomorrow’s Parties Nightmare Before Christmas festival with Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle). In 2017 Metal Injected ranked the band number 2 on their list of the “10 Heaviest Grunge Bands.”
Check them out if you like: Helmet, Eyehategod, Earth, Mudhoney, Tad, Electric Wizard, High on Fire, Nirvana
John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
When: 8 p.m. Friday Where: Penn’s Peak, 325 Maury Rd., Jim Thorpe How much: $24-$29 Tickets: pennspeak.com 866-605-7325
Musical style: Rock and Roll, Bar Band, Heartland Rock
Known for hits like: “On the Dark Side,” “Tender Years,” “Runnin’ Thru the Fire,”
and “Sleep Walk.”
Honors: In 1980 the band self-released a single that featured the songs “Wild Summer Nights’’ and “Tender Years,” selling over 10,000 copies and putting them on the map. They scored the soundtrack to the film, “Eddie and the Cruisers,” which went to
number 10 on the Billboard charts with the single,
“On the Dark Side,” going to number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. The soundtrack went on to be certified triple platinum. One of the band members, saxophonist Michael Antunes, was in the movie. Rolling Stone ranked Eddie and the Cruisers number 18 in their list of the 25 Greatest Movie Bands in 2016 (none of the actors playing the band were musicians, all of the music was done by John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band).
Check them out if you like: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Rick Springfield, Loverboy, Billy Squier, Huey Lewis & The News, REO Speedwagon, 38 Special.
Kendal Conrad
When: 3:30 p.m. Monday Where: Highmark Blue Shield Community Stage on the Air Products Town Square ArtsQuest Center, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem, PA
How much: Free
Tickets: steelstacks.org 610-297-7100
Musical style: Country, Singer-Songwriter, Pop Known for hits like: “I Don’t Need You Now,” “Leader of the Pack,” “Bodyguard,” “Come to Your Senses,” and “Car Crash.”
Honors: She made an MTV appearance in 2014, later performing a duet with Keith Urban at Musikfest. She was a finalist in the NBC 10 Talent Search in 2010. As an actor, she took on the role of Holly Golightly in a production of Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s at the Civic Theatre of Allentown.
She’s played the National Anthem for the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and NASCAR. She’s also a food blogger.
Check her out if you like: Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Shania, Kelly Clarkson, Lyle Lovett, Kenny Rogers