Elvis Costello & The Imposters, Third Coast Percussion with Flutronix and Professor Louie & The Crowmatix
The Top 3 Lehigh Valleyarea concerts are bringing some heavyweights to the neighborhood this week with enough awards and accolades to go around forever. First up is an artist who got his start during the punk movement opting for more of a Buddy Holly look than a safety pin through the nose look. Then, two genre-defying ensembles collaborate on a new piece breaking down musical barriers and redefining the musical landscape. And last, a band that got its start as the backing band for
The Band before going out on their own and winning some awards with blues and roots originals.
Elvis Costello & The Imposters
When: 8 p.m. Thursday
Where: Wind Creek Event Center, 77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem
How much: $59.50-$99.50
Tickets: Ticketmaster.com 610-297-7414
Musical style: Power Pop, New Wave, Pub Rock
Known for hits like:
“Alison,” “Watching the Detectives,” “Radio, Radio,” “Pump it Up,” and, “Don’t Look Now.”
Honors: Elvis Costello was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, and in 2004 was number 80 among Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Artists of All Time” – his first three albums were also
included in Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” in 2003. He got his start during the punk movement in the late ‘70s, originally signing with
Stiff Records where he was given the name Elvis by his manager at the time. He’s collaborated with numerous artists throughout the years, including Burt
Bacharach, Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford of Squeeze, Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates, Annie Lennox, Johnny Cash, and Paul McCartney.
Third Coast Percussion + Flutronix
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem
How much: $25
Tickets: zoellner.cas.lehigh. edu/ 610-758-2787
Musical style: Percussion, Classical, Avant-Garde
Known for hits like: Third Coast Percussion: Arrangements of “Aguas da Amazonia,” “Mallet Quartet,” and “Perspective: III. Derivative.” Flutronix: “Rubix: I. Go,” “Crazy,” and, “Life Lines.”
Honors: Flutronix is two Check them out if you flutists known for blending like: Joe Jackson, Graham genres like classical music, Parker, XTC, The English hip hop, and electronica, Beat, Nick Lowe, Big Star, with soulful vocals. Nathalie Squeeze Joachim, one half of
the duo, was nominated for a Grammy for her first solo record, “Fanm d’Ayiti.” Third Coast Percussion is a Grammy-winning ensemble who are the first percussion group to win a Grammy in the chamber music category. All four members are also teachers Together the groups will perform a new work they collaboratively composed.
Check them out if you like:
Steve Reich, Phillip Glass, Kronos Quartet, Mainline Brass Band, So Percussion, Bruce Brubaker, Caroline Shaw
Professor Louie & The Crowmatix
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Godfrey Daniels, 7 E. 4th St., Bethlehem
How much: $22.50-$27.50
Tickets: godfreydaniels. org/ 610-867-2390
Musical style: Blues, Gospel, American Roots
Known for hits like: “Miss
Marie,” “Don’t Wait,” “Living in the Country,” and “A Thousand Ways to Freedom.”
Honors: Professor Louie & The Crowmatix started out as the backing band for The Band. They’ve received five Grammy nominations; their album, “Crowin’ the Blues” reached number 24 on the Australian Blues & Roots Airplay International Charts in 2017, and “Miles of Blues,” was awarded “Best Album,” by Radio Crystal Blue in 2019. Professor Louie (real name Aaron L. Hurwitz) produced three albums for The Band — “Jericho,” “High on the Hog,” and “Jubilation,” — and has also produced and performed with Graham Parker, Commander Cody, Guy Davis, and Buckwheat Zydeco. Professor Louie was inducted into New York’s Blues Hall of Fame in 2016.
Check them out if you like:
The Band, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, The Allman Brothers Band
Jay Honstetter is a freelance writer. Follow him on Twitter @jayhonstetter