MUSIKFEST SCHEDULE
Bethlehem’s Musikfest returns for 2022 with live music on stages of many sizes. More than 300 performances will be held from Aug.4 to 14 on both the north and south sides of the city.
Here is the daily lineup of shows at Wind CreekSteel Stage, the new Stadtplatz
(at City Hall’s Pawrow Plaza), Americaplatz, Festplatz, Liederplatz, PlazaTropical, Zinzenplatz, Familienplatz, Main Street and more.
Check this schedule carefully for late changes.
Also, look to The Morning
Call’s Musikfest page online at mcall.com/entertainment/ musikfest for news, previews, interviews, reviews and more.
THURSDAY, AUG. 4: PREVIEW NIGHT
WIND CREEK STEEL STAGE 7:30 p.m.: Boyz II Men
AMERICAPLATZ AT LEVITT PAVILION STEELSTACKS 5 p.m.: Maxamilly
7 p.m.: Dakota Jones (alternative, indie, R&B/soul, rock)
9 p.m.: Mobbluz (alternative, jazz, R&B/soul)
COMMUNITY STAGE AT AIR PRODUCTS TOWN SQUARE 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.: TC from Stay Up
FRIDAY, AUG. 5
WIND CREEK STEEL STAGE 7 p.m.: Kip Moore
NORTH SIDE
FESTPLATZ
5 p.m.: Opening Ceremonies
7 p.m.: DJ Jamal Knight
8:30 p.m.: Garden State Radio
HOTEL BETHLEHEM PLATZ 5 p.m.: Adam Web (folk/ Americana, pop)
YUENGLING LAGERPLATZ 6 p.m.: American Street Band (party/cover, rock)
7 p.m.: Alex Radus
8 p.m.: Mobbluz (alternative, jazz, R&B/soul)
9 p.m.: Service Dog (alternative, indie, rock)
LIEDERPLATZ
5 p.m.: Jeiris Cook (blues, folk/ Americana, R&B/soul)
7 p.m.: Stefanie Johnson Band 9 p.m.: The Youngers (folk/ Americana, indie, rock)
MAIN STREET
6 p.m.: Elison Jackson (blues, folk, rock)
8:30 p.m.: Swamp Guard (folk, rock)
PLAZA TROPICAL
6:30 p.m.: Shamarr Allen (funk, jazz, rap/hip hop) 8:30 p.m.: Mega Radio Showcase
STADTPLATZ
5 p.m.: Besphrenz (alternative, indie)
6:30 p.m.: Mike Frank & Friends (bluegrass, blues, funk, jazz, party/cover, rock)
8:30 p.m.: Igor and Red Elvises
ZINZENPLATZ
6 p.m.: Marielle Kraft (indie, pop)
8:30 p.m.: The Large Flowerheads (oldies)
COMEDYPLATZ AT THE ICE HOUSE
7 and 9:30 p.m.: Standup Showcase featuring comedians from the Lehigh Valley, New York City, Philadelphia, and beyond
SOUTH SIDE
AMERICAPLATZ AT LEVITT PAVILION STEELSTACKS 4 p.m.: Yoga with Laurel Attanasio
5:30 p.m.: Cody Templeton Band (country, rock)
7 p.m.: Sons of Mystro (classical, pop, rap/hip hop) 9 p.m.: KC Makes Music & Serg (hip hop)
experimenting with the ending, I was playing with different things and seeing if I wanted to make it a longer song. I thought I was writing another movement for that song and then I ended up realizing that it was the start of a different song and that ended up being ‘Elevator Boots.’
“At that point, I thought it was really cool how it flowed out of ‘Tall Grass.’ There’s no break there. It’s so connected that actually at first, I thought I was writing a longer version of that song. Then I thought about what It would be like if I wrote a series of songs where the end of one is the beginning of the next and then they’re all connected. It would be four different songs that flow like one long song. I got really excited about doing that because it seemed like such an interesting challenge.”
While this quartet of songs has the character-driven flow of people and specific places that have become hallmarks of Counting Crows’ best material, compositional nuances reverberate with a subtle nod to the glam influences of vintage David Bowie, Mott the Hoople and other artists from that era. While Duritz admits to these influences, he’s quick to point out that it’s less about sounding like someone else and more about filtering how they resonate with the listener.
“I don’t know that I was listening to [any glam] right then, but it was in my head — especially ‘Elevator Boots’ and some of that stuff where I wanted to have those Mick Ronsonish guitars,” he said. “I love that kind of Mott the Hoople, ‘Hunky Dory,’ ‘Ziggy Stardust’ kind of feeling it gave those songs.
“That’s how I think influences really work.
You think about the way a kind of period had a sort of emotional effect on you and then you try to make that effect happen. And not necessarily by playing like them, but sort of give it some flavor. It was certainly in my head. As soon as I started writing ‘Elevator Boots,’ it was sort of textures. I think you can hear that on ‘Elevator Boots’ and especially on ‘Bobby and the Rat-Kings’ too, where I was thinking of Phil Lynott/Thin Lizzy [characters like] Johnny the Fox and Jimmy the Weed — Thin Lizzy.”
Duritz gives plenty of credit for “Butter Miracle’s” crunch and anthemic swagger to Drago and Seán Barna, who opened for the Crows on last summer’s tour. Sharing this latest creative turn with fans in a live setting is a major priority for Duritz, although the current state of the post-pandemic world has been raising major concerns for him.
“As always, [fans] can expect a really passionate show because we’re only going to play the songs we really want to play that night,” he said. “The thing I’m really determined to do on this tour is play the suite all the way through.”