An open letter to winter: Summer concert season is better than you

By Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest

Dear Winter,

You’re a big dumb jerk and everyone around here is so over you.

You were a bully this year, Winter, and as a result no one likes you anymore.  And why should we? Flowers are beginning to bloom.  Lawns are beginning to be mowed.  Local meteorologists are beginning to talk about pollen counts.

What I’m trying to say is that we’re all beyond ready to spend some serious QT outdoors.

Today -in an affront to you, you big, stupid season- we announced what is a “nothing-short-of-epic” lineup of free summer concerts – the 2014 Summer Concert Series presented by Highmark Blue Shield at Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks.

That’s 50 free, family-friendly concerts just ripe with outdoor fun-times for all to enjoy.  The complete lineup is at LevittSteelStacks.org, but I’ve compiled a list of 9 shows that prove the Summer is better than you, Winter.

The Smithereens – May 24

Green River Ordinance – May 25

Black Violin – June 5

Carbon Leaf – June 27

Casey Abrams – July 11

Coco Montoya – August 28

Tab Benoit – August 21

Dirty Bourbon River Show – August 29

Hoots & Hellmouth – September 5

(I feel the need to reinforce that the above shows are just a small sampling of the complete summer lineup.   Definitely check that out at www.levittsteelstacks.org)

So you can eat it, Winter!   We’re taking back the outdoors, one concert at a time.

Sincerely,

-Jon (on behalf of everyone).

It lasts longer

By Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest

First things first.  We’re working on another headlining show for Musikfest.  Knock on wood, that could be coming later this week.  Stay tuned.

Now, on to some photography awesomeness.

We’ve teamed up with The Moody Blues to offer a one-of-a-kind experience at Musikfest this year!

PHOTOPASS: Concert Photography is our new program that gives you the chance to shoot photos at select concerts, in an official capacity!

Here’s the basic run down.

You’ll work with photographer Brian Hineline (dude has shot for The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Time Magazine and more!) at the Banana Factory’s Olympus Digital Imaging Center, during a hands-on workshop.   Then it’s off to the Musikfest grounds, where you’ll have access to get some sweet behind-the-scenes shots.

And of course, the day is capped-off with the opportunity to join Brian in the “Media Area” near the soundboard for The Moody Blues concert at Sands Steel Stage at PNC Plaza, where you’ll get to shoot photos during the band’s first 3 songs!  After that, you get to stay and enjoy the show.

Boom.

Tickets for PHOTOPASS: The Moody Blues Concert Photography go on sale this Friday at 10am.

We’re also doing it at SteelStacks this May!

We’re pleased to announce that we have PHOTOPASS: Concert Photography experiences at SteelStacks, for the following concerts:

• Preservation Hall Jazz Band – Workshop: 5/1, Concert: 5/8
• Modest Mouse: Workshop: 5/1, Concert: 5/21
• Cherry Poppin’ Daddies – Workshop: 5/1, Concert: 5/22
• Herman’s Hermits featuring Peter Noone – Workshop: 5/1, Concert: 5/24

These workshops are limited to a few participants, so make sure you register ASAP!

I and Love and You: Best of The Avett Brothers

By Joe Favinger, ArtsQuest Intern and all around solid dude.

I and Love and the Avett Brothers.
I and love and that they’re headlining Musikfest this year.
I and love and that I get another chance to see them live.

This band of brothers (and co.) has put a twist on the indie scene with their genre-bending awesomness.  The San Francisco Chronicle calls it the “heavy sadness of Townes Van Zandt, the light pop concision of Buddy Holly, the tuneful jangle of the Beatles, the raw energy of the Ramones.”

In celebration of their joyful genre-defiance, and their Musikfest gig, I have compiled my top 5 favorite tracks by the brothers Avett.

My top five Avett Brothers’ songs:

 

5.)  “Another is Waiting”- Magpie and the Dandelion (2013)

This song beautifully captures that “there is more out there” sentiment  in just under three minutes.  And the banjo-lead melody!    “Another is waiting” reminds us what we already know,  but don’t always remember… that there is always a reason.

4.) “If It’s The Beaches”- The Gleam (2006)

A gut-wrenching number filled with unrequited love and pure optimism.  All that mixed with some regret. If you’ve ever been in a relationship, you’ll understand. Plus it was on the second season of the TV show “Friday Night Lights.”

3.) “Laundry Room” – I And Love And You (2009)

Another song about young love, this folky hit was off of their first major label debut, I and Love and You, produced by the master Rick Rubin. It just makes you feel like a teenager again, sitting on the hood of the car with your significant other.

2.) “Murder in the City” – The Gleam II (2008)

The first song I actually heard by these guys that made me turn an ear to take a second listen.  The line “always remember there was nothing worth sharing, like the love that let us share our name,” is genius.

1.) “Live and Die”- The Carpenter (2012)

Off their Grammy-nominated album, The Carpenter, this indie-southern-folk number just happens to be my favorite, and not just because it’s in the sequel to Knocked Up, This is 40. Some deep lyrics here, folks.

 

Honorable Mention:

“Slight Figure of Speech” – I And Love And You (2009)

Just because, it’s great. It’s happy, uplifting, and it has a verse that they rap. What more do ya need?

And there you have it, my top five Avett Brother’s songs.  I guarantee if you listen to any one of those, you’ll be drawn in like a tractor beam and keep Youtubing more until you exceed your data like I did.  So, I suggest the best time to hear them is at this year’s Musikfest on Aug 7th at the Sands Steel Stage. If you’ve never seen them live, you’re in for a delightful surprise.

• XPN Welcomes The Avett Brothers
• with Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds
• Thursday, August 7
• Musikfest’s Sands Steel Stage at PNC Plaza
• buy tickets here

 

 

Coming to SteelStacks this summer, by way of Canada…

By Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest

Tegan and Sara are coming to SteelStacks!

Their “Let’s Make Things Physical Tour” joins our 1st ever Yuengling Summer Concert Series on June 23rd!

Identical twin sisters, Tegan and Sara are my favorite Canadian indie pop rock duo.  They should be yours too. Their latest album, “Heartthrob,” features the ridiculously-catchy-in-a-good-way track “Closer,” which you can find the video of below.

 

Their track “Goodbye, Goodbye” reminds me a little of early Madonna and that’s a wonderful thing.

 

“I Was A Fool” is modern day piano driven power ballad.  Turn it up and feel all the feels.

 

Oh, and just for fun, you should check out the “Collaborations” section of their Wikipedia page…  after reading it you realize they’re kinda like the Where’s Waldo of modern music.

Tegan and Sara is the second act to join the Yuengling Summer Concert Series (Modest Mouse is other… that show is already SOLD-OUT).  This also caps off two days of back-to-back concert announcements.  Yesterday we announced that Steely Dan is coming back to Musikfest!

• Tegan And Sara
• with My Midnight Heart
• June 23
• Yuengling Summer Concert Series at SteelStacks
• Tickets on sale Friday

More concert announcements in the not-so-distant future

By Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest

Last week I wrote you with the promise of a mysterious set of show announcements, rounding out an epic list of 9 new shows coming to SteelStacks.   What a great time it was, too.

Now, just a week later, it appears I am becoming a one trick pony, because I’m back to tell you about two more concert announcements.

This time around, we’re talking about a Musikfest headline show for the festival’s Sands Steel Stage at PNC Plaza and the next concert joining the Yuengling Summer Concert Series.

If you’re keeping score, 6 of the 10 Musikfest headline shows have already been announced.   Here’s what’s out there already:

• 8/1 – ZZ Top
• 8/4 – Sheryl Crow
• 8/5 – The Moody Blues
• 8/7 – XPN welcomes The Avett Brothers
• 8/8 – Alan Jackson
• 8/10 – Keith Urban

On Monday, at 8AM, tune into 99.9 The Hawk to find out the next show to join the Musikfest 2014 lineup!

Then, after a good night’s rest, you can prepare yourself for Tuesday’s announcement, in the 10 o’clock hour on B104, for the next show to join the Yuengling Summer Concert Series (which already features a SOLD-OUT show by Modest Mouse).

Got an idea of which shows you think we’re announcing?  Leave your guess in the comments!

3 new shows coming to SteelStacks

 By Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest

As I wrote about on Friday, we have two- make that 3- new shows to announce today.   Keep reading and I’ll do just that.

THIS IS NOT AN APRIL FOOLS DAY JOKE.

Now that I got that out of the way, here’s a recap of the shows we already knew about, from the original release:

• Howie Day – 6/11
• Toad The Wet Sprocket – 6/29
• Spin Doctors – 7/25
• Classic Albums Live: Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumors” – 8/24
• Classic Albums Live: Prince’s “Purple Rain” – 10/30
• Brian Posehn – 11/21

And now, without further delay, here’s the 3 shows that we’re adding to this week’s on-sale…  Current SNL Weekend Update co-anchor Colin Jost, Vanessa Carlton and Delta Rae!

Colin Jost – 6/13

Jost was hired as a writer for SNL in 2005.  He’s been co-head writer since 2012 and this season he took a spot behind the Weekend Update desk, alongside Cecily Strong.

This also means that the Musikfest Cafe presented by Yuengling is having every guy named Colin who has ever been an SNL Weekend Update anchor perform over the course of the next few months (Colin Quinn will be at SteelStacks on 4/19).

Vanessa Carlton – 6/20

Milford, PA native Vanessa Carlton hit the music scene in 2002 when her hit single, “A Thousand Miles,” reached the Billboard Hot 100. In the TOP 5!

XPN welcomes Delta Rae – 6/23

One of my personal favorite bands (a must-see live band, in my opinion), Delta Rae hails from Durham, NC.   Here’s a delightful interview I did with Eric & Liz at Musikfest 2012.  Spoiler alert: They’re completely awesome and I’m wearing a sweatband.

So there you have it, 3 more amazing shows rounding out one of the best show announcements the Musikfest Cafe presented by Yuengling has ever seen. Tickets for these shows all go on sale as follows:

• ArtsQuest Members (gold & above): TODAY
• ArtsQuest Members (all levels): 4/2, 10AM
• Tickets on sale: 4/4, 10AM
• All this and more at http://www.artsquest.org/venues/musikfestcafe.php

75% of a Musikfest Cafe show announcement

 By Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest

Our latest announcement of shows coming to the Musikfest Cafe presented by Yuengling is one of my favorites to date… and  it’s only 75% complete.

Exclamation point!

That’s right, only 6 of the 8 shows that are going on sale next week have been announced at this point. Since I’m a benevolent blogging titan, I’ll give you some clues as to what’s in store, but before we do that, let’s take a look at the 6 shows we already know about.

Howie Day – 6/11

Few songs have dominated the collective consciousness of pop culture like Howie’s “Collide.”  I mean… this song!   Come on!   I dare you to tell me you’ve never heard it.   And no lying either, because that’s ugly.   Anyway, Howie is a prolific singer/songwriter who completely captivates audiences.  What more do you need to know?

Toad the Wet Sprocket – 6/29

They’re everyone’s favorite band named after a line from a Monty Python sketch.  Also, they’ve been churning out seriously well-built rock tunes since 1986.  Here’s an interview I did with Glen Phillips back in 2011 at Musikfest, after the band’s soundcheck.   Spoiler alert: Glen is awesome and I’m wearing cargo shorts.

Spin Doctors – 7/25

August, 1991 – Spin Doctors release their full-length debut, Pocket Full of Kryptonite, and you still haven’t stopped singing along to “Two Princes.”

Classic Albums Live:
Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumors” – 8/24
Prince’s “Purple Rain” – 10/30

Classic Albums Live is an aptly titled project that celebrated a decade of awesomeness in 2013.   The band takes pride in literally recreating classic albums, “note for note, cut for cut.”  All the words in the world cannot fully do these guys justice.

Brian Posehn – 11/21

An original member of “The Comedians of Comedy,” Brian Posehn is flat-out {explective removed}in’ hilarious.  If you’re a fan of Zach Galifianakis, Tenacious D and/or Patton Oswalt YOU MUST SEE THIS SHOW!

 

That’s a pretty epic 6 shows right there.  ArtsQuest Members have a pre-sale for these shows on Tuesday 4/1 and Wednesday, 4/2.  Then on Friday, 4/4, tickets go on sale to the public.

It’s almost hard to believe that’s just 75% off this announcement, I know, but it’s true.   So, what are these 2 mysterious shows that are getting added to this delightful list?  Here are some clues to help you with your speculation.

7 Clues to Help You Guess the Two Mystery Shows

• Both shows are concerts
• Both shows are happening in June
• Both shows feature American performing artists
• Both shows feature artists who have released albums after 2010
• Both shows use vowels in their names
• Both shows use consonants in their names
• One of the shows is my favorite band that I’ve seen live in the past 3 years

We’ll be announcing these 2 mystery shows on Tuesday, 4/1.  Check back to find out what they are!

 

UPDATE: 4:56pm, 3/28/14

There is a third show being added on Tuesday, thus ruining my original math, but adding to the fun!  – Jon

What is Alan Jackson hiding under his hat?

 By Joe Favinger, ArtsQuest intern and all around solid dude.

Alan Jackson is one of country’s most celebrated artists.  Beyond that, he is rarely (if ever!) seen without his trademark white hat.  Why is that?   What is he hiding?  Is his hat the source of his musical awesomeness?!

We wanted- nay, NEEDED -to find out before he makes his Musikfest debut, August 8th on the Sands Steel Stage at PNC Plaza (get your tickets here).  So we did some digging, solving the hat mystery and finding out a whole lot more along the way.

Alan’s first band was called Dixie Steel.

Alan Jackson’s first band, Dixie Steel

They named it after a brand of nails, because? Yeah, no idea.  There are worse band names though, for sure.

In 1986, AJ appeared on TNN’s “You Can Be A Star”

This was way before Spike…  TNN was “The Nashville Channel” at the time, and “Al” sang to the audience and jury panel.  Jackson’s future producer, Keith Stegall, was a judge panelist on the show at the time.

Here’s a rare clip of the performance:

“Yes, Dear”

Jackson’s favorite show is the early 2000s-hit sit-com “Yes, Dear.”   Need proof?   He even decided to bring on two of the main characters, actors Anthony Clark and Mike O’ Malley, in one of his music videos, “The Talkin’ Song Repair Blues”:

What time is it?

Out of Alan Jackson’s 26 #1 singles (YES, TWENTY SIX!), the most commercial and well-known is hands-down “It’s Five O’ Clock Somewhere” featuring Jimmy Buffet. The single, released in 2003, was his longest-lasting and biggest hit. If you like Friday like I do, this is a song that never gets old.

So what’s under the hat?

Hair.

It’s true, Jackson is almost always seen wearing a white cowboy hat.   BUT WHY?  Well, in an interview with People magazine in 1992, Jackson told the reporter that he started wearing cowboy hats so no one could see the scar he got as a kid. Here’s proof that he still actually has hair underneath:

 

• Alan Jackson
• Friday, August 8
• Musikfest 2014 | Bethlehem, PA | Sands Steel Stage at PNC Plaza
• Ticket Info Here
• Concert sponsored by: PenTeleData, The Morning Call and Cat Country 96

An Imaginary Interview with the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies

By Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest

In my elementary school years, I was a clarinet player.   It was great.  I quickly learned the satisfaction and rewards of playing a musical instrument.  As I advanced through the local public school system,  I eventually found my way to the saxophones that would wind up being my life’s very first artistic passion.

So, when the 3rd wave of ska hit in the late 1990s and was soon thereafter followed by a renaissance of swing music, I was happier than Mayor McHappytown on a business trip to the 14th Annual Delightfulness Expo in beautiful, downtown Smile-tropolis.

“Horn sections!  In modern music!  On MTV!  This is the greatest thing ever to happen in the history of music since forever,” said Young Jon on a daily basis from 1997-1999.

Bands like the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies filled all of my spare time, and even some of my class time, via an elaborate CD player/headphone system I rigged up through the sleeves of whatever hockey jersey I was wearing to school that day.   These bands were the positive reinforcement that I needed to explore any type of music I could get my ears on.  I’m very thankful for them and their contemporaries, like anyone who is passionate about music is about their very first “favorite” bands.

Fast forward to today.

Cherry Poppin’ Daddies are coming to SteelStacks, as part of RiverJazz presented by Concannon Miller.  To say they are good live is a clunky, poorly worded understatement.  You should go see them and experience their musical excellence firsthand.

Above and beyond that, CPD is doing a workshop with the winning band from the 2014 SteelStacks High School Jazz Band Competition presented by King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul, LLC.  And, as if that’s not awesome enough, that high school jazz band will also open for Cherry Poppin’ Daddies!

17-year old me is completely floored!

Rational, adult-me is excited to be able to help make that experience happen for local students.

Irrational, jealous, adult-me can’t handle not having had that experience when I was growing up, so I recently conducted an imaginary interview with the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies in my own head, to help me cope with the fact I didn’t have the chance to see them/work with them when I was still playing music.

They told me I was a great 9-year old clarinet player, and it was awesome.

• Cherry Poppin’ Daddies | RiverJazz presented by Concannon Miller
• May 22, 7:30pm
• Musikfest Cafe presented by Yuengling
• Get tickets here

400-some words on learning the art of glassblowing

 By Elizabeth Wiggins, ArtsQuest

In my experience, when you tell someone you’ve taken a glassblowing class, their first response is, “Where?! Why?!” To which the answer is always, “Well, it was right there.” Right there being the Banana Factory and my reason being inspired by the reason people climb Mount Everest.

Typically, the conversation goes on a little longer, with some “Reallys?!” and “Man, I’ve always wanted to do thats” throw in. To which the answer is always, “For real. You can. You should.” Because when I worked out all the details, thought about all the variables, and checked my calendar, I couldn’t find any reason to pass up the chance to learn something completely new.

When I came to the Banana Factory, I wanted to take a break from long days in graduate school and use a different part of my brain. I started in the fusing and slumping classes, getting myself familiar with glass and accidentally getting myself a front row seat to my next adventure.

While fusing and slumping is now housed on the 3rd floor of the Banana Factory in its own studio, it used to be held in the observation area of the ArtsQuest Glass Studio at the Banana Factory. Some nights, while students were working in fusing class, the glassblowers and several of their advanced students would show up to work on creating a number of the small items you see at ArtsQuest festivals and events. And the more I watched how the worked with hot glass, the more I realized I probably had nothing to lose by trying it myself.

I had come to the Banana Factory to be challenged and to learn something I couldn’t learn anywhere else. And all of these things were certainly true of glassblowing: it’s not a common thing to just take up, there’s only one place to do it in the Lehigh Valley (the Banana Factory), and it’s definitely a worthwhile challenge if there ever was one.

So, one “why not?” turned into a whole year of classes where I challenged myself to make tumbler after tumbler until I got it (sort of) right and where I found out a lot of new things about myself: that I did have some artistic leanings, that I could learn how to work better with others as a team, and that I could break out of my shell doing something I never expected to do. Oh, and I could do all that pretty close to home.

• Glassblowing classes 
•  ArtsQuest Glass Studio at Banana Factory
• There are classes for all experience levels (including no experience)
• Classes are forming year-round

EDITOR’S NOTE:  I too have taken a glassblowing class at the Banana Factory and found it to me an incredible, life changing experience.   You need not have any artistic (or previous glassblowing) experience – the staff is hands-on for every step of the process.   I’m not really adding any new information to Elizabeth’s post… I guess I’m a blog diva who just wanted to be seen.  Anyway, listen to Elizabeth and give it a try! – Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest