Leader of seminal punk band to play at Musikfest Cafe

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The leader of one of alternative rock’s seminal bands will play a solo show at Musikfest Café at ArtsQuest Center, it has been announced.

Bob Mould, who was guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the influential band Hüsker Dü in the 1980s, will perform at 8:30 p.m. Sept. 15.

Rock singer and guitarist J. Robbins will open the show.

Tickets, at $29-$39, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, June 21 at ArtsQuest Center at 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem, www.steelstacks.org and 610-332-3378.

Mould, 63, helped found Hüsker Dü as a hardcore punk trio in 1979, and the group released its groundbreaking debut disc “Everything Falls Apart” in 1983.

But over its nine-year history and six albums (plus two live discs), Hüsker Dü’s sound evolved into seminal alternative rock that influenced a generation of bands with singles such as “Don’t Want to Know If You Are Lonely” and “Makes No Sense at All.”

Hüsker Dü broke up in 1988, and drummer and songwriter Grant Hart died in 2017.

Continue to record and perform

Mould in 1989 released his debut solo album “Workbook,” which peaked at No. 127 on Billboard’s Albums chart — higher than any Hüsker Dü disc except its last.

It produced a single, “See a Little Light,” that hit No. 4 on Billboard’s Modern Rock chart.

His sophomore solo disc, 1990’s “Black Sheets of Rain,” charted even higher — No. 123 — and his third solo disc, 1996’s self-titled album, hit No. 1 on the Heatseekers chart.

Mould's highest-charting solos disc was 2014's "Beauty and Rain,” which peaked at No. 38.

Mould also formed the group Sugar in 1992 and released five albums, with 1994’s “File Under: Easy Listening” peaking at No. 50.

In all, Mould has released 15 solo discs, with the most recent being 2020's “Blue Hearts,” which peaked at No. 181.

His song “Dog on Fire” is the theme for late-night TV’s “The Daily Show.”

Mould also played Musikfest Cafe in 2020.