BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Welcome to another year of LehighValleyNew.com's Fest in Show, a daily offering of some of the can't-miss acts on the 16 free stages of Bethlehem's Musikfest festival.
This year, more than 400 acts will play those stages during the festival's 11 days.
Read us daily during Musikfest for suggestions of the best music — and more.
Here are our picks for Friday, Aug. 8:
The Abruptors, 6 p.m. Americaplatz
A four-piece ska/reggae/mod-rock band from Buffalo, New York will play its first show at Musikfest, promoting its latest album, "Everything You Know Is Wrong," on which it addresses emotion, fear, relationships and "life's other disasters," the band says. "Just straight-ahead, upbeat, fun rock," ArtsQuest Chief Programming Director Patrick Brogan said. "On Friday night, too."
DiscoTeks, 6 p.m. Festplatz
Odell M, former bassist of the top disco band The Trammps ("Disco Inferno"), leads a nine-piece band that plays music from the golden era of disco and Motown. "You know, everybody was dancing to The Trammps in the 1970s, and if he's carrying over any of that sound, you're going to have a great night," Brogan said. "What a party on the dance floor."
70's Flashback, 8:30 p.m. Festplatz
A show that packs the dance floor every year, Brogan said. Seven veteran musicians play the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Led Zeppelin, disco from Studio 54 and punk from CBGBs.
Bastard Bearded Irishmen, 9 p.m. Zinzenplatz
A ferocious blend of traditional and contemporary, mixing Celtic/Irish with rock, punk and acoustic. The Pittsburgh-based band presents an entertaining and energetic barrage of party anthems, dancing tunes and maybe even the occasional whiskey-fueled ballad.
MKTO, 9:30 p.m. Americaplatz
Among the best free shows at Musikfest this year. The hip-hop duo of Tony Oller and Malcolm Kelley, MKTO adds pop and R&B and is best known for its 2013 single “Classic,” a straight-up hip-hop song with a hooky, catchy melody. It hit the Top 10 on the Pop chart, sold double platinum and gave them a Top 40 debut album. After a near decade hiatus from touring, they’re back. In 2014, when MKTO was the opening act for boy band Emblem3 at TLA in Philadelphia, I said MKTO was better. "Classic" was released a few months later and won the Radio Disney Award for Catchiest New Song.
