BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Welcome to another year of LehighValleyNews.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 Thursday, Aug. 7:
Fabiola Méndez, 6 p.m. Americaplatz
An Emmy Award-nominated composer from Puerto Rico, Méndez began playing cuatro at age 6 and was the first Berklee College of Music graduate with that as the principal instrument. Playing Afro-Caribbean/folk-jazz, her artistic vision and original music explore her culture, ancestry and identity. "The artist I think is going to be a best of the fest," ArtsQuest Chief Programming Officer Patrick Brogan said.
Psycodelics, 7 p.m. Zinzenplatz
Psycodelics describe themselves as a group that "embodies and glorifies Black American Music," with elements from funk, blues, gospel and R&B that "leave the audience in awe with sounds that hit you like a freight train." Brogan describes them as a "kind of a jam band." And fans have compared them to Parliament Funkadelic, Prince and Morris Day & The Time.
The Vindys, 7:30 p.m., Americaplatz
A multi-genre Youngstown, Ohio, band who last year played with Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, toured with rocker Pat Benatar and her husband/guitarist Neil Geraldo in 2024 — which speaks to the breadth of its abilities — then played a headline show on Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks. "A favorite of mine" — especially singer Jackie Popovec — Brogan said.
Nik Greeley & the Operators, 7:30 p.m. Plaza Tropical
The Philadelphia-based Greeley offers unapologetic alternative funk-and-soul-rock that has elements of James Brown and Joe Cocker. "Somebody who I'm just a huge fan of personally," Brogan said. "His energy on a stage is infectious. I mean, it could be a winter's night, and he will leave the stage dripping in sweat, all working for our entertainment."
Nine Days, 9:30 p.m. Americaplatz
One of the top free-stage shows at Musikfest this year. It's the 25th anniversary of Nine Days' breakthrough disc "The Madding Crowd," which sold gold and produced the double-platinum No. 1 Pop chart hit "Absolutely (Story of a Girl)." The band put two more songs, "If I Am" and "Good Friend," in the Top 30 on the Adult chart, but never again had a charting album. After a decade-long break, it's back and "we'll be singing 'Story of a Girl,' I'm sure, with them that evening," Brogan said.
The Jack Wharff Band, 7:30 p.m. Stadtplatz
A bluegrass/country/rock band from Richmond, Virginia, The Jack Wharff Band is signed to Big Machine Records, the label started by Toby Keith and best known for taking Taylor Swift to the top. "An electric live show," Brogan said.
"Thursday may be the busiest day of the festival," Brogan said.
"In the same day we have Nick [Greeley], who's going to just blaze across the stage, to the Vindys and Jack Wharf, a bluegrass band. I think Thursday is a pick-of-the-festival day where you can't go wrong anywhere you are throughout the festival. That's the beauty of this festival. Wonderful."
