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 music acts you should see today, Thursday, July 31, on Preview Night for Musikfest 2025:
Jamie Chesson, 6 p.m. Americaplatz
Preview night is "centered around country," ArtsQuest Chief Programming Officer Patrick Brogan said, with fast-rising country star Megan Moroney on the main Steel Stage. It kicks off with Chesson, whose high, angelic voice — think Dolly Parton or Alison Krauss — will be highlighted on her forthcoming debut album.
Jon Fadem, 7 and 9 p.m. Community Stage
The night's only performer with a local connection, Fadem also is the least country. As the lead guitarist for tribute bands Start Making Sense: Talking Heads Tribute and Life After Dead: Grateful Dead Tribute, he plays rock, soul, jazz and funk, with the music of Stevie Wonder, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Prince and others, as well as originals.
Clover, 7:30 p.m. Americaplatz
Folk/Americana/pop singer Clover channels music of the 1960s and '70s into with contemporary offerings. She auditioned for NBC-TV's “The Voice” and left her Brooklyn, New York, base for filming in Los Angeles, but quit before her premiere. "Her vocals are made-for-TV quality, but certainly much more independent in the way that she's taken her career," Brogan said. Played a free show at Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks last year.
The Hot Mamas, 9:30 p.m. Americaplatz
It's quite a performance when the all-female, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter combo The Hot Mamas takes the stage, playing folk/Americana, acoustic pop-punk, swing and more. Or, as they say, "The Hot Mamas combine grit, humor, harmonies and sass as their vehicle taking audiences on madcap adventures... quirky, fun, profound and sincere."
