BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Welcome to LehighValleyNew.com's Fest in Show, a daily offering of some of the can't-miss acts on the free stages of Bethlehem's Musikfest festival.
This year, 422 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, the sixth official day of Musikfest 2024, Wednesday, Aug. 7:
Laura Williams, 3 p.m. Main Street Stage
Quakertown's Williams got a four-chair turn from judges on NBC-TV's "The Voice" last fall, and a faux proposal from One Direction's Niall Horan to be on his team. She's now a Christian singer whose debut single "Who Jesus Is" is out now.
Poppycock Babble, 6 p.m. Stadtplatz
Alternative rock band Poppycock Babble formed in the Lehigh Valley in late 1995, and made a name for itself, winning several Lehigh Valley Music Awards and touring throughout the Northeast, including some of the biggest clubs in New York City and Philadelphia, and sharing stages with Fuel, Rusted Root and others through 2006. This year marks the 25th anniversary of its debut album, "Boom-a-Shiver," and the group will celebrate with a show in front of its hometown crowd.
John Cruz, 7:30 p.m. Stadtplatz
Singer John Cruz's heritage includes Hawaiian, Native American, Japanese and Caucasian. And his music is just as diverse, melding blues, folk/Americana, R&B, soul, roots and country, with heartfelt melodies and passionate, soulful vocals.
Cruz was among artists featured on the 2018 album "Slack Key Guitar Vol. 2," which won the Grammy Award in the Hawaiian Music category.
Empire Strikes Brass, 7:30 p.m. Americaplatz
"We always have a great brass band at Musikfest, and this year, it's Empire Strikes Brass out of Asheville, North Carolina," said ArtsQuest Senior Programming Officer Patrick Brogan. The band mixes funk and rock with its brass. "I think audiences of all ages really enjoy the way that a brass band captures music that they know and some that they may not, and delivers it in without lyrics, but in a fun, party atmosphere," Brogan said. "That really makes a festival."
Schwayze, 9:30 p.m. Americaplatz
This is one of the highlights of the festival's free stages this year. With his 2008 self-titled debut album, Schwayze flirted with superstardom. With its friendly pop/hip-hop vibe, that album hit No. 3 on the Rap chart and his song "Buzzin'" sold gold and hit the Top 20 on Billboard's Digital Sales chart. The follow-up "Corona and Lime" peaked even higher. And his voice is on All-American Rejects hit "Gives You Hell." "This is one of those where, as we work with so many agents and agencies across the country, across the world, to put music fest together, things come out of the blue," Brogan said. "Where somebody says, 'Hey, you know, I've got this available night for Swayze. Are you interested? And similarly, we were. I haven't heard his name in a couple years. ... He's got a great, almost a little bit of reggae or beach sound in his rap pop music as well. So looking forward to that."
