BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Welcome to LehighValleyNews.com's Fest in Show, a daily offering of some of the can't-miss acts on the stages of Musikfest.
Read us daily during Musikfest for suggestions of the best music — and more.
The music
Pillbox Patti, 7 p.m. Americaplatz
After years of writing songs for other artists, including Ashley McBryde’s “One Night Standards,” Nicolette Hayford has emerged as Pillbox Patti with a different take on country. She toured last year with Jelly Roll and McBryde and was a featured artist on McBryde’s Grammy Award-nominated “Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville.” With a voice that sounds like Gwen Stefani, reviews say Pillbox Patti “blends timeless country, hip-hop and rock sounds with frank conversations about American life.”
Nik Greeley & The Operators, 7:30 p.m. Plaza Tropical
Nik Greeley played Musikfest’s main Steel Stage as part of the cover band Swift Technique’s tribute to Prince back in 2016 – a last-minute replacement for Aretha Franklin – but that hardly let him show what he’s capable of. With Nik Greeley & The Operators, Greeley offers unapologetic alternative funk-and-soul-rock that has elements of James Brown and Joe Cocker.
Slambovian Circus of Dreams, 7:30 p.m. Stadtplatz
With no musical boundaries, theatrical Hudson Valley, N.Y.-based music group Slambovian Circus of Dreams can go wherever it wants – and whenever it wants, often turning on a dime in the middle of songs. An example: Using the lyrics to The Who’s “Pinball Wizard” over the music to Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues.” That makes for a warm, weird and wonderful show. “A great, wild, jam-band-type show,” ArtsQuest Progamming Director Patrick Brogan said. “The lead singer [Joziah Longo] is exciting to watch.”
ARKAI, 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Community Stage Towns Square. Also 6 p.m. Friday, Stadtplatz and 1 p.m. Saturday Lagerplatz and 4:30 p.m. Main Street
ARKAI is an electro/acoustic cello/violin duo “that plays everything from classical to pop music,” ArtsQuest’s Brogan said. They’ve played New York’s Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall and the U.S. Air Force Academy. The duo will perform a vespers series, but also more pop shows across the festival grounds, Brogan said.”They are exciting to watch live,” he said. “We had them do one set last year at Liederplatz ... and said, ‘Let’s put them on everywhere,’ We brought them back for three shows.”
The Great White Caps, 9:30 p.m. Plaza Tropical
Regional surf-rock favorites The Great White Caps played its farewell concert at The Funhouse in Bethlehem in 2014. But it’s back for a reunion show. “They’re just doing a couple shows this summer,” ArtsQuest’s Brogan said. “We’re one of them.”
The Wildmans, 7 p.m. Liederplatz
The Wildmans come from the Virginia heart of Appalachian mountain music traditions, and its music shows it: Its bluegrass/folk/Americana music has gotten it invited to Steep Canyon Rangers' Mountain Song Festival, and its making some noise in the American stringband scene.
For foodies
Cool off with a sweet treat from Dinky's Ice Cream.
We tried the mint chocolate ice cream sandwich ($8). It also comes in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.
The tasty cookie blended perfectly with the green snack that filled us up after a day of walking around the Stacks campus.
