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
Wheatus, 9:30 p.m. Americaplatz
Probably the best free-stage show at Musikfest this year. Long Island, New York, alt rockers Wheatus’s 2000 single “Teenage Dirtbag” got far too little attention when first released (it topped off at No. 124 on Billboard), and the life it has had since has proven that point. It was used in the hit films “Loser” and “Bully,” on the HBO miniseries “Generation Kill” and even the recent crime drama Netflix “The Girl from Plainville.” And now it’s a legitimate TikTok trend, with Madonna, Lady Gaga and more doing covers. And Wheatus has lots of other great songs, too, such as “Wannabe Gangstar.” ArtsQuest Programming Director Patrick Brogan said, “I cannot wait.”
Kuf Knotz and Christine Elise, 7 p.m. Liederplatz
The Philadelphia-Jersey Shore combination of Kuf Knotz and Christine Elise are described by ArtsQuest’s Brogran this way: “He’s a rapper and she plays the harp. And this is as Musikfest a show as there could be on the lineup this year.” The duo combines and melds R&B, soul, hip-hop and new age that carries the traditions of all of those. “It’s a great combination of genres and music that they have paired together so well,” Brogan said.
Brass Queens, 5 p.m. Americaplatz. Also, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Stadtplatz
Brass Queens is a New York-based group that is female-led and features an all-female horn section. Despite the group being a straight-up brass band, it has played such venues as the Blue Note Jazz Club and Brooklyn Bowl, as well as major events such as The Met Gala. “They are fan-tastic,” Brogan said.
Zel, 10 p.m. Plaza Tropical
East Stroudsburg R&B, soul and rap performer Zel can be as laid-back as Snoop Dogg or as sensual as Jason Derulo. And now he’s perhaps the leading hip-hop artist in the Lehigh Valley. “He’s great,” said Brogan, who invited Zelback after a successful performance at Musikfest 2022.
For foodies
One of the longest running food vendors at Musikfest, Hogar Crea of Freemansburg serves delicious pinchos, otherwise known as shish kebabs.
Their version comes in beef or chicken and are grilled right on the spot.
The meat is delivered on a wooden skewer and topped off with a piece of bread.
The best part?
Part of the proceeds from the Handwerkplatz food stand goes to supporting Hogar Crea, an organization that offers recovery and rehabilitation services to those suffering from addiction.
