Music

The opening night (the fest continues 2-11 p.m. today) offered New York gospel-blues trio The Harlem Gospel Travelers as headliners, and they offered an enthusiastic set. But it was some of the supporting acts that elevated the experience.

Cheap Trick, which was to be the opener for a show by rock band Heart, was announced Friday as the replacement for Heart as grandstand opening-night headliner at 7 p.m. Aug. 28. It will be joined for the show by another 1970s hit rock group — Blue Oyster Cult, best known for its 1976 hit "(Don't Fear) The Reaper."

It's been two weeks since rock band Heart canceled its opening-night headline concert at Allentown Fair, and it looks like the fair is set to announce a replacement.

For the first time, the two-day festival will feature a barbecue competition, along with 11 blues performers. It will take place Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20 at SteelStacks.

Through this month, the symphony is offering a 10% discount on tickets to its popular Holiday Pops concert on Dec. 21 and Repertory Dance Theatre's "Nutcracker" on Dec. 7-8, both at Miller Symphony Hall at 23 S. 6th St., Allentown.

Michael W. Smith, who has won three Grammy Awards and 45 Dove Awards and has been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21.

ArtsQuest is holding a one-day sale that eliminates those pesky price-pumping fees on eight of the 11 headline shows at the SteelStage venue. But the sale ends at 11:59 p.m. today, July 12.

The 37th Annual Blueberry Festival runs Saturday and Sunday, with live music, food, kids activities, outdoor games, and of course, blueberries. New this year is the Blueberry Tavern Tent, serving centuries-old tipples for tasting and taking.

The Dickies and The Queers will perform at 7 p.m. Nov. 2 at Maingate Nightclub, 448 N. 17th St. Allentown.

South African rockers Seether, who had the chart-topping songs “Broken (with Amy Lee),” “Remedy,” “Fake It” and “Country Song,” will team up with Skillet, which has had 25 Top 10 Christian chart singles, 12 of which went gold or platinum, to play the event center at 6 p.m. Sept. 21.

Singer and pianist Jim Brickman, who had two No. 1 Adult Contemporary singles in the early 2000s and is among the best-selling pianists of recent times, will perform a holiday concert at Allentown’s Miller Symphony Hall

Old Crow Medicine Show made a stop at Easton's State Theatre Saturday for their Jubilee Tour, playing 25 years of American roots hits with an energy all their own.

Blue October, best known for the 2006 platinum hits “Hate Me” and “Into The Ocean,” will play the event center at 6:30 p.m. July 27. It will be joined by Switchfoot, best known for its hits “Meant to Live” and "Dare You to Move,” and singer Matt Nathanson, best known for his 2008 hit “Come On Get Higher.”

Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors will perform at 8 p.m. Sunday at Musikfest Cafe at ArtsQuest Center in Bethlehem.

Old Crow Medicine Show has spent 25 years exploring the depths of classic folk, country, and Americana, all the while making tunes distinctly their own. On April 13, the band is coming to the State Theatre as part of the tour in support of their latest album, Jubilee.

Let’s Sing Taylor — A Live Band Experience Celebrating Taylor Swift, which calls itself “the ultimate tribute to the music of Taylor Swift,” will perform June 15 at the center, at 301 W. Mill St.

Violinist Diane Monroe and New Jersey-based dance group Nimbus are among the scheduled performers set for April at Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University.

Heavyweight developer City Center plans to open its new music venue, The Archer, in the 900 block of Hamilton Street in Allentown later this fall. Construction is underway.

The pandemic, a re-diagnosis and a lifetime of loving, playing music inspires a 'Plan B' personal win

Brett Scallions, who fronted the band Fuel for more than 25 years, will perform July 13 at Signature Event Center, 137 Erin Lane, Brodheadsville.

Mayfair Festival of the Arts, the Memorial Day weekend festival, will return to Cedar Crest College for a sixth year May 24-26.

Plush, which has had the Top 40 Mainstream Rock chart hits “Hate” and “Left Behind,” will perform at Maingate nightclub, it was announced.