Music

J&J Demolition Derby, a Labor Day mainstay at Allentown Fairgrounds, will return to the fair for its closing-night grandstand entertainment offering on Sept. 2.

Blippi, whose energetic and educational antics have made him a global sensation, will bring his live show Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour to the fair on Aug. 29.

Rockers Orgy, with opening act Cold, will play at 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 17, at Maingate Nightclub in Allentown. Tickets, at $25 in advance and $30 day of show, are available at maingatenightclub.com

Kutztown University's jazz ensemble was recognized by DownBeat magazine for Outstanding Performance in its Student Music Awards. It's the 10th win for Kutztown's commercial music program but the first for the jazz ensemble.

Tickets for both shows will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Friday, May 10, at ArtsQuest Center, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem, or at www.SteelStacks.org.

The nine-man Straight No Chaser will perform at 3 and 7 p.m. Dec. 7, the theater said in a release. Tickets, at $39.50-$74.50, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, May 10, on the State Theatre website.

Malina Moye, who combines influences of hip hop, rock, funk and soul and whose 2018 album “Bad As I Wanna Be” topped the Blue Albums chart, will perform at the free festival.

The 116th Bethlehem Bach Festival takes place Fridays, May 10 and 17 and Saturdays, May 11 and 18 at the Zoellner Center for the Arts, Packer Memorial Church, Moravian University and Incarnation of our Lord Church.

Bethlehem Area School District students involved in the innovative Marketing MusikFest class announced the bands they booked for the big Lehigh Valley festival on Friday, May 3.

Nashville artist-songwriter George Birge, whose song "Beer Beer, Truck Truck" went viral on social media in 2021, then who hit No. 1 with the song "Mind On You" in 2022, will be Brad Paisley's "special guest" at the Aug. 30 concert at Allentown Fair grandstand.

Scotty McCreery, who won “American Idol” in 2011 and since has released three No. 1 Country chart albums and two other Top 10 discs, will perform at 6 p.m. Friday, June 21.

Top reggaeton Jowell and Randy will perform on Musikfest's main Steel Stage at 7 p.m. Aug. 4.

More than 250 students will perform this weekend at Lehigh Valley Mall. The Lehigh Valley Music Teachers Association's 42nd annual Playathon fundraiser continues Sunday.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

Parliament-Funkadelic dominated R&B music during the 1970s, with more than 40 R&B hit singles, including three No. 1s, and three platinum albums.

Big Time Rush will perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 9, the festival announced.

Shinedown, best known for its 2000s songs "Second Chance," "Sound of Madness" and "If You Only Knew," will headline Musikfest's Steel Stage on Aug. 3, it was announced.

John Legend, best known for his 14-times platinum No. 1 hit “All of Me” from 2013, will perform “A Night of Songs and Stories” at 8 p.m. June 22 at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem.

The group moe., which has played at most every summer jam festival, including Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Japan’s Fuji Rock and even the 30th anniversary of Woodstock in 1999, will perform at Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 10.

The group, which over a career of nearly 60 years has released 22 gold or platinum albums, and which, according to Billboard magazine, is the most successful American band in history, will perform 7:30 p.m. June 27 at Easton’s State Theater.

Toby Keith was a favorite of Lehigh Valley fans. He played at least eight headline shows here, starting in 1998 at the Allentown Fairgrounds. His last performance here was a 2021 headline show at Allentown Fair’s grandstand.

Customers can order Taylor Swift-themed chocolates and Super Bowl cakes from Vegan Treats, the popular Bethlehem bakery on Linden Street.