Music

Operators of The Archer Music Hall — Live Nation — very soon should be announcing the downtown Allentown venue's first shows, especially with February pegged as the opening month.

Starting with a show at Lehigh University's Stabler Arena in 1981, Dylan played the Lehigh Valley 10 times — some of them significant shows.

Ditch the Chinese food and the sweatpants: Here are some fun ideas to help you and yours ring in the New Year in the Lehigh Valley.

ArtsQuest in November at a gala news conference announced a renewed push to renovate the 26,000-square-foot brick structure that would open in 2027 or 2028.

"A Complete Unknown" — a biopic on Bob Dylan, portrayed by actor Timothée Chalamet — opens in area theaters today, Dec. 25.

The Freddy Awards aren't until May, but several theater departments have already announced their spring productions to be held in April and May.

Tigirlily Gold will perform on Friday, Jan. 31, as part of Philadelphia country radio station WXTU-FM 92.5's Ski Day at Bear Creek. Also performing will be 2020 "American Idol" contestant Megan Knight.

Cavalera, a gold-record-selling metal band from Brazil that has placed three albums on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart, on Monday announced its latest tour. Its flier lists a March 8 show at The Archer.

The Gene Simmons Band will perform at Wind Creek Event Center on Thursday, May 8, as part of a tour that so far has 14 dates.

Tommy Castro, who has won the Blues Foundation B.B. King Entertainer of the Year four times, will perform with his band The Painkillers on Feb. 27. And Low Cut Connie, the Philadelphia retro-piano-rock band that has shown up on Barack Obama's Spotify Summer Playlist and gotten effusive praise from Elton John, will perform March 5.

Steep Canyon Rangers, perhaps best known for touring and recording with comedian/banjoist Steve Martin, will perform at 7:30 p.m. June 22.

The Charles A. Brown Ice House Punk & DIY committee held an open house and meet-up for artists organized by podcaster Elise Schaffer and Latino artist Brandon Dominguez on Sunday.

Tyler Hubbard, who with partner Brian Kelly as Florida Georgia Line had more than 20 No. 1 hits, will perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 15 at Wind Creek Event Center.

Archer Music Hall, the new music venue at 939 Hamilton St. in downtown Allentown, will hold a Community Preview Night at 7 p.m. March 6, the venue posted on its website.

The Lovin' Spoonful will perform on a bill with 1960s pop-rockers The Buckinghams at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at Easton's State Theatre.

Bailey Spinn, who has nearly 16 million followers on TikTok and nearly 5 million subscribers to her YouTube channel — and viral YouTube pop-punk songs, as well — will perform at 6 p.m. June 18. Party Iconic: Hot to Go — a dance party named after Chappell's 2023 double-platinum hit and featuring music by the Grammy Awards' Best New Artist — will be at 8 p.m. March 29. And Let’s Sing Taylor — A Live Band Experience Celebrating Taylor Swift will perform at 2 and 6:30 p.m. p.m. April 5.

Arrival From Sweden: The Music of ABBA will perform July 18 at the venue, 301 W. Mill St., Quakertown, as part of the Sounds of Summer Concert Series.

Hollywood Undead, best known for the 2008 hit "Undead" and 2009's "Everywhere I Go," will perform a paid-ticket concert at the venue at 7 p.m. May 13, it was announced. The show also will feature gold-selling rock band Set It Off and charting rap-rocker Zero 9:36.

Sting, who topped the charts with such songs as "Every Breath You Take" as bassist and vocalist of The Police, then with "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" as a solo artist, will perform Nov. 20-21.

Live Nation head of club programming Molly Warren said the Archer is viewed as a resource being built where there's already a "thriving community" for music — the Lehigh Valley — that embraces artists of many genres.

A punk band that started at Nazareth Area High School will perform at 7 p.m. April 12 in the venue's The Arrow room. And Emo Night Brooklyn, which started as parties in the 2010s that captured the youthful, Do It Yourself milieu of the genre, will perform at 8 p.m. March 22, also in The Arrow.

James Arthur, who won the ninth series of "The X Factor" in Britian 2012 and is best known for the 2016 hit "Say You Won't Let Go," will perform at the event center at 7:30 p.m. July 3.