Replicating Magic at the Musikfest Café with These Can’t-Miss Tribute Bands
Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA., December 23, 2024 – ArtsQuest is bringing back the classics with a plethora of tribute bands and performers set to come to the Musikfest Café in 2025. Music lovers can mark their calendars and get tickets now at steelstacks.org.
Kick 2025 off right with one of the following Musikfest Café shows:
haZy Cosmic Jive – Bethlehem Bowie Birthday Bash
January 3, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
haZy Cosmic Jive performs a unique and high-energy David Bowie tribute, including 70’s-Ziggy-era classics, deep cuts and more. Based in Philadelphia, where Bowie forged a career-long bond, haZy Cosmic Jive is led by Zeek Mitchell (Z) and a cast of premier Philly-area musicians. Whether you are a casual fan or even if you are just curious about the musical and cultural icon David Bowie, haZy Cosmic Jive will blow you away!
January 10, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Established in New York City, the Yacht Lobsters sail the waves of the butteriest Soft Rock of the 70’s and early 80’s. Their big sound recreates – and at times reimagines – the studio mastery of retro-rock icons like Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, Hall & Oates, Toto, etc.
It’s the breezy Yacht Rock cool vibe you know and love, fused with stellar vocals, a full horn section and unique elements of NOLA funk, classic rock and jazz improvisation to keep things bouncy, set your mood to festive and ensure your boat’s a-rockin’. There’s even a tasteful smattering of original music that sounds like it stepped right out of 1978.
BROKEN ARROW – The Music of Neil Young
January 11, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Broken Arrow performs the music of Neil Young, featuring both the rockin’ electric Crazy Horse tunes and the more acoustic, pedal steel-driven country rock material. The band delivers these classic songs faithfully while taking them out on some jamming excursions and tastefully tweaking some of the arrangements. Joe Mass nails the Neil vocals perfectly and the harmonies are spot on. They have audiences on their feet singing along and demanding encores at every show.
Damn the Torpedoes – Tom Petty Concert Experience
January 17, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Damn the Torpedoes has a deep understanding of the Tom Petty catalogue and demonstrates the unspoken, authentic chemistry that makes a great band. The signature riffs of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, harmonies and underlying parts of the music are all there, along with some fresh twists that are often inspired in the moment. The resulting performances have audiences smiling, singing, dancing and mourning the loss of this truly great artist.
January 18, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
The most authentic British Invasion experience this side of the Atlantic!
Formed in 2011 by British session musicians based in New York City, The Brit Pack take their audience on a journey through a dynamic blend of British classics known and loved by all – including The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Queen, David Bowie, Elton John, The Who, Oasis, The Police and many more.
January 24, 2025, at 8 p.m.
Blending rhythms of dance music with familiar melodies from the past and present, Go Go Gadjet straddles the line between band and DJ like few others. Their innovative combination of traditional instruments with modern synths and controllers has allowed them to craft a sound and presentation that is uniquely their own. Go Go Gadjet works to create captivating visuals that complement and enhance the live experience. They aim to provide audiences with an audio/visual escape.
Home Again – A Tribute to the Music of Carole King
January 25, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Home Again is a tribute to the multi-winning singer-songwriter Carole King. Deb De Lucca, joined by her band of seasoned musicians, takes the audience on a journey through Carole’s impressive and expansive repertoire. Carole King made her mark with “Tapestry” in 1971 but was already a well-established songwriter for over a decade. She wrote more than two dozen chart hits, many of which have become standards, for numerous artists such as The Shirelles, The Chiffons, The Drifters, The Carpenters, The Monkees, Herman’s Hermits, Bobby Vee and more!
January 31, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Covering all genres in their own unique way, The Amish Outlaws constantly surprise the audience and keep them guessing as to what they could possibly play next. From Johnny Cash to Jay Z, Lady Gaga to Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, Pitbull to Elvis Presley, Luke Bryan to Dropkick Murphys, to theme songs from the TV shows they have come to know, The Amish Outlaws are sure to keep you on your toes.
Four out of the six members of The Amish Outlaws were born and raised in Lancaster, PA and had a strict Amish upbringing. No electricity from landlines, no alcohol, no musical instruments, but their spirits were too wild for the Amish lifestyle. Once they trampled in the Devil’s Playground, there was no turning back. In the years since Rumspringa, the members of The Amish Outlaws have become very well acclimated to the pleasures and vices of the modern world…music, most of all.
Thus, with a bold lust for life and a fire for music and performance that can only come from 16 years of repression, The Amish Outlaws were unleashed upon the world.
February 1, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Often imitated but never duplicated, The Nerds have been redefining what it means to be a cover band since 1985. With the onslaught of cover bands playing alternative-grunge song lists, The Nerds stuck to their guns playing a little bit of everything that they like (R&B, blues, funk, dance, classic rock, hair band, punk, new wave, pop and Englebert Humperdinck). In the fall of 2000, they were asked to host MTV’s Ultimate Cover Band Contest as the house band. Besides MTV, the Nerds have also performed multiple times on “The View”, Carson Daly, and several other TV shows long since gone. They’ve shared a stage with Sheryl Crow, Hootie and the Blowfish, Earth Wind and Fire, Train, The Go-Gos, Maroon 5, Southside Johnny and more. Over the years, Spaz, Biff, Stretch and Mongo have graced stages from the Jersey Shore to Las Vegas, earning their reputation as “America’s Party Band Fun-omenon” every step of the way.
About ArtsQuest
ArtsQuest’s mission is to provide access to exceptional artistic, cultural and educational experiences using arts and culture as key elements of economic development for our urban communities. ArtsQuest™ supports this mission via the presentation of performing and visual arts, film, arts education classes and outreach, youth programming and cultural events. Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest; the Banana Factory Arts Center; and the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest’s programming reaches more than 1.9 million people annually. The organization’s programs and events, of which nearly 50% are free to attend, have a combined economic impact of more than $136 million annually in the region.
