Headliners Gary Clark Jr. and Grouplove complete Musikfest lineup at SteelStacks in Bethlehem Aug. 8-9
From a press release:
Grammy Award-winning guitar virtuoso Gary Clark Jr. and indie pop sweethearts Grouplove will rock Musikfest when they perform on the Sands Steel Stage in Bethlehem on Wednesday, Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. and Thursday, Aug. 9 at 7 p.m., respectively.
Tickets for these concerts at PNC Plaza (645 E. 1st St., Bethlehem) at the SteelStacks, which are $39-$59 for Gary Clark Jr. and $25-$39 for Grouplove, go on sale to the general public this Friday, June 1 at 10 a.m. at musikfest.org and 610-332-3378. Tickets are on sale now for ArtsQuest Members.
From sharing the stage with Beyoncé, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, the Rolling Stones, and the Foo Fighters to performing a cover of The Beatles’ “Come Together” for the “Justice League” soundtrack and lending his guitar licks to Childish Gambino’s “The Night Me and Your Mama Met,” Gary Clark Jr.’s talents spans many genres as he combines roots, rock, soul music, and hip-hop for one unique sound. He’s released four studio albums, with his last being “The Story of Sonny Boy Slim” in 2015, and in 2014 he won a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance for his song “Please Come Home.”
In addition to performances at the Monterey Jazz Festival, Bonnaroo Music Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Newport Folk Festival, and more, Clark has also performed at the MusiCares benefit honoring Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers; collaborated on Chuck Berry’s final album as the only guest solo; sang “No Woman, No Cry” at Bob Marley’s “Exodus 40 Live” tribute show; played for the Obamas at the White House alongside Mick Jagger, Jeff Beck, and Buddy Guy; and teamed up with Beyoncé and Ed Sheeran for a televised tribute to Stevie Wonder. The Gary Clark Jr. performance is supported by media partner WXPN.
Since forming in 2009, Los Angeles-based band Grouplove has quickly become one of music’s most exhilarating young acts. The quintet’s second full-length album “Spreading Rumors” arrived in 2013 and was met with a raft of acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Los Angeles Times, NYLON, and NPR, who called it “ludicrously easy to love.”
In 2011, Grouplove released “Never Trust a Happy Song,” which made a stellar chart debut among the Top 5 on Billboard’s Heatseekers album chart for new and developing acts. “Tongue Tied,” the album’s second single, proved an even greater success, earning platinum certification for sales in excess of one million while spending three consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the alternative airplay chart.
Grouplove’s third studio album, “Big Mess,” featured hits like “Remember That Night,” “Tell Me a Story,” “Torso,” “MRI,” and “Adios Amigos.” The band has earned a reputation for putting on an exhilarating live performance and has become a festival favorite at Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, and the Reading and Leeds Festivals. The media partner for the Grouplove performance is Spin 107.1.
One of the largest music festivals in the nation, Musikfest features more than 500 performances on 16 stages throughout Bethlehem over 10 days. Proceeds from Musikfest 2018 support ArtsQuest’s free programming for the community year-round at the Banana Factory arts center and the SteelStacks arts and cultural campus. Dates for the 35th edition of the festival are Friday, Aug. 3 through Sunday, Aug. 12.
The complete 2018 Musikfest Sands Steel Stage headlining lineup is Trombone Shorty’s Voodoo Threauxdown Tour on Musikfest Preview Night on Aug. 2, Styx and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts on Aug. 3, Daughtry on Aug. 4, comedian Jim Gaffigan on Aug. 5, Dierks Bentley on Aug. 6, Kesha on Aug. 7, Gary Clark Jr. on Aug. 8, Grouplove on Aug. 9, Brantley Gilbert on Aug. 10, All Time Low and Dashboard Confessional on Aug. 11, and Jason Mraz on Aug. 12.
See NEPA Scene’s photos of Godsmack and Like a Storm at Musikfest 2017 here and the original lineup of Live playing at last year’s festival here.
