news release

< back to media main page

JOSH THOMPSON, BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY, CARBON LEAF & MORE PEFORMING AT THE MUSIKFEST CAFÉ

DATE: Nov 10, 2011
CONTACT: Mark Demko, ArtsQuest, 610-332-1300, ext. 342, or mdemko@artsquest.org

Country singer/songwriter Josh Thompson, indie rockers Bronze Radio Return, a ’50s and ’60s dance party featuring the Main Street Cruisers and the return of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy are among the six new shows announced for the Musikfest Café presented by Yuengling, located at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem. Tickets for the shows will go on sale starting Tues., Nov. 15, 10 a.m., to ArtsQuest Members and Fri., Nov 18, 10 a.m., to the public. They will be available at www.artsquest.org and 610-332-3378.

Carbon Leaf - Jan. 12, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $15 Cabaret/$18 Balcony

Now in its 20th year of award-winning recording and touring, Carbon Leaf has released 10 albums including its most recent recording, "Live, Acoustic...And In Cinemascope." The Richmond, Va.-based group began as an independent band in 1992 and signed with Vanguard Records for a three-album stint in 2004. Along the way, Carbon Leaf scored hit singles at both AAA and Hot AC Radio with "Life Less Ordinary" and "The Boxer," placed first in the International Songwriting Competition, won an American Music Award and recorded the music for Universal's Curious George II soundtrack in 2010.

Bronze Radio Return - Jan. 25, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $15 Cabaret/$18 Balcony

Formed in 2008, Bronze Radio Return released its debut recording, "Old Time Speaker," in 2009. The album established the band’s relentless touring schedule, including an invitation to represent the Connecticut music scene by performing for President Obama at an event in Bridgeport, Conn. in 2010. Fan favorites "Digital Love" and "Lo-Fi" were picked up for advertising and television licensing and the album landed on CMJ’s Top 200 Album Chart. The group’s latest recoding is SHAKE! SHAKE! SHAKE!, released in March of this year.

"DanceStand USA featuring The Main Street Cruisers" with host Mike Mittman, Elvis Impersonator Johnny M and The Allentown Swing Dance Society - Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $22 Cabaret/$27 Balcony

DanceStand USA is a ’50s and ’60s TV dance party showcasing the sights, sounds and songs that made up "The Golden Age of Rock ’n’ Roll." 　Featuring The Main Street Cruisers, one of the most popular oldies bands in the country, along with special guest appearances by Elvis (Johnny M) and TV’s Rock and Roll DanceStand host and popular oldies DJ Mike Mittman, it’s like stepping back in time, complete with background music from classic television shows and classic commercials during the breaks. For more than two hours the audience will be transported back to the days when everyone ran home after school to catch their favorite DanceStand host and dancers and to hear the newest rock ’n’ roll hits.

Josh Thompson - Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $20 SRO/$22 Balcony

In Josh Thompson, working-class country has found its most authentic spokesman in a generation. A compelling singer, he is an artist whose songwriting reflects both the gritty realities of blue-collar life and the beer-fueled release of the Friday-night honky-tonk. Thompson’s debut, "Way Out Here," hit No. 28 on the Billboard 200 and included the singles "Beer on the Table" and "Way Out Here," both of which hit the Billboard Heatseakers and Hot Country Songs charts. The Wisconsin native also wrote the title cut to Jason Michael Carroll’s album "Growing Up Is Getting Old," which reached No. 28 on the Billboard 200 in 2009.

A Midwinter's Trip to Summertime with Trouble City All Stars & Great White Caps - Feb. 24, 8 p.m.

Tickets: $5 in advance; $8 at the doors

It’s a hot night guaranteed to take the chill off a cold winter’s evening as two of Lehigh Valley’s grooviest bands come together for one night of great music! Join roots rock/reggae group Trouble City All Stars and surf rockers the Great White Caps as they jam the night away in the Musikfest Cafe!

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy – April 12, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $39 Cabaret/$49 Balcony

Since its arrival on the music scene in 1993 in a legendary residency at Los Angeles’ Brown Derby nightclub, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has entertained listeners throughout the nation with its fusion of classic American sounds including jazz, swing, Dixieland and big band. BBVD’s originals rocketed the group into its first phase of stardom when "You & Me and the Bottle Makes Three (Tonight)" and "Go Daddy-O" were featured in the 1996 indie film "Swingers." The group sold more than two million copies of the albums "Americana Deluxe" and "This Beautiful Life" while earning widespread critical acclaim. BBVD’s career milestones have included appearances in the Super Bowl halftime show, writing theme music for ESPN and network television, and performing for three American presidents. The group has appeared numerous times on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Late Night with Conan O’Brian" and "Live with Regis & Kelly," and its music has been in more than 60 movies and television shows.

ABOUT ARTSQUEST

ArtsQuest™ is a Bethlehem, PA-based nonprofit dedicated to presenting music, arts, festivals, cultural experiences and educational and outreach programs that aid in economic development, urban revitalization and community enrichment. Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest®; the Banana Factory® cultural arts and education center; and the ArtsQuest Center and SteelStacks™ arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest's programming reaches more than 1.5 million people annually.

For more information on ArtsQuest, visit www.artsquest.org or call 610-332-1300.