Star Wars concert, Lenny Kaye and The Pietasters
This week’s Top 3 Lehigh Valley area concerts cover a lot of ground - classic movie scores, the evolution of rock and roll, and some dancable ska. The force is strong this week in the Lehigh Valley for Star Wars fans, rockers, and rudeboys.
Lenny Kaye
When: 7 p.m. Thursday Where: Godfrey Daniels, 7 E. 4th St., Bethlehem
How much: $30
Tickets: godfreydaniels.org 610-867-2390
Musical style: Rock, Garage Rock, Punk Rock
Known for hits like: “Child Bride,” covering Them’s, “Gloria,” playing on Patti Smith’s “Because the Night,” “Dancing Barefoot,” and, “People Have the Power.”
Honors: He’s been the guitarist for the Patti Smith Band since its founding, he’s worked in the studio with artists like R.E.M., Suzanne Vega, Jim Carroll, Soul Asylum, and Allen Ginsberg, and he created the essential garage rock/protopunk compilation 1972’s “Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic
Era, 1965—1968.” He assisted Waylon Jennings in writing his autobiography, wrote the book “You Call It Madness: The Sensuous Song of the Croon,” and recently released the book, “Lightning Striking: Ten Transformative Moments in Rock and Roll.”
Check him out if you like: Patti Smith, MC5, Them, Leonard Cohen, Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs, The Yardbirds
‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ in Concert – Allentown Symphony Orchestra
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday Where: PPL Center, 701 Hamilton St., Allentown How much: $16.50-$76.50 Tickets: pplcenter.com 610-224-4625
Musical style: Classical, Jazz, Soundtrack
Details: The symphony will be performing the Oscar-winning composer John Williams’ score to “Star Wars: A New Hope” live, while the movie screens in its entirety. Honors: In 2014 and 2017, the Allentown Symphony Orchestra received the
national American Prize for “orchestral excellence.” They’ve performed with renowned artists like Midori, Emanuel
Ax, Richard Stoltzman, Garrick Ohlsson, Angela Meade, Peter Serkin, Byron Stripling, Branford Marsalis, and Christiane Noll. They’ve been performing for 67 years.
Check this out if you like: Star Wars, Soundtracks, Classical Music, Orchestral Performances
The Pietasters
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday Where: Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks, 645 E. First St., Bethlehem
How much: Free
Tickets: steelstacks.org 610-332-1300
Musical style: Ska, Soul, Punk Rock
Known for hits like: “Out All Night,” “Maggie May,” “Girl Take it Easy,” and, a ska version of the Four Tops’, “Same Old Song.”
Honors: Starting in 1990, the band has released albums on the legendary Moon Ska label, and Tim Armstrong’s (Rancid) Hellcat Records, in addition to recording at Armstrong’s home. Their music has appeared in films like “Never Been Kissed” with Drew Barrymore, and “Molly” with Elizabeth Shue. They’re songs have also appeared in games like “Street SK8ER,” “Project Gotham
Racing 2,” and, “NCAA Football 2006” for Playstation, Playstation 2, and Xbox.
Check them out if you like: The Specials, Rancid, Madness, Less Than
Jake, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Hepcat, The Aquabats, Voodoo Glowskulls