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Review by: Janel Spiegel
Photography by: Diane Fleischman
Shinedown
Saturday, August 3, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Wind Creek Steel Stage
711 E. First Street
Bethlehem, PA
Thanks SHINEDOWN, and yes, “I’ll follow you down through the eye of the storm”
“It Was A Good Day” indeed. Shinedown… Let’s take a moment to talk about Shinedown. “It started out thundering and lightning, and a hearty downpour” to quote Diane Swartz Fleischman. (One of our incredible photographers.) Mother Nature had a moment of her own, maybe it was to equal out the BOOM’s from Shinedown, she wanted to make the point clear, there is NOT a force more powerful than Mother Nature. I also greatly appreciate that Shinedown acknowledged her, and advised that she needed to “do what she needed to do.”
We were all drenched, wearing ponchos, watching the hardworking Musikfest, ArtsQuest, SteelStacks staff take down umbrellas, the evacuation announcement was played. I’ve seen it all over the years. I wasn’t too phased. I know a lot of people had different emotions but overall, everyone was good. People wound up “taking shelter” by heading inside ArtsQuest for food. Some of the Food trucks also had to shut down but you know who kept the energy up ALL DAY and ALL NIGHT, Bourbon Street Eats! That gentleman was laughing and joking, talking to everyone and keeping the food coming.
Musikfest is so much more than music and food. It’s about bringing people together. It’s about watching people laugh and forget all the stuff we all deal with on a daily basis. Work, life, family, friends, everything in between.
Okay, SHINEDOWN!!! SHINEDOWN!!! I will admit this was my first time seeing Shinedown live, and WHAT A SHOW. WHAT A PERFORMANCE. Brent Smith CAN SING, and he apologized, he welcomed everyone, and this show was SOLD OUT! Six thousand people had to be efficiently led into the venue after an evacuation. MUSIKFEST GOT IT DONE!
Zach Myers, Brent Smith, Eric Bass, and Barry Kerch SHOOK MUSIKFEST. I think they wanted add a few BOOMS of their own since Mother Nature properly got hers in with the effective thunder. This was one of MY favorite concerts I’ve been to, and I’ve been to a lot of concerts over the years. The stage was beautiful with all sorts of lights, and memories of the band. They had awesome pyro moments
They played songs for the O.G. fans, and some newer songs. They also held a beautiful sing-a-long, and Brent Smith wanted Bethlehem’s BEST SINGING voices, (usually I’m always singing and singing at Music Trivia Bingo at Gallows). They performed Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man,” and it was beautiful. It’s beautiful to sing with six thousand people. Brent had all of look to our left, and look to our right. He wanted all of us to introduce ourselves to the people next to us which I must say shout out to the gentleman who was doing the air guitar, the gentleman who did air bass, and of course me doing the air drumming.
You could feel the energy, even while waiting. We did have to wait a while but everyone found stuff to do. Shinedown’s songs hit different for each person. People disappeared during the concert. They found some happiness and peace while listening to a powerful setlist including: “45”, “Dead Don’t Die,” (That one genuinely felt impactful to me.), “A Symptom of Being Human,” “Planet Zero,” “Second Chance” (Such a BEAUTIFUL SONG!), “Enemies,” “Monsters” (ANOTHER POWERFUL SONG!), and the cover of Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle.”
This was one of the most ENERGETIC, and genuinely fun concerts I’ve been to. The fans were beyond stoked, and thrilled. EVERYONE WAS SINGING. There was not one person who wasn’t singing or rockin’ out. (When the ortho doc asks, what’s wrong with your neck? Ummm… I’ll pass as I continue to head bang.)
I loved the energy so much. The memories. Playing the little homage and memory for Casey Kasem announcing the number one song they had. The memory of Zach Myers being at Musikfest during the nineties. What a time… The nineties and even the eighties. There are many memories of all the wildness we all got into. I also want to mention that my love of music runs deep, and I have my mom to always thank for that. She listens to everything, and even my dad. My mom loves everyone from Stevie Wonder, Fleetwood Mac, 50 Cent, Willie Nelson, B.B. King, Sister Sledge, and more. (yes, I said 50 Cent.). I’m always grateful I grew up with a wide-variety from the Blues, R&B, Hip-Hop, Rock, Pop, obscure stuff.
I will say if you haven’t seen Shinedown, go see them at least ten times. Go to Musikfest and get your Fest’ on! Have fun, and yes always be safe, and know that Musikfest just wants to keep everyone safe. We greatly appreciate every person. So many people work hard and the VOLUNTEERS. They DESERVE EVERYTHING! Be kind like Brent said, people are going through some wild stuff. Thank you Shinedown, Jennifer, all the staff, the Bethlehem Police, the Bethlehem Police on the horses, every single person. I cannot wait for Monday. GO SEE SHINEDOWN. You have to feel that entire experience.
