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Review By: Janel Spiegel – Photography By: Diane Fleischman
Train and
Better Than Ezra
August 13, 2023
711 E. First Street
Bethlehem, PA
Musikfest…. Musikfest… Musikfest… Thanks for more great memories, amazing concerts, and lots of fun.
Tonight was the last night of Musikfest. It always seems to fly by. It was a beautiful day. Thank you, Mother Nature for the sunshine. It was appreciated.
Thanks to my awesome friend Paula for coming along. Paula loves music and dancing too. It was awesome that she came along.
She ventured up to The Media Center with me before the show. I wanted to say thank you again to everybody at the Media Center. I appreciate that they have that set up for those of us that have work to do l, even while at Musikfest. Also, thank you for the water.
The energy was great tonight. Bethlehem always feels slightly more alive during Musikfest.
People were happy and walking around. Everyone was waiting at food trucks, chatting, grabbing drinks, playing the fun games to win Blue Cross bags. I talked to people as usual, and ran into friends at the concert.
Could we take a moment to acknowledge all the hard work that the volunteers do, the security, the Bethlehem Police Department, and all the people who direct traffic. Those people are all awesome. There is a lot of work that goes into manifesting Musikfest.
Okay…. On to the concert. I saw so many amazing bands, and artists this year. Each time I walk in, I feel the energy. I feel the anticipation.
Better Than Ezra, THEY ROCKED. I truly want to be friends with Kevin Griffin, he IS THE BEST. I would totally invite Better Than Ezra to all of our events. Better Than Ezra could have played all night, everyone would have been thrilled. Better Than Ezra is a band from New Orleans, Louisiana. The band was formed in 1988. The members of the band are Kevin Griffin, Tom Drummond, Michael Jerome, and James Arthur Payne Jr. They made the show fun. It was lighthearted and meaningful to those of that love music, and to those that are there to see their favorite band.
They performed some of their own songs, and Kevin Griffin told a story about covering an Elton John song. Better Than Ezra met Sir. Elton John, and he told them the piano player at the time (not the piano player they have now.) was playing his song wrong. So, Elton recorded himself playing piano, and now Better Than Ezra can say they are performing with Sir Elton John. They performed his song, “Tiny Dancer.” You can never go wrong with that song. The crowd loved it.
Better Than Ezra did some improvising and performed a version of Sugarhill Gang’s, “Rapper’s Delight.” They also performed “Never Tear Us Apart” by INXS. It’s a perfect song. Kevin Griffin did it beautiful justice.
Better Than Ezra performed, “Good,” “Desperately Wanting,” “Sara Smile” By Hall & Oates, and “Live A Little,” which was a Chaz Cardigan cover. They also performed a new song called, “Mystified.” They had the crowd hyped for Train.
Train did an awesome job. They covered Journey’s, “Faithfully.” “Faithfully” is a perfect song. Journey outdid themselves with that one.
Train started with AM Gold, and had beach balls bouncing through the crowd. They did a few combination songs including “Meet Virginia” with The Steve Miller Band’s, “The Joker.” I’m proud of my section for singing, dancing, the dude who was air drumming with me and my row. The people next to me singing. We were all singing. It was a great crowd tonight.
Train consists of: Pat Monahan, Taylor Locke, Hector Maldonado, Jerry Becker, Matt Musty, Sakai Smith, and Nikita Houston.
The back-up SINGERS. The BACK-UP SINGERS were SINGING. AMAZING. There were just awe-inspiring.
Train continued with, “If It’s Love,” “Get To Me.”
Ohhhh, they brought Kevin Griffin back onstage to sing a cover of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers song, “American Girl.” (Or to some of us it’s “American Girl” from The Silence of the Lambs moments before Brooke Smith’s character Catherine Martin almost meets a creepy demise courtesy of Buffalo Bill. Okay, enough about Horror. I live that everyday.)
But still, we did a group sing along to “American Girl.” It was great. Concerts are amazing. Music is so healing. People dont realize how hyped a person can get about a song. There was a gentleman in front of us, and as soon as a certain song started he was just lost in the music. Train performed everything from “Angel in Blue Jeans,” “Save Me, San Francisco,” “Calling All Angels,” “Bruises,” “Marry Me,” “Drive By” and “Hey Jude.” Pat Monahan and his band did great.
They did an incredible cover of “Hotel California” by The Eagles, and “Drops of Jupiter.” Lots of songs about love, life, mystery, space, stars, and more, considering the Perseid meteor shower is happening.
There was a lot of love and good energy at Musikfest tonight. People wanted to have fun. That’s what it’s about. Life is stressful and, chaotic enough. It’s sort of a bummer that it’s over but WOW, it was fun. I can’t wait till next year.
https://savemesanfrancisco.com/
https://www.betterthanezra.com/
