BETHLEHEM, PA– Rock and Hall of Famer Nils Lofgren of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, M. Ward and Langhorne Slim are among the four new performances announced for the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks. Tickets for the performances go on sale Tues., April 24, 10 a.m., to ArtsQuest Members and Fri., April 27, 10 a.m., to the public at www.steelstacks.org and 610-332-3378.
Singer and guitarist M. Ward of She & Him makes his debut at the Musikfest Café presented by Yuengling June 15, 8 p.m. Best known for his part in the indie pop duo She & Him with Zooey Deschanel, Ward has released a string of acclaimed solo albums over the past several years, as well as a 2009 collaborative album with My Morning Jacket’s Jim James and Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis under the moniker Monsters of Folk. In addition to his celebrated work as a musician, Ward is an accomplished producer, handling those duties for such luminaries as Mavis Staples, Jenny Lewis and Carlos Forster as well as his own musical projects. Tickets for his show are $20-$25 advance, $23-28 day of show.
On June 29, 8 p.m., Langhorne Slim and The Lost at Last Band takes the stage at the Musikfest Café. Best known for hits like “The Way We Move,” “Put It Together” and “Be Set Free,” Nashville’s Langhorne Slim has been defined in his career by reflective songwriting and passionate delivery. Slim’s last album cycle alone garnered him his third appearance on CONAN, as well as a feature on CBS Saturday Morning and the highest charting debut of his career. Conan O’Brien, a personal fan of Slim stated, “After one listen, I became an instant, almost obsessive fan.” Slim has consistently toured on his own, and has appeared on extensive worldwide runs throughout his career with artists such as The Lumineers, The Avett Brothers, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Gregory Alan Isakov, Josh Ritter, The Devil Makes Three, Sara Watkins and more. He’s also appeared on many festival stages, such as Bonnaroo, Newport Folk Festival, Outside Lands, Lollapalooza and the Philadelphia Folk Festival. Tickets for his show are $19-$24.
The Musikfest Café welcomes Femi Kuti & The Positive Force July 22, 7:30 p.m. Femi Kuti is the heart and soul of modern Afrobeat. Femi’s father, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, created the style – a blend of traditional Nigerian drum patterns, the smooth groove of highlife and American soul, funk and R&B – and took it to the world, inspiring people with insistent dance beats and lyrics bristling with political statements. Now Femi and his band, The Positive Force, are at the forefront of that movement. With songs like “One People, One World,” “Africa Will Be Great Again,” “Best to Live on the Good Side” and “Evil People,” the group is continually expanding the music’s vocabulary, adding hints of punk and hip-hop to the sound, while maintaining its traditional roots and political message. Tickets for the show are $20-$29.
On Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m., the Musikfest Café presents the Nils Lofgren Acoustic Duo. A versatile songwriter, singer and guitarist, Nils Lofgren has been working professionally since age 17. He’s toured with Neil Young, Ringo Starr and Lou Reed and is currently a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. After fronting the ‘70s group Grin, Nils embarked on a solo career and has been a sought after session player for decades. Tickets for his show are $34-$39.
The complete list of newly announced shows is:
Ward
Musikfest Café presented by Yuengling
June 15, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$25 advance, $23-28 day of show
Langhorne Slim and The Lost at Last Band
Musikfest Café presented by Yuengling
June 29, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $19-$24
Femi Kuti & The Positive Force
Musikfest Café presented by Yuengling
July 22, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$29
An Evening with Nils Lofgren Acoustic Duo
Musikfest Café presented by Yuengling
Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $34-$39
The ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks is located at 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem. For more information visit www.steelstacks.org.
Information and image provided to TVL by:
Mark Demko, ArtsQuest
http://www.artsquest.org/
