BETHLEHEM, PA—GRAMMY-winning guitar virtuoso Gary Clark Jr. and indie-pop sweethearts GROUPLOVE will rock Musikfest when they perform at the Sands Steel Stage Wed., Aug. 8, 7 p.m. and Thurs., Aug. 9, 7 p.m., respectively. Tickets for the Gary Clark Jr. performance are $39-$59, and tickets for the GROUPLOVE concert are $25-$39. They go on sale starting today, May 29, 10 a.m., to ArtsQuest Members and Fri., June 1, 10 a.m., to the public at www.musikfest.org and 610-332-3378.
From sharing the stage with Beyoncé, Eric Clapton, B. B. King, the Rolling Stones and the Foo Fighters to performing a cover of The Beatle’s “Come Together” for the Justice League soundtrack and lending his guitar licks to Childish Gambino’s “The Night Me and Your Mama Met,” Gary Clark Jr.’s talents spans many genres as he combines roots, rock, soul music and hip-hop for one unique sound. He’s released four studio albums, with his last being The Story of Sonny Boy Slim in 2015, and in 2014 he won a GRAMMY award for Best Traditional R&B performance for his song “Please Come Home.” 
In addition to performances at the Monterey Jazz Festival, Bonnaroo Music Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Newport Folk Festival and more, Clark has also performed at the MusiCares benefit honoring Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers; collaborated on Chuck Berry’s final album as the only guest solo; sang “No Woman, No Cry” at Bob Marley’s “Exodus 40 Live” tribute show; played for the Obamas at the White House alongside Mick Jagger, Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy; and teamed up with Beyoncé and Ed Sheeran for a televised tribute to Stevie Wonder. The Gary Clark Jr. performance is supported by media partner WXPN.
Since forming in 2009, LA-based band GROUPLOVE has quickly become one of music’s most exhilarating young acts. The quintet’s second full length album Spreading Rumors arrived in 2013 and was met with a raft of acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Los Angeles Times, NYLON and NPR, who called it “ludicrously easy to love.”
In 2011, GROUPLOVE released Never Trust a Happy Song, which made a stellar chart debut among the top five on Billboard’s “Heatseekers” album chart for new and developing acts. “Tongue Tied,” the album’s second single proved an even greater success, earning platinum certification for sales in excess of one million while spending three consecutive weeks at number one on the alternative airplay chart.
GROUPLOVE’s third studio album, Big Mess, featured hits like “Remember That Night,” “Tell Me a Story”, “Torso”, “MRI” and “Adios Amigos.” The band has earned a reputation for putting on an exhilarating live performance and have become festival favorites at Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, Reading + Leeds Festivals. Media partner for the GROUPLOVE performance is SPIN 107.1.
The complete 2018 Musikfest Sands Steel Stage lineup is:
Aug. 2 | Trombone Shorty’s Voodoo Threauxdown Tour (Musikfest Preview Night)
Aug. 3 | STYX and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Aug. 4 | Daughtry
Aug. 5 | Jim Gaffigan
Aug. 6 | Dierks Bentley
Aug. 7 | Kesha
Aug. 8 | Gary Clark Jr.
Aug. 9 | GROUPLOVE
Aug. 10 | Brantley Gilbert
Aug. 11 | All Time Low & Dashboard Confessional
Aug. 12 | Jason Mraz
One of the largest music festivals in the nation, Musikfest features more than 500 performances on 16 stages throughout Bethlehem over 10 days. Proceeds from Musikfest 2018 will support ArtsQuest’s free concerts and programming for the community year-round at the Banana Factory arts center and the SteelStacks arts and cultural campus. Dates for the 35th edition of the festival are Aug. 3-12; for more info visit www.musikfest.org.
Information and image provided to TVL by:
Mark Demko, ArtsQuest
http://www.artsquest.org/
