July 31-August 6, 2003

music

Upstaged

Bethlehem’s enormous Musikfest turns 20 (and Philly turns green).

by Mary Armstrong

As a natural-born Philadelphian, let me state unequivocally, Bethlehem’s Musikfest makes me nuts with envy. How can our country cousins to the north beat us so badly at throwing a party year after year? Yes, we have Welcome America!; I’m not going to sit here and knock Frampton. But Bethlehem, a small city for sure, is -- for the 20th straight year -- putting on 10 days of free concerts, dances and kids’ activities on 14 stages. Can’t we get some spies up there to steal all their good ideas? Who cares if everything has a corporate nametag? At least it’s happening. The natives mix with the tourists, have a good time and -- dare I point this out? -- spend money!

Granted, part of the way they get that money is by luring you in with great, free shows. Once you're already in town, you're ready to loosen the purse strings for The B-52's (Aug. 3), Jethro Tull (Aug. 9) and Melissa Etheridge (Aug. 10), all of whom play the Riverplace venue. (But it is perfectly possible to schlep your own comestibles and have a good time at Musikfest for free.)

The Americaplatz stage (all the venues have such names) offers Entrain (Aug. 4) and BR549's new lineup plus the Tarbox Ramblers (Aug. 9). Think you might like to polka, if nobody you knew saw you at it? Festplatz is your spot: Polka all day, every day, including a performance by Jimmy Sturr, who's won the polka Grammy so many times they ought to name it after him (he plays Aug. 7).

Folkies will flock to Liederplatz (the "song place") for favorites like Tony Trischka (Aug. 4), Eric Schwartz plus Grey Eye Glances (Aug. 5), Catfish Keith (Aug. 6) and Juggernaut (Aug. 7). Latin music gets its own Plaza Tropical every day of the fest with an assortment of styles and cultures represented, and lots of dancing. Atzilut, specializing in Sephardic Jewish traditions in 21st century settings, will bring on an ecstatic groove in its concert for peace at Volksplatz (Aug. 3).

This is not even scratching the surface. Go. Be inspired. Have a great time. Then return and insist that we keep being upstaged like this!

Musikfest takes place Aug. 1-10, downtown Bethlehem, 610-861-0678, www.musikfest.org.