Hippo Campus’ 5 Biggest Festival Appearances

By Keanna Ghazvini, ArtsQuest Public Relations Intern

Hippo Campus, the inspirational indie-rock band from Minnesota, epitomizes a quintessential emotional vocal experience executed with raw vulnerability. What started out as a joyful band with pure passion and creative musical talent has notoriously evolved over the past six years. The 4-person band made up of 22 year-olds is interestingly comprised of skilled musicians who never finished college. Hippo Campus members include vocalist Jake Luppen, guitarist Nathan Stockar, bassist Zach Sutton and drummer Whistler Allen.

Since the band formed in 2013, the they’ve has had the opportunity to play at some of the most well-known festivals in the world. Before Hippo Campus and special guest The Greeting Committee rock the Musikfest Café prestented by Yuengling on Tuesday, Nov. 5, check out their top five festival appearances:

Lollapalooza: Grant Park, Chicago, Illinois

South by Southwest (SXSW): Austin, Texas

Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival: Great Stage Park, Manchester, Tennessee

Summerfest: Henry Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Reading and Leeds Festivals: Reading and Leeds, England

Hippo Campus with special guest The Greeting Committee
Tuesday, November 5
Musikfest Cafe pres. by Yuengling

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Hanksgiving: 5 Tom Hanks Films Worth Celebrating

By Ben Youngerman, ArtsQuest Marketing Manager

If Tom Hanks were a member of your family, he’d be the one your grandma won’t stop bragging about during Thanksgiving dinner.

Hanks is perhaps the greatest movie star of all time, combining great comedic instincts with powerhouse acting chops (with 2 Academy Awards wins to prove it).

To pay tribute to all of the smiles and quality entertainment the living Hollywood legend has given us, we’re celebrating Hanksgiving at the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas this November with five of Tom Hanks’ most memorable films. If you come to these movies, maybe it’ll become a new, official American holiday…

Forrest Gump (25th Anniversary) – 11/3 – buy tickets

Winner of six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Actor (Tom Hanks) and Director (Robert Zemeckis), the generation-defining film is a stunning journey through some of the most memorable events and cultural touchstones of the later 20th century, courtesy of Forrest and the powerful cast of characters.

Sleepless in Seattle – 11/6 – buy tickets

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan star in Nora Ephron’s wonderfully romantic 1993 comedy about two people drawn together by destiny.

Splash – 11/9 – buy tickets

Don’t let this spectacular film be the one that got away! Tom Hanks stars as Allen Bauer, a workaholic who’s convinced he can’t fall in love. That is, until he’s mysteriously rescued at sea by the mermaid of his dreams!

The ‘Burbs – 11/23 – buy tickets

Tom Hanks portrays suburbanite Ray Peterson, whose plans for a peaceful vacation are disturbed by a creepy new family on the block, in this outrageous suspense-comedy directed by Joe Dante.

The Polar Express – 11/30 – buy tickets

The Academy Award-winning team of Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Cast Away) reunite for The Polar Express, an inspiring adventure based on the beloved children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – COMING SOON! – coming soon

Based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. (Check back soon for official opening date.)

We’d be T.Hankful to see you soon for Hanksgiving at the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas!

via GIPHY

11 Spooky SteelStacks Halloween Events!

By Kayla Arestivo, ArtsQuest Marketing Intern

You know it, we know it…Halloween is a real treat! Don’t be a scaredy cat, join us at SteelStacks for spooky films in the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas and comedy that’ll have you terrified and laughing all at the same time! Oh, and did we mention the liveliest party for the undead?

Have fang-tastic nights in Bethlehem to have the Happiest Halloween yet!

SteelStacks Zombie Ball

SteelStacks Zombie Ball– 10/31 – buy tickets

Braaaaaaains! Shuffle to Bethlehem with the living dead for a Halloween party with some bite: the SteelStacks Zombie Ball!

Films · Special Screenings

The Lost Boys– 10/17 – buy tickets

The Lost Boys reshapes vampire tradition, deftly mixing heart-pounding terror, rib-tickling laughs, and a body-gyrating rock soundtrack.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show– 3 screenings 10/18 – 12/27 – buy tickets

Seriously, do you need a description? It’s ROCKY HORROR! THE cult classic… there is no other film quite like Rocky Horror and there never will be. This timeless film is best screened late and we’re more than happy to bring this tradition back to the Lehigh Valley every last Friday of the month, with extra screenings every October!

The Hunger– 10/19 – buy tickets

Miriam Blaylock collects Renaissance art, ancient Egyptian pendants, lovers, souls. Alive and fashionably chic in Manhattan, Miriam is an ageless vampire.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula– 10/23 – buy tickets

Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder and Anthony Hopkins star in director Francis Ford Coppola’s visually stunning, passionately seductive version of the classic Dracula legend. In BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA, Coppola returns to the original source of the Dracula myth, and from that gothic romance, he creates a modern masterpiece.

It Strips– 10/26 – buy tickets

Your favorite horror movies + burlesque = a spooky, sexy time!

Renowned burlesque producer HoneyTree EvilEye curates an evening of gruesome, hilarious and naughty acts by several of the East Coast’s best burlesque artists at It Strips, a horror film-inspired cabaret variety.

Twilight– 10/30 – buy tickets

Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) doesn’t expect much when she moves to the small town of Forks, Washington, until she meets the mysterious and handsome Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson)- a boy who’s hiding a dark secret: he’s a vampire. As their worlds and hearts collide, Edward must battle the bloodlust raging inside him as well as a caterie of undead that would make Bella their prey. Based on the #1 New York Times best-selling sensation by Stephanie Meyer, Twilight adds a dangerous twist to the classic story of star-crossed lovers.

Ghostbusters 1 & 2 Double Feature– 10/31 – buy tickets

Ghostbusters (1984)

After the members of a team of scientists lose their cushy positions at a university in New York City, they decide to become “ghostbusters” to wage a high-tech battle with the supernatural for money.

Ghostbusters II (1989)

After saving New York City from a ghost attack, the Ghostbusters — a team of spirit exterminators — is disbanded for demolishing parts of the city during the battle. But when Ghostbuster Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) learns that spirits have taken an interest in his son, the men launch a rogue ghost-chasing mission.

Comedy · Shows

The Great Old Ones– 10/19 – buy tickets

The Great Old Ones (Jon Lunger and Justin Passino) perform comedic improv in the style of modern horror stories. You’ll witness the creation of completely improvised, other-worldly “horrors” as The Great Old Ones dive into your nightmares and emerge with jokes.

Spoiler Alert: Aliens– 10/24 – buy tickets

Prepare to have your mind blown into itty-bitty, tiny pieces, as two comedians recreate a movie for you, live on stage!

Comedians Matt Candio and Jon Lunger take you on a journey through the ridiculousness of modern cinema in a hilarious send-up and take-down of one of Hollywood’s most legendary and/or notorious films. It’s a frenetic, pseudo-improvised performance that will remind you why you love movies in the first place. This time up they’re tackling the classic 1986 James Cameron sci-fi space adventure Aliens.

Yeah, I’m Kinda Afraid– 10/31 – buy tickets

“Yeah, I’m Kind of Afraid” is the answer to a question first posed in the year 1991 by a group of Canadian Teens calling themselves The Midnight Society. It is also a spooky comedy show based on the Nickelodeon TV show “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” Huddle around the camp-fire with us on Halloween night as we improvise and spin two horrifying and hilarious tales that will leave you both laughing and looking over your shoulder. Are You Afraid of the Dark? Yeah, we kinda are!

For a full list of events at SteelStacks, CLICK HERE!

The Greatest Hits by the Greatest Tribute Bands!

By Kayla Arestivo, ArtsQuest Marketing Intern

Ever wish you could watch your favorite band play one last time? You know the songs, you know the lyrics, you know the way they made you feel each time you listened… Well now you can LIVE at SteelStacks!

See tribute bands pay homage to beloved performers and throw a twist of their own, as they cover the great hits you love. The music emulates the vocal style and overall appearance of the bands you grew up to, the bands that impacted your life, the bands you felt in your soul when you heard them play live…

TUSK: The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Tribute– 11/8 & 11/9 – buy tickets

Back by popular demand! Tusk is the #1 tribute to Fleetwood Mac in the world, bar none. No wigs, no backing tracks, no gimmicks, just five musicians recreating the music of Fleetwood Mac to perfection with note for note renditions that no other Fleetwood Mac tribute on the touring scene today can come close to duplicating.

Under the Streetlamp Presents “Hip to the Holidays”– 11/10 – buy tickets

Let’s get Hip to the Holidays, as Under the Streetlamp celebrates with a joyous performance of your favorite holiday tunes PLUS songs from the American Radio Songbook.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxY_sJibrD8

DANCING DREAM Presents the Best of ABBA– 11/16 – buy tickets

DANCING DREAM: The Tribute to ABBA, the greatest pop supergroup from Sweden, electrifies audiences of all ages with the best hits “Mamma Mia,” “Dancing Queen,” “Take a Chance,” “Fernando,” and many more.

The Aardvarks & The Sofa Kings– 11/23 – buy tickets

For more than 10 years, the ‘Varks have been evolving and maturing (kind of) into the premier rock band of the Lehigh Valley, mixing time periods and styles of covers and original music into their non-stop, high energy sets.

Start Making Sense – Tribute to Talking Heads: A benefit for Lehigh Valley Girls Rock– 11/27 – buy tickets

If David Byrne is one of the geniuses of modern times, then Start Making Sense is a tribute to genius.The musicians in this 7-10 piece Talking Heads Tribute take pride in faithfully recreating the music of Talking Heads entire career.

The Large Flowerheads– 11/30 – buy tickets

The Large Flowerheads bring to life the sights & sounds of the groovy ’60s. Their repertoire includes numbers from The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Sonny & Cher, Dusty Springfield, Mamas & the Papas, The Monkees & so many more!

The Stranger: A Tribute to Billy Joel– 12/13 – buy tickets

Back by popular demand! The Stranger is the complete premiere tribute to the music of one of the world’s most beloved performers, Billy Joel.

Jimmy and the Parrots – A Parrot Holiday Party– 12/21 – buy tickets

Grab your beach chair, your suntan oil, and your favorite drink, and get ready for a trip to the islands with the ultimate tribute to Jimmy Buffett.

Twelve Twenty-Four – The Holiday Rock Orchestra– 12/22 – buy tickets

Twelve Twenty-Four presents a high energy, full-scale, holiday rock orchestra concert featuring everyone’s favorite rock-edge holiday music as well as their own holiday creations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoydvuwnxKY

EagleMania: The World’s Greatest Eagles Tribute Band– 12/27 & 12/28 – buy tickets

Back by popular demand! EagleMania’s show consists of the Eagles’ greatest hits, as well as some of the solo work of Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Joe Walsh.

The Sofa Kings’ New Year’s Eve Party!– 12/31 – buy tickets

Ring in the New Year with one of SteelStacks’ favorite party bands! The Sofa Kings are a high energy ten-piece band from Southeastern Pennsylvania that is taking the Delaware Valley by storm!

Craig Thatcher Band performs an acoustic evening of Eric Clapton Retrospective– 1/4 – buy tickets

Craig Thatcher Band will perform an acoustic rendition of Eric Clapton Retrospective, featuring selections from the Eric Clapton UNPLUGGED show.

Broken Arrow – The Music of Neil Young– 1/11 – buy tickets

Broken Arrow performs the music of Neil Young, featuring both the rockin’ electric Crazy Horse tunes and the more acoustic, pedal steel driven country rock material.

Into The Mystic – A Tribute to Van Morrison– 1/17 – buy tickets

Drawing from his complete collection of works, “Into the Mystic,” seeks to recreate the spirit and energy of Van Morrison’s Music and pays respect to a man who himself is a hard act to catch and most humbly follow in 2019.

Experience Janis– 1/31 – buy tickets

Experience Janis! With a twinkle in her eye and that rasp in her voice, CC Coletti channels the spirit of Janis Joplin, belting out hit after hit in a heartfelt tribute performance.

Top Of The World – A Carpenters Tribute– 2/13 – buy tickets

Top Of The World – Tribute to The Carpenters is fronted by singer Debbie Taylor, her Karen Carpenter vocal resemblance is absolutely astonishing.

Light My Fire – The Ultimate Doors Tribute– 2/15 – buy tickets

Light My Fire is the Tri-State area’s #1 Doors Tribute Band. Break on through and be mesmerized by Light My Fire’s performance as they take you back in time to the 1960’s Sunset Strip sound of the Doors.

The Nerds– 2/21 – buy tickets

Often imitated but never duplicated, The Nerds have been redefining what it means to be a cover band since 1985.

The Amish Outlaws– 3/20 – buy tickets

With a set that is always evolving as the Brothers discover more and more music and culture,The Amish Outlaws constantly surprise the audience and keep them guessing as to what they could possibly play next.

Lotus Land – American RUSH Tribute– 4/18 – buy tickets

With an unparalleled performance, The American RUSH Tribute Lotus Land brings the force of live Rush to life on stage.

Strawberry Fields – SONGS4SIGHT 2020 – benefiting Center for Vision Loss– 4/30 – buy tickets

The ultimate Beatles tribute band in full costume, featuring former members of the hit Broadway musical “Beatlemania.”

Tapestry: Tribute to Carole King– 6/12 – buy tickets

A beautiful re-creation of the Carole King songbook performed with live band and multi-media images.

For a full list of concerts in the Musikfest Cafe presented by Yuengling, CLICK HERE!

John Waite: A Life in Music

By Frank Valish, Guest Writer for SteelStacks.org

Throughout the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, John Waite was a staple of FM radio, first with his band The Babys, followed by a hit-laden solo career and as part of the arena rock band Bad English. Songs like The Babys’ “Isn’t It Time,” Bad English’s “When I See You Smile,” and his monster solo smash “Missing You” turned Waite into household name, but Waite has quietly spent the last 20 odd years crafting more nuanced pop compositions, led by tracks like the folk-y “Bluebird Café” and the affecting “Downtown,” both which he reprised on 2017’s Wooden Heart: Acoustic Anthology Volume 2. And while his last album of new music, Rough & Tumble, was released eight years ago, Waite has recently started up the old writing machine again for a new album that he plans to start recording before Christmas.

Waite sat down with ArtsQuest prior to his October 10 performance at the Musikfest Café presented by Yuengling to talk about his history in the music business and the songs that changed his life.

ArtsQuest: The music industry changed so much since the 70s, 80s, and even the 90s, and you’ve been there throughout it. How have you experienced the industry change, and what’s the biggest takeaway you see from promoting your music in those days and doing so now?

John Waite: Well, these days you don’t have to talk to somebody across a desk, which I think is good for the music. The Internet has made it so you can release something, and it’s worldwide immediately. And if you decide to make an acoustic record, like I have done for the last two releases, there’s nobody telling you it’s not a good idea. You can do basically anything you want now. A record company is still there to distribute the record, but you can get a distributor, which I did for my last couple of records, and get it in the shops. After a certain amount of time, you know how it all works. And there’s not a whole lot of mystery to it. You put your shoulder to the wheel and then off you go. The fact that the Internet has blasted everything out into the open, it’s a level playing field. So I’ve been able to do the work I’m wanting to do. I’ve been very lucky to have hit singles throughout my career, from The Babys and Bad English and of course the ’80s. I think if I didn’t have that behind me, it would be really rough. But it’s great to have that in this environment. It’s an open highway. It’s anything I want it to be.

ArtsQuest: When you think back to The Babys, what are your fondest memories?

John Waite: Touring. Coming to America. Seeing New York City and seeing Chicago, the home of the blues. Just seeing the landmarks and being young. Everything was so fresh. It was exciting. It was great to be young in the ’70s. Everything was on fire. But it’s been one incredible experience. It never gets old. We tour a lot, and I’m about to go back in the studio again. You get offered soundtracks. It’s still interesting. It sure beats a regular job, you know.

ArtsQuest: You’ve obviously had an extensive solo career post-Babys, your biggest hit being “Missing You” of course. What kind of relationship do you have with that song these days, and has that relationship changed with time?

John Waite: It’s a great song. It took 20 minutes to write the whole thing. It really did. It just came out of nowhere. It was all word association. I’d been away from home, England. I was married at the time, and I just wanted to get home. The last album had gone on and on. I’d come over to sign the contract and then I was going to back home and work out what I was going to do next, but I was so into recording, and me and the band just started writing songs, so I stayed. I’d been away from home for like 4 months. When that song was written, it was pretty melancholic. But it’s a great song, because it’s just off the cuff. There was no pre-thought going into it. It was just emotion. They’re the best songs. They last the longest.

ArtsQuest: Do you feel like your songwriting became more personal or perhaps more autobiographical in the period that followed Bad English? It seemed like in that period there were some songs that were just crushingly affecting, things like “Masterpiece of Loneliness,” “Downtown,” “In God’s Shadow.”

John Waite: Yeah, I wanted to real up. I thought that Bad English was glossy. And I came out of that looking to rebuild myself as a writer. I wanted to get right to the heart of everything. And if I was going to put a record out I wanted it to be extremely real. I didn’t want it to be just product. And I think I have something to prove. “Downtown,” in particular, was a really wrenching song to write. But it was my life in New York City and the Lower East Side and the life that I lived. It was a very intense, real life. It wasn’t some pop star going out to the nearest restaurant and being fabulous. I’ve always lived a very down to earth, street life.

ArtsQuest: Was there ever a push and pull between wanting to do something a little different and the fact that people knew you from these giant pop songs?

John Waite: Well, I just don’t care. I don’t write for people, really. That was what was wrong with Bad English. I don’t write for an audience. I write and that’s what you’re going to get. There’s a huge difference in the intention. If you look around you and you see other artists’ work and you know how good it is, it just keeps raising the bar. But if you’re trying to just sell records and be popular, you’re going to end up making junk. You have to go look in the mirror and come up with something that’s going to throw people. You have to take a chance. It’s all about chance. Everything. You have to go out there and risk everything, or else it’s just not worth doing.

JOHN WAITE
Thursday, October 10
Musikfest Cafe pres. by Yuengling

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5 Ways You Know The “Very Famous” Michael Ian Black

By Kayla Arestivo, ArtsQuest Marketing Intern

Comedian, actor, writer, and director Michael Ian Black DOES. IT. ALL. He kickstarted his career at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts as a member of the comedy group, The State. Ever since, Black has starred in several films and TV comedy series, written and/or directed two films, authored a dozen adult and children’s books, and regularly tours the country performing his comedy and stand-up specials such as “Very Famous” and “I Am A Wonderful Man.”

Before he performs standup comedy in the Musikfest Café presented by Yuengling on October 13, brush up on some major Michael Ian Black moments.

The State

At just 22 years old Black had you laughing out loud with his wacky MTV sketch comedy series The State. If you like comedy, you definitely like this series.

Wet Hot American Summer

In the cult of all cult movies, Michael Ian Black starred alongside Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler and more.

Stella

What’s funny about doing normal things like eating pizza, you might ask. The answer? Everything. Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter and David Wain are the comedic trio that was. They attempt to navigate their everyday lives, doing it in an absurd and comical way.

Viva Variety

Variety shows are no joke… but maybe a little. Black starred as Johnny Blue jeans in the sketch comedy series Viva Variety which satirized European variety shows.

Children’s Books

Michael Ian Black isn’t afraid to act like a chicken talk like a chicken, or even DRESS as one! His children’s book “Chicken Cheeks,” has readers laughing from the bottom up. He’s also authored books such as “I’m Bored,” and “A Child’s First Book of Trump.”

Be there on time to see Michael Ian Black!

via GIPHY

Michael Ian Black
Sunday, October 13
Musikfest Cafe pres. by Yuengling

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