Darius Rucker To Headline Musikfest!

JUST ANNOUNCED:
Darius Rucker to Headline Musikfest!

With special guest Cassadee Pope

GRAMMY-winning, chart-topping country singer Darius Rucker will bring his dynamic blend of country hits and Hootie & the Blowfish classics to Musikfest when he headlines our Sands Steel Stage at PNC Plaza on Aug. 14!

• ArtsQuest Member pre-sale (gold and above): 1/20, 10am
• ArtsQuest Member pre-sale (all levels): 1/21, 10am
• Tickets on sale: 1/23, 10am

For memberships and more visit www.musikfest.org

Bethlehem City Council Passes $71 Million Budget With 7 Percent Tax Hike

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Northampton County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In a budget where rising pension costs framed the debate, Bethlehem City Council on Thursday adopted a $71 million budget that includes a 7 percent property tax hike and other revenue including a tax on certain concert tickets.

But what it doesn’t include is $500,000 from a citywide trash hauler, a proposal by Mayor John Callahan that drew public backlash.

Instead, council cut hundreds of thousands of dollars from the budget and accepted Callahan’s suggestions on refinancing the landfill debt.  Council also accepted the administration’s updated revenue projections that show the earned income tax and casino fees as bringing in more money than when Callahan first released his budget proposal last month.

Councilman Robert Donchez acknowledged the budget isn’t perfect but a lot of work was put into it.

Read more:  http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-bethlehem-council-passes-budget-20121221,0,6831964.story

Meat Loaf Coming To Sands Bethlehem Event Center On July 25

The Sands Bethlehem Event Center will be serving up a meaty act that played Bethlehem’s Musikfest several years ago.

Meat Loaf — the theatrical rocker whose 1977 album “Bat Out of Hell” sold 14 million copies in the United States, making it the fifth-best-selling album of all time, and produced three Top 40 hits — will play the event center July 25, according to his website, http://www.meatloaf.net

The Sands has not announced the concert yet, and ticket information wasn’t immediately available.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/music/mc-meat-loaf-sands-bethlehem-20120406,0,2262730.story

Two Late-1970s Hitmakers To Play Sands Bethlehem Event Center – Together

Nugent in concert in Naples, Italy, June 1, 2004 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Two late 1970s acts that between them have sold 35 million albums and had 14 Top 30 albums and 14 Top 30 hits will play at the new Sands Bethlehem Event Center, the venue announced  this morning.

Ted Nugent, known for the solo hit “Cat Scratch Fever” and “High Enough” with the supergroup Damn Yankees, will join Styx, best known for such hits as “Come Sail Away,” “Babe,” “Lady,” “Lorelei” and “Too Much Time on My Hands” for a show June 29 at the center.

Tickets, at $59.50 to $89.50, will go on sale at 10 a.m. April 6 at http://www.sandseventcenter.com or http://www.livenation.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

Read more: http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2012/04/two-late-1970s-hitmakers-to-play-sands-bethlehem-event-center.html