BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The last notes of Musikfest have floated off for another year.
But the best of the music that audiences heard this year will no doubt remain in our memories.
Some, of course, will be remembered more fondly than others.
While those memories still are fresh, the reviewers at LehighValleyNews.com have ranked their favorites of Musikfest's 11 headline shows this year.
Perhaps no surprise in what ArtsQuest Senior Program Director Patric Brogan acknowledged was a "year of rock" at Musikfest is that some rock music acts were judged the year's favorites.
Despite several days of rain, Musikfest's main Steel Stage shows sold well this year: There were three sellouts at the 6,200-capacity arena, and others sold well: Lynyrd Skynyrd more than 5,000, for example.
Perhaps no surprise in what ArtsQuest Senior Programming Director Patrick Brogan acknowledged was a "year of rock" at Musikfest is that some rock music acts were judged the year's favorites.
That may be something Musikfest may want to take into account in coming years.
In the meantime, the reviewers at LehighValleyNews.com have ranked their favorite headline shows this year.
It wasn't always cut and dried — especially dry.
The show by country band Old Dominion, for example, was among those that were sold out. But it was halted by weather after just 30 minutes, leading our reviewer to say, "I don’t think it’s fair to give Old Dominion a grade because they only got five songs in."
Here are our rankings of the best main Steel Stage shows this year:
1. Shinedown, Saturday, Aug. 3
It shouldn't have been a surprise how well this concert was accepted: It was the only show to sell out in advance, even after Shinedown had played Musikfest in 2021. But its show this year was a virtual master class on how to please fans. In a concert that was delayed 2 1/2 hours by storms and blasted out the festival's curfew, Shinedown performed 16 songs in 97 minutes, playing a breadth of hits from the band's 21 years, connecting with the crowd and putting on a display of staging, with explosions, fire and images on a big screen.
2. Slash's S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival, Monday, Aug. 5
Slash’s love letter to the blues showcased a spectrum of talent, exploring the past, present and future of the music. With a headlining set consisting of classic standards, iconic rock hits and original tunes, Slash and his crew kept the crowd on their feet with tons of incredible riffs. While the Guns N' Roses guitarist certainly was the big draw, upcoming talent Grace Bowers, steel pedal master Robert Randolph and ZZ Ward’s pop-included take on blues made for a diverse, accessible and fun exploration of a landmark American genre that continues to grow.
3. Ludacris, Saturday, Aug. 10
Never mind his only 60-minute set, the megastar managed to fit in 23 songs from nine albums. Sure, they were tapered down versions, though still favorites evident by fans, who recited his rap lyrics word for word. Nearly 20 years after his first performance at Musikfest, he's still flaunting flawless freestyles on stage charisma. Yes, most of his hits are well-known thanks to collaborations with Usher, Lil John, DJ Khaled, Ciara and Missy Elliott, though they didn't need to be there. The concert lights shining only on Luda went off just fine.
4. Greta Van Fleet, Thursday, Aug. 1
Going into the 41st year of Musikfest, young rockers Greta Van Fleet seemed to hold the most promise: The purveyors of a modern Led Zeppelin sound are seemingly near the top of their game. It sold out Allentown's 10,000-capacity PPL Center less than two years ago and also sold out its Musikfest show. But its hour-and-52-minute Musikfest show covered just 11 songs as the group favored long, meandering guitar solos, and a drum solo, over the hard-hitting rock with which it started. And while its talent was obvious, its self-indulgence sapped the show of how good it could have been.
5. Black Eyed Peas, Thursday, Aug. 8
For the love of music, Black Eyed Peas fans, or Peabodys, pushed through the rain at one of Musikfest's crappiest nights, weather-wise at least. Thank goodness Will.i.am, Apl.De.Ap, Taboo and new lead singer J. Rey Soul kept everyone entertained at the 90-minute show. The 15-song set was equal parts energetic and animated, fancy pyrotechnics and splashy videos included. Nods to Taboo's cultural roots (he's Mexican and Native American) and Apl.De.Ap take taking to the mic in Filipino, the native language of the Philippines and where he was born. That signified how Black Eyed Peas still unite people 20-plus years later — not only with their jazz, hip-hop and electric dance music elements, but as examples of diversity, as well.
Honorable mention: Jowell & Randy and Luis Figueroa, Sunday Aug. 4
Musically nowadays, it's hard to compete with a fanbase loyal to the likes of Maluma, Bad Bunny and Rauw Alejandro, but Jowell & Randy, who formed in 2000, demonstrated they were just as respected and relevant at their first-ever stop at Musikfest.
Other headliners were Sugar Ray, Better Than Ezra and Tonic, Friday, Aug. 2; Old Dominion, Tuesday, Aug. 6; Lynyrd Skynyrd, Wednesday, Aug. 7; Big Time Rush, Friday, Aug. 9; and ZZ Top, Sunday, Aug. 11.
Staff writers Brittany Sweeney, Jay Bradley and Brad Klein contributed to this report
