June 2011
1 post
Free
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager
One of the coolest parts about SteelStacks, that we probably don’t talk about enough, is the large amount of activities that are either free or don’t cost much at at all.
Check out this quick snapshot of some of the free things we’ve got going on…
6.11 - Flag Day is this Saturday!
Daily - FREE parking. ...
May 2011
6 posts
From Hawaii with love
-posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager
Well, I think its safe to say that no one saw this coming. The ukulele is scorching hot right now… its like Lady Gaga, but smaller, not alive, and… well, its really nothing like Lady GaGa, except for the fact that both seem to be everywhere at the moment.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, its ok… ...
A series of random photos of John Oliver and your...
-posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager.
John Oliver (from Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) is an extremely funny man.
Here’s a completely random series of pictures of him, followed by a link to a contest we’re having (where you can score tickets to his show at the Musikfest Cafe presented by Yuengling on 6.3).
THIS is the...
A quick, shameless plug
posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager
The SteelStacks arts & cultural campus has been open for a few weeks now. To all of you who have come down to explore the exciting new facilities, thanks!
Whether you’ve checked out the new awesomeness, or haven’t quite had a chance to come down yet, let me introduce you to a hand-dandy little .PDF file that will make it...
Seeing is believing
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager
I possess a unique ability to be simultaneously a morning person and a night owl.
Don’t get me wrong, I love sleeping; it’s one of my favorite hobbies. But, depending on situation, I’m down with getting up at the crack of dawn or staying up into the wee-hours of the morning.
My point?
Well as I’ve “grown...
B is for Broussard, and that's good enough for me.
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager
Um, so I was going to write a long post today, but then the following awesomeness happened:
MARC BROUSSARD IS PLAYING THE MUSIKFEST CAFE PRESENTED BY YUENGLING ON JULY 20!
Tickets on sale Friday (ArtsQuest Member pre-sale Tues. & Wed.)!
Photos from Steve Miller Band opening the...
April 2011
8 posts
Pottholes in Paris
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager
Even Paris, city of love, is victim to the dreaded pothole.
Leave it to Parisians to find beauty in road damage. Local artists have taken to the streets, filing potholes with colorful fabric. While I doubt this is on the Champs-Élysées, it’s awesome nonetheless.
Check it out:...
Become a cool kid in two easy steps: read this...
- Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and music snob
Dr. Dog.
Greater west Philadelphia-based folk-indie rock ensemble of what I believe to be epic-proportions.
They played Musikfest a few years back, and it was perfect. One of those amazing nights that defines a summer. Wonderful weather, jaw-droppingly awesome performance, good friends, ‘fest. Heaven.
So,...
Super Win Win
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager
Dear ArtsQuest: The Blog readers,
I am happy to report, the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks is finally open!
And, I acknowledge that leading up to the center’s opening, I’ve really been hyping up the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas at SteelStacks. So, it only seemed fair that in the cinemas’ opening weekend that I check...
When traveling to SteelStacks...
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager
Since some of the streets at SteelStacks are being opened to the public for the first time, not all of them appear in all GPS/online map services.
So, to help get you where you need to go, we’ve prepared the following:
More details at http://www.artsquest.org/directions
SteelStacks opens Friday at 4pm
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’ Marketing Manager
Yep, the long wait will finally be over.
The ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks opens THIS FRIDAY at 4pm. Check out the opening week of films and free concerts.
The ArtsQuest Center opens next week!
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager
Things are moving at lightning-speed here at ArtsQuest, as we prepare to open the doors of the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks to the public next Friday!
With that in mind, and in case you didn’t already hear, meet the first two feature films that will open the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas (on 4.15):
In addition to the...
His dumb two cents
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and film nerd.
A few week’s back we held a contest to win film passes for the entire year, for the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas (at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks).
We asked people to pick the Oscar winner for ten categories. Out of 700+ responses, only one person got all 10 right (that’s him below).
Now, with the...
March 2011
7 posts
Cage the Elephant covers Adele... enough said
-Posted by Jon Lunger ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and CTE fan.
As a follow up to yesterday’s post, here’s another cover of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.” This time by Cage the Elephant:
http://soundcloud.com/somekindofawesome/cage-the-elephant-rolling-in
John Legend covers Adele... enough said
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and Adele fan
John Legend + Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.” I have nothing to say (in a good way). Stop what you’re doing and listen to it:
John Legend - Rolling in the Deep (Adele Cover) by johnlegend
Why intern Jess likes country music
Posted by Jess Kasza, ArtsQuest’s marketing intern and proud country fan
Country Music.
I have come to find that those two words have the tendency to make people cringe. Others, such as myself, get excited to when they hear anyone talking about country music.
The thing is, country music isn’t shallow club music or something created solely by a computer. When you listen to Lady...
Test your inner film geek.
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and Netflix champion… whatever that means.
We’re opening a cinema at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks… next month. To celebrate, I’ve been delving into my inner film geek.
So, with that in mind, in today’s post I’m not going to try to be profound. I’m not going to try to be funny. ...
The following post has been approved for all...
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and hater of burnt popcorn
FACT: I love those crazy, new-fangled motion pictures.
It’s true. Given the luxury of no responsibilities and unlimited resources, I like to think I would see every film released. Ever.
So, you can imagine my glee that the SteelStacks project involves a new home for independent, documentary, foreign...
Backstage with Rome, at Musikfest 2010
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and crunch berry.
As host of SteelStacks Live! for the past year, I’ve conducted my fair share of interviews.
What I’ve learned is that everyone has something to say, though not everyone is actually interesting. But even more than just that bleak generalization, I’ve learned that sometimes a boring answer is the...
Norway loves WiFi
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and WiFi hotspot.
If you’re an avid reader of our blog, by now you’ve figured out that I enjoy a healthy dose of geek in my art. What can I say, I’m a dorky product of ThunderCats and synthesizers. I won’t apologize for it, I embrace my dorkdom. It is with that in mind that I now share with you this dorky (but...
February 2011
7 posts
So fresh and so clean
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and breath mint connoisseur.
This fresh (get it?) video is making its way around the interwebs… it’s been dubbed the Tic Tac Orchestra. It’s that perfect combination of someone having way too much time on their hands and breath mints.
A new musical genre? Probably not. A video to dedicate 2 minutes of your life to...
Wednesdays no longer suck.
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and Calvinball all-star.
Hump day.
The middle of the work week… The second most hated day of the week, besides Monday.
Well, no longer must you fear the hump… Because with the opening of the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, we’re taking Wednesday back. For the people.
The middle of the week will now be...
Happy Presidents' Day
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and registered voter.
Happy Presidents’ Day.
To celebrate, I thought I’d drop a little American historical art knowledge on you.
By now, we’re all familiar with street artist Shepard Fairey’s famous “hope” poster, used epically by the Obama campaign. Think about the impact this singular image had on...
B flat.
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and wacky blogger.
Fun fact: Homer Simpson’s barbershop quartet was known as the B Sharps. But any music geek, like myself, will tell you a B sharp is actually a C.
Today, I’m going go the other way on the chromatic scale… today is all about B flat.
Like much of the internet, I have no idea why the following was...
Freebir.... nevermind.
Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and “that guy.”
Full disclosure: I myself am guilty of participating in this activity.
My intentions were noble. In all honesty, I never wanted to hear the song actually played. I was just yelling it for a cheap laugh. It was a battle cry of irony, mostly for my own amusement. But, Colin Meloy, frontman of The...
This is an attention-grabbing headline about us...
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and personification of the dancing condiments that sing “let’s all go to the lobby” during the previews.
I’ve always been a fan of those new-fangled motion pictures. I especially like the “talkies.” If you’re like me, or even if you’re not, we have a pretty killer contest for you:
...
Where the soup have we been?
Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and soup-ed out hombre.
First things first, apologies for the lack of postings last week.
We received a handful of emails from our faithful readers (we love you too), questioning where the updates were. And, oddly enough, all of them were looking for more updates about soup (specifically about Souper Bowl II).
Well dear readers,...
January 2011
5 posts
The art of GPS?
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and amateur cartographer.
I’ve always believed there is an art to getting lost.
Perhaps its because I was blessed with what I perceive to be an above average sense of navigation, but I’ve always felt that GPS has taken the adventure out of traveling.
Personally, I’d rather it take 3x as long to get somewhere,...
DIY, band-fan style.
- Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and blog dork.
Do you like music?
Fancy yourself an artist?
Always wanted to make something for a band?
Well then, dear friend, today is your lucky day! Two bands that are playing the Musikfest Cafe this spring are running contests for just such a thing.
Scythian is looking for cover art for their next album
Dala is having a...
Dala - Another reason why Jon loves Canada, eh?
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and life-long Flyers fan.
I’m a huge fan of hockey, and as such, there will always be a special place in my heart for the great white north. If you don’t share my unadulterated enthusiasm for Canada, I’m about to drop some knowledge on you.
Canada rules. Don’t take me at my word… I submit to you my new...
Here's looking at you, 2011
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and music geek
With the new year comes new music. Before we all get too jaded with the traditional “woe is the state of popular music” journalism that seems to dominate our collective pop culture consciousness, I thought I’d share my list of 4 musical things I’m actually looking forward to in 2011.
1) Cage...
Soup, there it is.
Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and soup fanatic.
Souper Bowl II is nearly upon us.
Its my favorite event of the year, and there’s a good chance it will be yours too. Go to www.artsquest.org/soup to find out why. If you don’t feeling like clicking that link, well have no fear- I’ve included an informative and amusing video below.
December 2010
8 posts
Next year goes to 11...
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and Spinal Tap fan.
2010 is so last year… almost.
And with NYE and the Countdown in Downtown nearly upon us, all of us here at ArtsQuest wanted to take a moment to wish you, and yours, a joyous and happy 2011.
Thanks for reading our blog… Hope you’ve enjoyed this past year as much as we have. Here’s to even...
How to... get on the 'fest lineup
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and the dude in the video at the end of this post.
The number #1 question we receive at info@artsquest.org (three years running) is some variation of “how can my band play Musikfest / where do I send my submission.”
So, as a public service announcement, we’ve tackled that question on our TV show, SteelStacks Live!
...
Surf's up, LV
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s holly, jolly Marketing Manager.
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the Great White Caps.
Their land-locked brand of surf tunes always makes me smile, and they’re really just an old-fashioned, carefree good time.
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing these Point Break-obsessed fellows a few times, including a few stops they made to our TV...
Music to the eyes
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s marketing manager and Chuck Klosterman fanboy.
Hipster indie rock website, and former print magazine, Paste recently released a post entitled “The 25 Best Album Covers of 2010.”
My personal bitterness aside (I subscribed to the magazine exactly 1 issue before they announced they were no longer printing it), I dig the work they do, and this...
New Year's "Rokenrol" Eve
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s highly-caffeinated Marketing Manager
Question: What are you doing New Year’s Eve?
Answer: Going to the Countdown in Downtown.
Think of it like a mini Musikfest in December. We’re going to be welcoming in 2011 in the Christkindlmarkt tents with Igor & Red Elvises.
You don’t have to dress up all fancy-like… there’s...
'tis the most wonderful time...
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and holiday cookie monster.
Christmas in Bethlehem.
It almost seems redundant to say, but the holiday season in the Christmas City is kind of a big deal.
More than any other time of the year, the streets are alive with families, shoppers, carolers, horses… it’s pretty much the place to be.
We’ve written extensively...
The Dirty Guv'nahs - "Baby We Were Young"
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and Guv’nah fan.
Its no secret that as a result of Musikfest 2010, I became a huge fan of The Dirty Guv’nahs.
If you didn’t catch them at the ‘fest, shame on you.
Those that are familiar with these up-and-comers know that they play a particularly awesome arsenal of good, old-fashioned American rock and/or...
The SteelStacks Live! holiday special is now...
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and host of SteelStacks Live!
Why hello there.
I bear exciting news… the SteelStacks Live! holiday special is now online for your viewing pleasure!
It features some delightful amounts of general holiday merriment, including musical performances by
Christy Jefferson
The Great White Caps
Craig Thatcher
Check it out at...
November 2010
9 posts
Mark's homage to the courtyard at Christkindlmarkt
-Posted by Mark Demko, ArtsQuest’s Asst. Director of Editorial Services and chainsaw art devotee.
When it comes to Christkindlmarkt, there are so many different ways to enjoy the sights and sounds of the holidays. If you love to shop, you’ll find rows and rows of handmade works by artisans from 15 different states. We’re talking thousands of handmade decorations and gift items by 100...
Happy Thanksgiving
Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and turkey lover.
Wishing you and yours the happiest of Thanksgivings.
Don’t forget: Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem opens tomorrow at 10 am. If you still need some convincing to check it out, watch this delightful clip from SteelStacks Live!, where I talk to my co-worker Mark about the holiday market. PLUS we play some delightful...
You can't spell Christmas City without...
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and turkey day hero.
The most wonderful time year is nearly upon us.
While some may actually “enjoy” their Black Friday tradition of fighting through angry crowds at mega marts, let me encourage you to take a different approach.
Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem opens its doors on Friday at 10 AM. Its arguably the best way to...
Welcome to Trouble City
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s Marketing Manager and Wii tennis pro.
A few weeks back, Trouble City Allstars stopped by the Green Leaf Productions studio for a taping of SteelStacks Live! to talk about their new album.
They’ve long been a favorite band of mine here in the Lehigh Valley, and I’m anxiously awaiting to hear their new stuff. If you’re a fan of reggae,...
The SteelStacks Live! holiday special
-posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s marketing manager and geeky host of SteelSatcks Live!
Just wrapped up taping for the first ever SteelStacks Live! holiday special… and what a day it was!
Not to give too much away, but the show is going to have musical performances, historical Bethlehem awesomeness and more Peeps than you can imagine!
Mark your calendars for Monday, November 29 @...
Untitled post about our tv show
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s marketing manager and host of SteelStacks Live!
We’re filming some pretty cool stuff for our TV show, SteelStacks Live!, today. I’ll be posting much more specific details soon. Its gonna be sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet (as illustrated by my overuse of the vowel ‘e’).
But since I’ll be out with our team taping for much of today (and...
Did you hear that?!
-Posted by Jon Lunger, ArtsQuest’s marketing manager and pop-music conspiracy theorist.
All art has context.
Call it inspiration… call it the muse… whatever… art isn’t created in a vacuum. What has me particularly geeked-up today is the role that art itself plays in the creation of other art.
Today, I’m talking music… imagine that. But, my audible...
When strandbeests attack
Posted by Camille Poché, ArtsQuest’s marketing intern and baker of delicious and ridiculous cupcakes.
“The walls between art and engineering exist only in our minds.” -Theo Jansen
A few years ago, a professor of mine was helping me to find inspiration for my art and in the process, he introduced me to a Dutch artist/engineer Theo Jansen. Jansen combines his skill of art...