November is here and before we gear up to overeat, argue with distant relatives and revel in all things Thanksgiving, we should probably schedule our musical escapes to help cope with the insanity.
And this month’s got plenty going on. From the legendary Sting to Pearl Jam tribute band The Ledbetters, award-winning folk artist Brittany Ann Tranbaugh to master dobroist Abbie Gardner, our November concert picks provide the perfect remedy for the tryptophan blues.
Read on for this month’s top Lehigh Valley concerts.
The Aardvarks perform Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at Musikfest Cafe in Bethlehem. (Courtesy of The Aardvarks)
Heavy metal guitarist John 5 performs Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, at the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg. (Jen Rosenstein)
Jason Bonham brings his Led Zeppelin Evening to Wind Creek Event Center on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Bethlehem. (Frank Melfi)
The Ledbetters will perform a tribute to Pearl Jam on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Musikfest Cafe in Bethlehem. (Phil Lebowitz)
Abbie Gardner performs Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, at Godfrey Daniels in Bethlehem. (Tim Rice)
Brittany Ann Tranbaugh performs Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, at Godfrey Daniels in Bethlehem. (Elyse Franco)
Marshall Crenshaw performs Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at Sellersville Theater. (Jim Sabitus)
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The Aardvarks perform Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at Musikfest Cafe in Bethlehem. (Courtesy of The Aardvarks)
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John 5
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14
Where: Sherman Theater, 24 Main St., Stroudsburg
How much: $32-$70.85
Tickets: shermantheater.com/570-420-2808
Musical style: Heavy metal, thrash, industrial
Known for hits like: “Here’s to the Crazy Ones,” “Medley,” “Beat It,” “Hell Haw,” “Season of the Witch” and “Black Grass Plague”
Meet the artist: With a career spanning over 30 years, John 5 has worked and shared the stage with legendary performers including Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Rod Stewart, David Lee Roth, and recently as the touring guitarist for Motely Crue. While working as a hired gun has given John 5 a reputation as a shredder who can do it all, catching him with his own band gives fans the opportunity to see him in his true guitar blazing glory.
Check him out if you like: Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Judas Priest, Alice Cooper, Nine Inch Nails, Motley Crue, Buckethead
Marshall Crenshaw
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15
Where: Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave.
How much: $35-$66.50
Tickets: www.st94.com/ 215-257-5808
Musical style: New wave, rock, power pop
Known for hits like: “Someday, Someway,” “Whenever You’re on my Mind,” “Crying, Waiting, Hoping,” “Cynical Girl” and “There She Goes Again”
Meet the artist: Marshall Crenshaw had a Top 40 hit in 1982 with the song, “Someday, Someway,” from his self-titled debut album. He played John Lennon in the Beatlemania musical in the late ‘70s prior to releasing his own albums, and in 1987 played the role of Buddy Holly in the Ritchie Valens biopic “La Bamba.” He co-wrote the Gin Blossoms’ hit “Til I Hear It from You,” and his debut record was recognized as one of the top 100 albums of the 1980s by Rolling Stone.
Check him out if you like: The Smithereens, Graham Parker, Tommy Keene, Nick Lowe, Matthew Sweet, Big Star, The Plimsouls
Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15
Where: Wind Creek Event Center, 77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem
How much: $49.50-$99.50
Tickets: ticketmaster.com/610-297-7414
Musical style: Blues rock, hard rock, rock and roll
Known for hits like: Cover of Led Zeppelin songs including “Kashmir,” “Whole Lotta Love,” “Rock and Roll,” “Good Times Bad Times” and “Heartbreaker”
Meet the artist: Like his late father, John Bonham of Led Zeppelin fame, Jason Bonham sits upon the drum stool like a throne keeping time and then some for acts like Foreigner, Little Steven, Sammy Haggar, Joe Bonamassa and Paul Rodgers. He’s also sat behind the kit for three Led Zeppelin reunion gigs and Jimmy Page’s gold-certified album, “Outrider.” Since 2010 he’s been touring the country playing a set of Led Zeppelin classics packaged with a dazzling light show, amazing visuals and captivating storytelling.
Check them out if you like: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, The Who, Van Halen
Brittany Ann Tranbaugh
When: 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16
Where: Godfrey Daniels, 7 E. 4th St., Bethlehem
How much: $26.63-$31.82
Tickets: godfreydaniels.org/ 610-867-2390
Musical style: Singer/songwriter, folk
Known for hits like: “Kiss You,” “Quarter Life Crisis Haircut,” “Sarah” and “Space Cadet”
Meet the artist: She won the 2021 Grand Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest for her song “Kiss You,” and was a finalist in the Kerrville New Folk, LEAF NewSong and Falcon Ridge Emerging Artists competitions. On April 8, 2022, she released her first EP in over a decade to rave reviews from the likes of WXPN, and in February 2023, at the age of 31, she finally quit her office job to pursue music full time. She is preparing to record a full-length album (made possible by 400+ fans who backed her $25,000 album crowdfunding campaign) in the fall.
Check her out if you like: Sarah McLachlan, boygenius, Soccer Mommy, Waxahatchee, Natalie Merchant, Joan Baez
The Artimus Pyle Band honoring Ronnie Van Zant’s Lynyrd Skynyrd
When: 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20
Where: Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave.
How much: $55-$92
Tickets: www.st94.com/ 215-257-5808
Musical style: Southern rock, hard rock, arena rock
Known for hits like: Covers of classic Lynyrd Skynyrd songs including “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Freebird,” “Gimmie Three Steps,” “Simple Man” and “Tuesday’s Gone”
Meet the band: Artimus Pyle was the drummer of Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1974 to 1977 and 1987 to 1991. He survived the infamous plane crash that took the lives of singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, backing vocalist Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, and the pilots manning the plane. In 2006 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Pyle’s band of expert musicians take the songs of Lynyrd Skynyrd to crowds all over the country keeping the hits alive true to form.
Check them out if you like: Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, Bad Company, Foghat, Charlie Daniels, Molly Hatchet, Boston
Sting
When: 8 p.m. Thursday & Friday, Nov. 20 & 21
Where: Wind Creek Event Center, 77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem
How much: $79.50-$199.50
Tickets: ticketmaster.com/ 610-297-7414
Musical style: Soft rock, pop rock, reggae
Known for hits like: “Every Breath You Take,” “Message in a Bottle,” “Roxanne,” “So Lonely” and “Walking on the Moon”
Meet the artist: A composer, singer, songwriter, actor, author and activist, Sting moved to London in 1977 and formed The Police with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers. The band released five studio albums, received six Grammy Awards and two Brits, and in 2003 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. As a solo artist and actor, he has received an additional 11 Grammy Awards, two Brits, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, four Oscar nominations, a TONY nomination, Billboard Magazine’s Century Award and MusiCares 2004 Person of the Year. He’s also a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and has received the Kennedy Center Honors, The American Music Award of Merit and The Polar Music Prize. Throughout his career he’s sold over 100 million records.
Check him out if you like: The Police, Dire Straits, U2, Duran Duran, Phil Collins, Tears for Fears, Billy Joel
The Ledbetters: Tribute to Pearl Jam
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21
Where: Musikfest Cafe, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem
How much: $27-$49.85
Tickets: www.steelstacks.org/ 610-332-1300
Musical style: Grunge, alternative, hard rock
Known for hits like: Covers of Pearl Jam songs including “Jeremy,” “Even Flow,” “Alive,” “Yellow Ledbetter” and “Daughter.”
Meet the band: Pack a flannel and tear a hole in the knee of your jeans because when The Ledbetters hit the stage you’ll be transported to a time when Pearl Jam ruled supreme. Taking on the biggest hits to the deepest cuts, The Ledbetters capture the pure essence of Pearl Jam playing the songs exactly as they sound on the records and lighting up the room with electric energy.
Check them out if you like: Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden, Mother Love Bone
Abbie Gardner
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22
Where: Godfrey Daniels, 7 E. 4th St., Bethlehem
How much: $27.67-$32.86
Tickets: godfreydaniels.org/ 610-867-2390
Musical style: Americana, roots, blues
Known for hits like: “It’s Only a Paper Moon,” “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright,” “Hit the Road Jack,” “Happy Feet” and “Break it Slow”
Meet the artist: Abbie Gardner seems to lend the dobro a life of its own, fluidly transitioning from rhythmic backbone to lead slide section, all while dancing around her vocals. Her songs, celebrated tales of love and loss, come to life with her mastery of lap style slide guitar and her storytelling chops. Her 2022 album, “DobroSinge,” hit No. 11 on the Billboard Blues Charts and No. 2 on the Folk DJ Charts. She’s received rave reviews in Bluegrass Unlimited, Acoustic Guitar Magazine and American Songwriter.
Check her out if you like: Red Molly, Dolly Parton, Billie Holiday, Bonnie Raitt, Amy Speace, Rachael Davis, Susan Werner
The Aardvarks
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29
Where: Musikfest Cafe, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem
How much: $12-$47.75
Tickets: www.steelstacks.org/ 610-332-1300
Musical style: Rock, new wave, funk
Known for hits like: Covers of classic songs like “Brown Sugar,” “Sunshine of your Love,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” “Burnin’ Love” and “8675309/Jenny.”
Meet the band: For over a decade, this five-piece outfit made up of experienced musicians from bands including The Honeybuzzards, Seamrippers, The Armadillos, The Legendary Truth, Good Time Charlie and Jeff Bellfy Band, have been entertaining audiences with an eclectic mix of covers from a variety of genres. As long as the songs rock they’re ready to bring the party.
Check them out if you like: Blondie, Rolling Stones, Tommy Tutone, Kool and the Gang, Elvis Presley, Prince, Cream
Jay Honstetter is a freelance writer.