The Bethlehem Area Public Library gave local artists a place to plug in and turn the volume up to 11 at its seventh annual 11Fest where the community came together to keep its studio blasting.
On Tuesday, 11 bands performed at the fundraising concert that celebrates and supports Studio 11, the library’s free public recording studio.
Josh Berk, the library’s executive director, said Studio 11 was originally only funded by grants. He said there is no money left in the library’s budget to sustain the studio.
With tickets for the concert being donations of $11, Berk said the event typically raises about $1,000 for the studio. He said the funds go toward maintaining and updating its equipment and hiring people to help operate the recording interface.
Berk said 11Fest’s goal is to promote the studio and give a stage for people to perform and foster community building. Every year after 11Fest, he said he sees new people using the studio, illustrating the event’s success.
Among the groups that performed, there were high school artists, a band of teenage girls and established music ensembles.
Berk himself often chooses to join the stage, performing bass and guitar with Fictional Name, an indie rock band.
Berk said the studio is important because it also provides a space for the broader Bethlehem community. He said there’s an unhoused musician who comes into the studio once a week to play his guitar.
“I feel really good that we’re about to do that for people,” Berk said. “There are many people who have no place to play their instruments. There’s just not a lot of places to plug in and be loud.”
Matt Wolf, an information technician for the library, said he sees more people come to 11Fest every year, and that social and musical relationships are continuing to grow.
“I love to see people getting to use the studio, be able to express themselves and play an instrument,” Wolf said. “I know how important it is to have a creative outlet, and we offer that for free.”
Wolf said he uses the studio himself to record poetry.
Chris Taylor, the guitarist and vocalist of Ultra Death Cult, performed at the event and shares the same appreciation for the studio. His wife, Jennifer Grayewski, attended the event to cheer him on.
“It’s great that a library offers this to the public,” Taylor said.
Eric Kuntz, a Bethlehem native and the lead vocalist and guitarist for Dear Misty’s band, performed at the event. Kuntz said the band, which was formed in 2019, often plays shows in the Lehigh Valley.
“I have a lot of fond memories of coming to this library,” Kuntz said. “I grew up here. My community is here. My people are here.”
Kuntz heard about Studio 11 from friends in the music community.
He said he was incredibly impressed with the acoustics, PA system and professional appearance of the space.
He said the arts are something often overlooked when it comes to funding, which makes events like 11Fest pivotal in supporting local musicians.
“Events like tonight are really important because it showcases all of the talent that exists within the valley, and it’s providing a space for people to play,” Kuntz said.