Godfrey Daniels, the intimate live music venue in Bethlehem’s Southside, is marking its 50th anniversary season with a robust schedule of concerts spanning folk, bluegrass, Celtic, rock and Americana from January through May 2026.
The venue at 7 E. Fourth St. has operated since 1976 as what organizers call “The Lehigh Valley’s Original Live Music Listening Room,” where every ticket functions as a backstage pass in the intimate space.
The winter season already opened with a Jan. 1 sold-out Hank Williams tribute featuring Jack Murray & The Blue Tarp Wranglers, marking the 14th year of the venue’s New Year’s Day tradition.
Notable performances scheduled for the coming months include Tony Award-winning actor John Gallagher Jr., who brings his EMO-folk rock to the stage Feb. 5. Gallagher has appeared on Broadway in “Spring Awakening,” “American Idiot” and “Swept Away,” and on screen in “The Newsroom” and “10 Cloverfield Lane.” He has released three albums, most recently “Goodbye or Something” in 2024.
Grammy-nominated Professor Louie & The Crowmatix perform Jan. 17, bringing their Woodstock sound shaped by leader Aaron “Professor Louie” Hurwitz’s work as producer and collaborator for The Band. The group has released 17 albums and been inducted twice into the Blues Hall of Fame.
David Bennett Cohen, founding member of the 1960s band Country Joe & The Fish, appears Jan. 24 with his trio. Cohen has performed with Bonnie Raitt, Jerry Garcia and Booker T. across more than six decades.
Amy Speace performs Feb. 12, bringing contemporary folk and Americana songwriting that earned recognition from Rolling Stone, NPR, Billboard and The New York Times.
The venue hosts its annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration March 20 with Blackwater, a Celtic band that has performed for nearly three decades. Their show blends traditional Irish music with original compositions.
Irish vocalist Gráinne Hunt performs April 17 with San Diego-based drummer Jules Stewart in a bi-continental queer folk collaboration sponsored by Culture Ireland. The duo draws comparisons to Tracy Chapman, Natalie Merchant, Indigo Girls and Brandi Carlile.
Austin-based songwriter Danny Schmidt closes out the announced schedule May 9. Schmidt earned placement on the Chicago Tribune’s list of the “50 Most Significant Songwriters in the Last 50 Years” and draws comparisons to Leonard Cohen and Townes Van Zandt.
The venue operates as a BYOB establishment for beer or wine. Advance ticket prices range from $17.28 to $35.98 depending on the performance, with day-of-show prices typically $5 higher.
Tickets are available through Humanitix for most performances. Some shows have limited tickets remaining or details still to be announced.