December is here already? How did that happen? What a whirlwind year and what better way to wrap it up than with an explosive month of live music, holiday cheer and revelry. And no matter your taste, this holiday season has something for you.
From the Eric Mintel Quartet with an evening of Charlie Brown Christmas jazz to the R&B sounds of Gladys Knight, from seminal New York hardcore band Agnostic Front to the holiday rock opera of Wizards of Winter, music in the Valley is heating things up for the winter ahead.
Read on for this month’s top Lehigh Valley concerts.
Gladys Knight
When: 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4
Where: Wind Creek Event Center, 77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem
How much: $49.50-$89.50
Tickets: ticketmaster.com/ 610-297-7414
Musical style: R&B, gospel, pop
Known for hits like: “Midnight Train to Georgia,” “That’s What Friends Are For,” “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” “License to Kill” (from the James Bond film of the same name), “Since I Fell For You” and “I’ll Never Love This Way Again”
Honors: Known best for the hits she released with her group The Pips for three decades, she’s a seven-time Grammy-winner and no stranger to music charts — she’s had two No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 singles, 11 No. 1 R&B singles, and six No. 1 R&B albums, not to mention having two songs inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for “historical, artistic and significant” value. In 1996 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with The Pips.
Check her out if you like: Aretha Franklin, Martha Reeves, Dusty Springfield, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder
The Kennedys perform Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Godfrey Daniels in Bethlehem. (Suzy Allman)
Folk singer John Gorka performs Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12 and 13, 2025, at Godfrey Daniels in Bethlehem. (Robert Hakalski)
Cover band Magical Mystery Doors performs Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12 and 13, 2025, at Musikfest Cafe in Bethlehem. (Aiden Scott)
Lotus Land will perform a tribute to Rush on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 19 and 20, 2025, at Musikfest Cafe in Bethlehem. (Paul Muirhead Photography)
Wizards of Winter will perform a holiday show Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, at State Theatre in Easton. (Contributed photo)
The Eric Mintel Quartet will perform an evening of Charlie Brown jazz Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at the Sellersville Theater. (Contributed photo)
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The Kennedys perform Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Godfrey Daniels in Bethlehem. (Suzy Allman)
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The Kennedys
When: 8 p.m. Friday, Dec 5
Where: Godfrey Daniels, 7 E. 4th St., Bethlehem
How much: $30.78-$35.98
Tickets: godfreydaniels.org/ 610-867-2390
Musical style: Folk rock, folk pop, Americana
Known for hits like: “Half a Million Miles,” “When I Go,” “Stand,” “Ride, Angel, Ride” and “Life is Large”
Meet the band: The Kennedys are a folk rock/Americana husband and wife duo based in New York who met in 1992 while touring as members of Nanci Griffith’s Blue Moon Orchestra. Their live shows incorporate acoustic and electric guitar, electric sitar, bass, mandolin, and ukulele, while integrating elements of country, folk, bluegrass, Western and pop melodies into one finely thought-out package. Since their start as The Kennedys in 1995 they’ve released 16 albums earning them multiple accolades.
Check them out if you like: Nanci Griffith, Susan Werner, John Gorka, The Twigs, Dave Carter, Richard Thompson, Bob Dylan
John Gorka
When: 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12 & 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13
Where: Godfrey Daniels, 7 E. 4th St., Bethlehem
How much: $41.17-$46.37
Tickets: godfreydaniels.org/ 610-867-2390
Musical style: Folk, Americana, singer-songwriter
Known for hits like: Love is our Cross to Bear,” “Nothing but a Child,” “The Gypsy Life,” “I’m From New Jersey” and “The Water is Wide”
Honors: One of six winners of the New Folk competition at the Kerrville Folk Festival in 1984, John Gorka has released 14 studio albums and continues to tour Europe and North America. He got his start at Godfrey Daniels with the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band and has played with artists like Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, Michael Manring, Christine Lavin, Dave Van Ronk, Cliff Eberhardt, David Massengill, Frank Christian and Antje Duvekot. He also was a part of the supergroup Red Horse with Eliza Gilkyson and Lucy Kaplansky.
Check him out if you like: John Prine, Chris Smither, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Suzanne Vega, Gordon Lightfoot
Magical Mystery Doors
When: 7:30 p.m. Dec 12-13
Where: Musikfest Cafe, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem
How much: $27-$59
Tickets: www.artsquest.org/ 610-332-3100
Musical style: Classic rock, arena rock, garage rock
Known for hits like: Covers of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and The Doors, including “Hello, I Love You,” “Misty Mountain Hop,” “Dear Prudence,” “Riders on the Storm” and “Here Comes the Sun”
Meet the band: Not just performing the hits of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and The Doors, Magical Mystery Doors present the songs with surprising twists that combine elements of each group’s signature sound into one amazing performance. Topped with a light show and visuals to enhance the experience, the band was voted USA Today Top Casino Show of 2022 for the way they captivate audiences. The band also features members of the group Go Go Gadjet.
Check them out if you like: The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Wings, The Who
Lotus Land: The American Rush Tribute
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19 and Saturday, Dec. 20
Where: Musikfest Cafe, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem
How much: $47.75-$59
Tickets: https://www.artsquest.org 610-332-3100
Musical style: Prog rock, hard rock, arena rock
Known for hits like: Covers of Rush songs, including, “Tom Sawyer,” “Limelight,” “The Trees,” “The Spirit of Radio” and “Subdivisions”
Meet the band: Lotus Land takes the songs of the award-winning Canadian prog rock trio, Rush, and perfects them on stage for the 50 states. Capturing the live energy and musical precision of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers is no easy task, but Lotus Land has honed their chops to wow die-hard fans and keep the music alive.
Check them out if you like: Rush, Yes, Van Halen, King Crimson, Cream, Dream Theater, ELO
Agnostic Front
When: 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21
Where: Archer Music Hall, 939 Hamilton Street, Allentown
How much: $33
Tickets: livenation.com/ 610-798-1466
Musical style: Hardcore, punk, thrash
Known for hits like: “For my Family,” “Gotta Go,” “Old New York,” “Never Walk Alone,” “The Eliminator” and “Unite and Strong”
Meet the band: Crowned “the godfathers of hardcore,” by fans and fellow artists, Agnostic Front is a hardcore punk band from New York City. Formed in 1982, the band is considered one of the most influential bands on the popular genre. Alongside groups like Warzone and Sick of it All, they pioneered an unyielding hardcore street punk sound that bands still use as a formula to this day. Combining classic punk, hardcore and thrash into one aggressive force, AF continues touring and releasing albums 40 years after its inception, with no signs of slowing down.
Check them out if you like: Sick of it All, Madball, Sheer Terror, Gorilla Biscuits, Biohazard, Murphy’s Law, Warzone
The Wizards of Winter
When: 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21
Where: State Theater, 453 Northampton St., Easton
How much: $48.95-$69.50
Tickets: statetheatre.org/ 610-258-7766
Musical style: Hard rock, metal, Christmas music
Known for hits like: “Special Feeling,” “Midnight Noel,” “Night of Reflection,” “Christmas Dream” and “Flight of the Snow Angels”
Honors: The band started in 2010 as a way to raise money for a local food pantry and has since flowered into a touring holiday rock opera crossing the nation every year. The Wizards of Winter features members of Ted Nugent’s band, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, The Alice Cooper Band, Def Leppard, Rainbow, Blue Oyster Cult and more. They’ve released four albums and donate to charities like Tunnels to Tower and Backpack Friends. Experience “The Christmas Dream” as they perform emotive rock ballads and prog-metal anthems in the holiday spirit.
Check them out if you like: Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Blue Oyster Cult, Def Leppard, Gary Hoey, Queensryche, Alice Cooper, Twelve-Twenty-Four
An Evening of Charlie Brown Jazz with The Eric Mintel Quartet
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23
Where: Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave.
How much: $25-$47
Tickets: www.st94.com/ 215-257-5808
Musical style: Jazz, holiday music, jazz instrumentals
Known for hits like: “Just Around the Corner,” “Christmas Tree,” “Take Five,” “Christmas Time is Here” and “Linus and Lucy”
Meet the band: Eric Mintel has performed twice at the White House, once at the United Nations and multiple times at the Kennedy Center. He’s been playing piano for most of his life, has been featured on NPR’s “Piano Jazz,” and is in regular rotation on XM and Sirius radio. The Eric Mintel Quartet has been together for over 20 years and their holiday concert tours, featuring the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas, are an unforgettable annual tradition bringing the holiday spirit to families across the country.
Check them out if you like: Dave Brubeck, Vince Guaraldi, Cole Porter, Paul Desmond, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie
Gogol Bordello
When: 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 28
Where: Archer Music Hall, 939 Hamilton St., Allentown
How much: $39-$136
Tickets: livenation.com/ 610-798-1466
Musical style: Gypsy punk, punk rock, alternative
Known for hits like: “Start Wearing Purple,” “Wonderlust King,” “American Wedding,” “Through the Roof ‘n’ Underground” and “We Mean It, Man!”
Meet the band: New York City gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello fuses punk rock, Eastern European folk and cabaret into one high-energy sound. Founded in 1999 and led by Ukrainian-born refugee, Eugene Hütz, the band is known for their raucous live performances and politically charged lyricism.
Check them out if you like: World/Inferno Friendship Society, Streetlight Manifesto, Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys, System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine, Dead Kennedys
Jay Honstetter is a freelance writer.