Posted by Tucker Hottes at 12:46:21 PM on August 31, 2006
Total Comments: 2
Let the flame wars begin, but I'm going to say it right here and now: Allentown is officially cooler than Bethlehem. Bethlehem gets all the love because it's like the darling child of the Lehigh Valley, while Allentown gets pretty much universally shat upon by everyone - everyone except those of us who live here.
It's kind of like NYC and Philly - the world loves NYC, but those of us
who live around here know you can have just as good a time without all
the expense and bother of going to NY. People also bestow a more
"upscale" image on Bethlehem and that's true, to a degree, but I defy
you to go to West Allentown and not find some killer places to live.
How about the venues? Yeah, parts of Center City Allentown are sketch,
but so is like the ENTIRE SouthSide. There are lots of great places to
go out in Center City, and even more as you venture into other parts of
the city. I'm not just talking Banana Joes, Croc Rock and the Sterling
- I know that's what most people think of, but there are tons of places
to go that are filled with a great crowd.
Allentown is also a lot more socially diverse. I find going out in
Bethlehem to be just a mirror of my Lehigh days. Everyone is more or
less riding the young professional train, the only difference is that
they've grown out of popping their collars. In Allentown you'll find
all kinds of people, and not just sketchy ones. The scene is much more
laid back and, believe it or not, friendlier. Bethlehem is just too
damned cliquey for my tastes.
Going outside the normal social scene, the Allentown Fair has already
whooped Musikfest's ass this year and it's only the third day. The
Black Eyed Peas show alone was better than all the main stage shows I
saw at the Fest (and yes, I was at LL Cool J/Ne-Yo), and after
tonight's Flaming Lips/Sonic Youth/Ween/Magic Numbers show everything
else will just be gravy. So what if you can't drink in the streets,
you can go to Maingate/Gate 9 or Ringers Roost or any of the other
walking-distance bars for a few beers at way cheaper than Musikfest mug
prices.
So, in short, take your Bethlehem and shove it. Allentown's the place
to be, and it's only looking up - there's new stuff popping up all over
town. Pretty soon, we'll be fighting off the Bethlehem people with
sticks... or at the least holding them up for their wallets on 10th
street by the cemetery.
-Tucker
