New Year’s Eve shows always feel a little different. Everyone walks in carrying a whole year on their shoulders and hoping the next one starts on a good note. Pour Bros in Moline has become that place for us. This was our third NYE there, and this time they went all-in on a 1970s disco theme and let us bring in our friend, saxophonist Paul Weddle. That combination pretty much guaranteed things were going to get interesting.
Bell bottoms, sax solos, and one missing voice
From the moment people started walking in, it was clear folks understood the assignment: bell bottoms, sequins, giant collars, the whole deal. There were a lot of smiling faces before we even played a note.
Behind the scenes, it was a little less glamorous. Greg was just coming off a cold and basically had no voice. So the plan became: Greg holds down the keys and anchors the songs, while Tom and Paul handle most of the vocals and harmonies.
Once Paul really dug into the sax on the first tune, the whole night snapped into place. There’s this jolt that runs through us the first time he leans into a solo—suddenly it’s not just a duo anymore, it’s this little 70s band squeezed into a corner of Pour Bros.
Trying out “Low Rider” and a new favorite Supertramp tune
We’d been itching to roll out a couple of new songs for this show, and the disco theme gave us the excuse.
“Low Rider” by WAR was the first debut. On paper, it’s a pretty stripped-down tune, but once we started rehearsing it, we realized how much fun we could have with it—groove locked in, percussion feel on guitar and keys, and those three-part harmonies near the end. Even with Greg’s limited voice, he jumped in on those harmonies, and it turned into this cool little arrangement that fit the 70s night perfectly. Paul absolutely wailed on the sax breaks, including that iconic line between verses. You could see people’s heads pop up like, “Ohhh, this one.”
The other new one was “Take the Long Way Home” by Supertramp. Greg and Tom had played it together before, but this time Tom had taken on all the harmonica parts. The intro alone is one of those moments where you can feel the room recognize the song within three notes. Then we hit the solo section and let Tom and Paul trade licks—harmonica answering sax, back and forth. From our side of the stage, it felt like we’d stumbled into a different band for a minute. Greg was comping away on piano while those two went at it. We all walked off saying some version of, “Yeah… that one’s a keeper.”
Power cables, backup plans, and keeping the room dancing
Of course, it wouldn’t be a New Year’s Eve show without at least one minor crisis. Before we even started, Greg realized he couldn’t find the power cable for his Bose mixer. He tried to improvise with a substitute, and it worked—right up until it didn’t. About halfway through the night, during a break, the mixer just shut off and refused to come back.
Thankfully, there was a backup mixer in the gear pile. With a little cable juggling and some quick re-routing, e had everything patched in again before the break was over. Nobody in the crowd seemed to notice. From our side, it was a small miracle and a reminder of why we always bring more gear than we think we need.
Pour Bros hospitality and a wobbly “YMCA”
One of the reasons we love doing New Year’s Eve at Pour Bros is how well they take care of everyone. They handed us drink cards so we could enjoy some of the craft beers and wine throughout the night, reserved a table for Tom and Paul’s wives, and put each of us up at Element, the hotel attached to the venue. Knowing you can just roll your gear a few feet and crash upstairs after midnight takes a lot of pressure off the night.
After we counted down to 2026 with the crowd, we packed up, grabbed some food, and hung around to talk with folks. There’s something nice about getting to celebrate with everyone instead of immediately loading into a van and driving off into the cold.
Somewhere in that after-show haze, we decided it was a good idea to take a bunch of ridiculous photos. At one point Greg climbed onto Tom’s shoulders, which is not something we necessarily recommend as a regular band ritual. Then “YMCA” came on, and between the three of us we attempted to spell it out. The result: Greg’s wobbly “Y,” Paul’s lowercase “m,” and Tom’s backwards “C.” We are absolutely not the Village People, but we are Bell & Field with Paul Weddle, and that’s more than enough for us.
Waking up in 2026
New Year’s Day started with the excellent breakfast at Element and a little postmortem on the night—what worked, what surprised us, which songs we want to keep in the rotation. Even with Greg and Paul both fighting off colds and the mid-show mixer drama, it had been a great time. The 70s theme, the saxophone, the new tunes, the crowd in full costume—it all added up to a pretty great way to step into 2026.
If you were there, thanks for ringing in the year with us and for being part of that loud, slightly off-kilter “YMCA” at the end.
About Bell & Field
We’re a piano–guitar live acoustic duo that loves digging into songs from the 60s through the 90s, rearranging them just enough to keep things interesting while still letting people sing along. Nights like this one at Pour Bros are exactly why we do what we do—real people, real rooms, and a few surprises along the way.
If you’re putting together a New Year’s party, a taproom night, or anything that could use a live acoustic duo performance with harmonies, sax cameos, and a few deep-cut 70s tunes, you can reach us through this page. We’d love to see what we can bring to your place.
We’re looking forward to a special night at The Phoenix Restaurant & Martini Bar in Davenport on January 24. While it’s a private birthday party, it’s always nice to spend time in such a warm and inviting atmosphere where you can enjoy good food and drinks with friends. The Phoenix has a great reputation for their extensive wine list and their variety of gourmet dishes.
Hi friends! We’re excited to let you know we’ll be playing at Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery on Sunday, June 7, 2026, from 1 to 4 PM. It’s a nice chance to unwind and enjoy some time catching up with friends over a glass of wine or one of their house-made whiskeys.
We weren’t totally sure we were going to make it to Market Alley Wines this time. Six inches of fresh snow, dropping temps, and that steady Midwest wind that makes you question all your life choices. But it’s Market Alley, and we love playing there, so we packed up the van, pointed it southwest on Hwy 34, and went for it.
After we wrapped, a bunch of folks came up to chat on their way out. We got to see Dylan again—yes, named after Bob Dylan—who we’d met after a previous show. He’s one of those people you instantly remember. We found ourselves wondering on the drive home, “Is he a musician too?” If you’re reading this, Dylan, we’re still curious.
Hey folks! If you’re looking for a low-key Saturday night to unwind and enjoy some great music, we have just the thing for you. We’ll be playing at Timberlake Resort & Campground in Mt. Carroll, a place known for its cabins and campsites. This setting is perfect for relaxing and catching up with friends.
Lincoln, couches, and a Christmas party next door
One of the fun parts of Copper & Oak is the mix of people. We had folks comparing tasting notes on bourbon flights, others just clocking out from the week with a craft beer, and a few who were clearly there for the music first.
Get ready for an exhilarating evening in Port Byron, IL! On November 21, join us at Tuggers for an unforgettable night of music and community spirit. From 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, enjoy an acoustic performance by Bell & Field paired with delicious offerings from Tuggers. It’s a perfect occasion to dive into the joyful ambiance ahead of Thanksgiving week.
