We were really glad to be going back to Doug’s for another Derby party. We’d played there a few years ago, but this time his “garage” had fully evolved into what can only be called a party house. Epoxied floor, finished drywall, an actual bathroom – if a car ever goes in there, it’s definitely the guest, not the main act.
From Car Storage to Derby Clubhouse
Doug told us he still occasionally pulls a car in, but with the way the room was setup with food, drinks and live music, it was hard to picture. On this particular night, the room was clearly built for people, not vehicles. TV going, friends drifting in and out, everyone in that pre-race mode where they’re half-talking, half-checking their bets.
We kicked things off with “You Can’t Do That” by The Beatles. It’s one we like to start with because it’s upbeat enough to cut through conversation without screaming, “Hey, stop everything, the band is here.” People nodded along, and we settled into that nice lane of being part of the party instead of on top of it.
Derby Drama and Song Requests
The Derby itself ended up being its own show. Golden Tempo came from way behind and stole it, and the whole room snapped from casual chatter to full-on yelling at the TV. It’s always exciting with any kind of sport when something like that happens – the entire mood shifts in 30 seconds, and then you’re riding that wave for the rest of the day.
Requests started rolling in, including Bruce Hornsby’s “The Way It Is.” That’s one of those songs where, as soon as someone says the title, you can hear the piano riff in your head. Playing it in Doug’s tricked-out garage with everyone still buzzing from the race felt pretty perfect.
Later on, we broke into “Old Time Rock and Roll,” and that was the one that pulled people off the chairs. We had dancers of all ages “out on the floor” (which, again, was way too nice to be called a garage floor). There’s something really fun about watching a child and their parent both doing their own version of the same dance move.
Horse Songs That Almost Happened
In the days leading up to the show, we’d actually spent time working up some horse-themed tunes for Derby night – “Run for the Roses” and “Wildfire.” We’ve played “Wildfire” a bunch, but “Run for the Roses” was new for us. The first run-through in practice went better than expected, and I remember thinking, “OK, this might actually work in front of people.”
And then, of course, we completely forgot to play either of them.
I’ll be honest, we didn’t realize it until we were packing up. One of us said, “Wait…did we ever do ‘Run for the Roses’?” Nope. Not once. The good news is, it’s too good a song to abandon. We’ll keep chipping away at it and it’ll start showing up in other sets down the road.
This was my second time bringing the DJI Pocket 3 camera, so I recorded the whole show. We pulled some clips and added fresh audio samples to our homepage afterward, so if you’re curious what a private Derby party sounds like from our side of the room, you can give those a listen.
Friends, Students, and Late-Night Taco Bell
One of the best parts of returning to Doug’s is seeing some of the same faces. The Cinnamons were there, and our buddy Donnie Gerard showed up again too. We ended up talking music with Donnie and he mentioned he’s really getting into rockabilly these days. We told him, “If this happens again next year, you’re bringing your bass.” A little Derby rockabilly jam in that room would be a blast.
After we wrapped up, we did what has apparently become our new ritual: the Taco Bell stop. The funny thing is, this was just down the street from Tom’s house, but we treated it like we were hours from home after some long road gig. Bean burritos and steak quesadillas with jalapeños have somehow become part of the Bell & Field workflow now, and we’re not complaining.
It also turned out to be prom night, so there were some students there, also enjoying a late night bite. I always get a kick out of how everybody knows Tom as “Mr. Campbell” in this context. You just finished playing a live acoustic duo performance in a converted garage, and then you hear, “Hi, Mr. Campbell!” at Taco Bell and remember he just came from grading something a few days ago.
Already Hoping for the Next Round
All in all, Doug’s Derby party once again proved to be a great night. Golden Tempo’s wild Derby win, the dancing during “Old Time Rock and Roll,” catching up with friends like Donnie, and the mix of students, longtime buddies, and neighbors made it feel like we were dropped into a tight-knit little world for the night.
We’d happily come back and do it again next year, hopefully with Donnie joining us for some songs on bass and “Run for the Roses” finally making its way into the set.
If you’re putting together your own gathering and want a live acoustic duo performance that can fit into a living room, garage-turned-rec-room, or backyard, you can get in touch with us here: https://www.bellandfieldmusic.com/book-acoustic-duo/.
We’ve eaten at Fernando’s Place in Kewanee plenty of times with our families, but playing there for their 11th anniversary was a whole different thing. Fernando has never had live music in the restaurant before, so when he asked us to come in as the first live acoustic duo performance, we both felt a mix of “honored” and “please-don’t-let-us-be-too-loud-for-the-taco crowd.”
We always say it’s not about the number of people in the room, it’s about the connection you make with the ones who are there. This night was a good reminder of that.
If you’re looking for a Friday where you can hear the people you’re with, finish a story, and still have great live music going in the background, this one might fit your night.
We’re excited to be part of a special summer evening at Valley View Club in Cambridge on July 3.
It was one of those blustery Saturday drives up to Port Byron where the wind keeps nudging the car and the Mississippi suddenly appears and makes everything feel familiar again. For Tom, it really is familiar – he spent his first eleven years just outside of town – so every time we roll past the river and into Main Street, the nostalgia dial jumps a few notches.
We’d been rehearsing a few tunes more heavily leading up to this one, and those ended up being the highlights for us. The big experiment of the night was debuting “Borderline.” It’s a Reggie Lucas–penned hit for Madonna that has always stuck with Tom, but not exactly the kind of song people expect from a piano–guitar acoustic duo performance in a river bar.
The rest of the night, the crowd kept us on our toes with requests. We got a run of Simon & Garfunkel – enough that it turned into a mini-set inside the set – plus some Jimmy Buffett. There was one Buffett song Greg didn’t know, but Tom did, so we just went for it. Not flawless, but that’s half the fun.
Opening Weekend with Ron, Paul, and a Room Full of Requests
Taking Songs Further Than the Rehearsal Room
Cabins, Chicago Roots, and a Late Drive Home
