By the time we hit the first chord at Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery on June 7, we were already a little road-weary in the best way. This was show four in ten days for us, which is more than we usually take on. We’d started the day at 7 a.m. putting signs out around town for the Levitt AMP Concert Series in Galva, grabbed about an hour and a half at home to reset, and then pointed the car toward Swisher, Iowa.
Two Hours, A Truck Stop, and a Red Pickup
The drive over set the tone. The forecast was calling for heavy rain and possible storms, so we were half-joking, half-serious about whether this was going to turn into an “adventure gig.” Somewhere along I-80, we passed a red pickup that Tom thought might be his parents. They took an off-ramp, we kept going, and we didn’t think much of it.
About halfway there we pulled into the I-80 Truckstop (the “World’s Largest Truckstop,” allegedly). Greg grabbed Wendy’s, Tom grabbed coffee, and as we’re standing inside, we bump into Tom’s dad. He asked if we’d honked at them on the highway. We hadn’t. Later we found out they’d actually pulled over so he could pee on the side of the road, which apparently annoyed someone enough to honk. That story got much funnier after the show when everyone started trading similar bathroom emergency tales.
Back on the road, we hit wave after wave of rain and lightning, then sudden patches of sun. We were mentally preparing for a hot, muggy outdoor setup. I’ll be honest: we were quietly hoping someone would say, “You’re inside today.”
Walking into a Busy Winery on a Stormy Day
When we pulled into Cedar Ridge, it was immediately clear they’ve grown since Greg’s last visit years ago—more buildings, more people, more everything. Sunday brunch was in full swing and the place was buzzing. Kelly met us and walked us back to the Event Center where we’d be playing.
We figured the main tasting room would be packed and the event space might be a little quieter. Nope. The Event Center was already full of families, groups of friends, and couples settling in with wine flights and whiskey cocktails. For a live acoustic duo performance, that’s kind of the dream: people already relaxed, already staying a while.
The big glass doors that can open to the outside stayed shut thanks to the on-and-off storms, but that just made the room feel like its own little bubble. We set up, did a quick line check, and dove into our three-hour set. We don’t take breaks, which still surprises some venue folks. We’ve found that once we stop, it’s harder to get the momentum back, so we just keep the songs rolling.
Rain on the Roof, Songs for the Room
About half an hour in, the skies just opened up. It poured for what felt like an hour. You could see sheets of rain pounding the patio and, in a few spots, water started sneaking into the room. The Cedar Ridge staff hustled with squeegees and towels, pushing water back out the doors and toward the drains while we kept playing.
At that point, we couldn’t resist leaning into the weather. We pulled out “I Love a Rainy Night” and “Riders on the Storm,” which got some knowing smiles and laughs. There’s something satisfying about playing “Riders on the Storm” while you can literally see a storm raging through the glass doors.
In between the weather theatrics, there were some really sweet moments. We got to sing “Happy Birthday” to Roberta, and later on a couple asked if we could dedicate “Wonderful Tonight” to the wife. It’s not a song we usually keep in rotation, but we both know it well enough that we decided to go for it. It came together nicely, and they were clearly locked into every word.
There was also one woman near the middle of the room who seemed to be with us for all three hours—clapping along, smiling, reacting to little musical turns. Seeing someone that tuned in makes it a lot easier to forget how tired you are at the end of a 10-day run.
Family, Cabernet, and the Long Way Home
Tom’s parents made it to the show, along with his mom’s cousin and cousin’s husband from Cedar Rapids. It had been a long time since Tom had seen them, so having them in the crowd added another layer to the day. After the set, we caught up, and that’s when the full “red pickup / side-of-the-road pee / mystery honk” story came out. That spiraled into Greg telling the story about making his wife, Noriko, stop at every floor in a Japanese elevator years ago when she really needed a bathroom. “She did not think it was funny then,” Greg said, “but 20 years later it’s… kind of funny. Maybe.”
Since this was the last show in our little four-gig sprint, we decided to actually enjoy some of the wine instead of just looking at the bottles on the way out. Cedar Ridge treated us to drinks, and their cabernet absolutely floored us. We both love wine, and this stuff was genuinely next level. Indoor sanctuary, storm outside, and a glass of cab after three hours of playing—it felt like a good way to close the run.
We packed up, loaded out in dry weather (a small miracle given the radar), and pointed the car back east. We stopped at the I-80 Truckstop again—this time for Taco Bell, because apparently that’s our post-gig ritual now. No storms on the way home, just some late-day sun and that tired-but-happy feeling you get after a show that asked a lot of you in the right ways.
On the drive back, we found ourselves talking about how much of this whole Bell & Field thing is about not knowing—what the weather will do, who will show up, which song request will come flying at us, or what weird little moment we’ll still be laughing about on the highway hours later. In a world where you can look up almost anything in advance, that kind of uncertainty is actually pretty fun.
Big Thanks to Cedar Ridge
Huge thanks to Ashton, Kelly and the whole Cedar Ridge crew for taking such good care of us and making the long trip more than worth it. If you were part of that packed Event Center—brunch crowd, birthday crew, wine tasters, or the folks who stuck around through the downpour—thanks for hanging with us.
If you’re looking for Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery entertainment ideas or want a live acoustic duo performance like this for your own place or event, we’d love to chat. You can reach us through this page: https://www.bellandfieldmusic.com/book-acoustic-duo/.
Paul and the crew had us dialed in before we even opened a case. They’d set up a big canopy over the patio “stage” area, plus the camera feed that sends our set inside the bar. From a musician’s point of view, that setup is gold — you feel like you’re playing to two rooms at once.
One of our favorite parts of the afternoon was a couple who drifted over to this little corner lounge area just off to our side and a bit behind us. From the stage, that spot almost feels like backstage seating. They were grooving, hanging out, and applauding between songs.
Edison’s was packed on the patio from the first song, and it looked just as busy through the windows inside. A lot of folks stayed with us the whole three hours, which we don’t take for granted. Between sets and song changes we had a steady stream of conversations, requests, and people just coming up to say hi.
We’d been talking about this one for a while. The Kewanee Farmers Market decided to gamble on an evening version of their Wednesday market, and we got to help kick off the season. No fee, just us under a big shade tree, some lights, food trucks, and a whole lot of “let’s see if this actually works.”
Earlier in the week, we’d asked on social media if anyone had song requests. You all delivered. We had people specifically come up and ask, “Did you play ‘Garden Party’ yet?” Ricky Nelson’s “Garden Party” and Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” both landed right where we hoped they would—recognizable from halfway across the street, but still quiet enough that you could hear someone next to you talk about which tomatoes looked best.
One of the best parts of nights like this is who you bump into. We got to talk with friends we’ve known for years and meet new folks who just happened to be walking through the market. Greg met Steve for the first time—a committee member for Hog Days—who had already hired us to play later this year. It was good to finally put a face to the emails and meet his wife as well.
Tuggers has snuck up on us and turned into one of our favorite places to play. Kicking off their Pon-Tunes series on the patio, with the Mississippi right there and that late-May weather in the sweet spot (warm, but not swampy) felt like exactly where a piano-guitar duo should be on a Saturday night.
Some shows feel like gigs, and some feel like you just plugged in the PA at a family reunion. Tom’s parents’ 52nd anniversary at Cerno’s definitely landed in that second category.
We’re playing the Kewanee Farmers Market on Wednesday, June 3 from 6–8 p.m. in downtown Kewanee, right at W 3rd St & N Tremont St.
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.
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.”
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’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.
