Walking back through that unmarked door felt less like loading in for a gig and more like opening a time capsule. It’s only been a 3 or 4 years since Greg used to play this room solo on a regular basis, but enough has changed in life that the bar, the staff, even the way the room smells hit like a flashback. Same comfortable low light, and a handful of familiar faces looking up like, “Hey, you’re back.”
A Little Family Reunion Behind the Door
This one was a private speakeasy-style dinner, so everything already had that “if you know, you know” feel. On top of that, we had our friend and partner-in-crime, saxophonist Paul Weddle, with us. Paul and I both used to work this place in different lineups, so having him walk in with his horn case felt like the world’s most low-key reunion. Even Tom and I had performed there once or twice. I’m not sure if we were officially Bell & Field at that time.
The hosts had gone all-in on the dinner. There was a full flight of poultry, steak, and fish coming out of the kitchen, plus a big tray of raw oysters. Paul went straight for the oysters and was in heaven. I skipped them. I told Paul how I had one bad oyster night in Japan and that was enough character-building for a lifetime.
Keeping It in the Dinner-Conversation Sweet Spot
From the start, we tried to keep the live acoustic duo performance in that lane where you can hear every note but still finish your story across the table. We included some of the gentler tunes: “Lonely People” by America, “Something” by the Beatles, “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper. The room settled in with their first drinks, forks and knives quietly chiming between verses.
We wandered through a bunch of other 20th-century favorites—“Mrs. Robinson,” “Ventura Highway,” “Slip Slidin’ Away,” “Dock of the Bay,” “Round Here,” “Losing My Religion,” even “Be-Bop-a-Lula” and the standard “Misty.” Some folks leaned all the way in, mouthing along to choruses; others let it sit in the background while they caught up with friends. That’s exactly the balance we aim for at dinner shows.
I found myself thinking, as we eased through “Misty,” how rare it is these days to play a room with no TVs blaring in the corners. Just dim light, clinking glasses, a few chair squeaks, and the sax hovering over the piano and guitar.
When You Have a Sax, You Play “Baker Street”
Of course, we didn’t stay mellow all night. At some point, if you’ve got Paul and a room that’s listening, you have to let it rip a little.
“Baker Street” by Gerry Rafferty was non-negotiable. The second that sax riff started, a couple of heads snapped up from their plates like, “Oh, this one.” Paul absolutely tore through that solo, and we stretched it just enough to let him have fun without turning it into a jam session in the middle of dinner.
We also circled back to an old favorite of mine from my solo days at this venue: “New York State of Mind.” I used to play it all the time here, but this was the first time doing it in this room with an actual sax player. It felt like closing a loop—same song, same bar, new version of my life.
Hosts, Stories, and a Jim Croce Send-Off
The hosts could not have been kinder—to us or to their guests. They brought us drinks, made sure we’d eaten, and praised us over the mic at the end of our show. That’s exactly the kind of live music in a small room that we love doing.
We wrapped the night with “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim,” which somehow always feels like a good way to close the book on an evening—loose, a little rowdy, everyone tapping along on tabletops and glassware. After the last chord, we packed up slowly and ended up talking with a few guests and our hosts about old shows in that room, favorite records, and, yes, whether I’m ever going to trust raw oysters again. (Odds are low.)
Walking back out onto the ordinary street, it struck me how this gig pulled a lot of threads together: an old haunt from Japan, a “secret” dinner party, familiar faces, and Paul’s sax tying it all together. Nights like that don’t feel flashy; they just feel real.
Want This Kind of Night at Your Place?
If you’re scheming your own speakeasy-style dinner or private gathering and want live acoustic music that lets people talk and still follow the songs, we’d love to hear what you’re planning. You can reach us about bringing Bell & Field (and maybe Paul on sax) to your event here: https://www.bellandfieldmusic.com/book-acoustic-duo/.
