Edison’s in Bettendorf is one of those places that quietly spoils you for other rooms. Every time we play there, I catch myself thinking, “Oh, this is how it’s supposed to work.” A lot of that goes back to Paul and the way he runs the place.
We’re back there on Saturday, August 29, playing the afternoon stretch from 1–4 pm. Daytime shows have their own rhythm: people easing into brunch or a late lunch, kids at the table, a game on somewhere, someone sneaking in a solo beer at the bar. It’s a different kind of focus than a late-night set, and Edison’s leans into that in a really smart way.
From our side of the stage (or corner, depending how they set us), Edison’s just makes the practical stuff easy: the load-in isn’t a circus, the staff actually knows what’s going on with the music, and they treat sound like it matters. That might sound small, but it changes how relaxed we can be once we start playing.
This will be another guitar-and-piano afternoon where we can stretch out a bit—mixing our usual set of reworked classics with some quieter songs that don’t always fit into louder bar nights. If you’ve seen us here before, you know we tend to follow the room: we’ll keep it lighter early on and then open things up if the place fills and people start leaning in.
The Basics
- When: Saturday, August 29, 2026, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
- Where: Edison’s Gastropub, 3579 Tanglefoot Ln, Bettendorf, IA 52722
- Who: Bell & Field (piano and guitar duo)
- What to expect: A laid-back afternoon set with rearranged favorites, some quieter piano-led tunes, and a few songs we usually save for rooms that actually let you hear the words. We’ll keep things conversational and adjust as the afternoon rolls along.
- Venue website: edisonsgastropub.com
About Bell & Field
We’re a piano-and-guitar duo that likes taking familiar songs and nudging them sideways a bit—changing the groove, pulling things back so the lyrics land, and leaving enough space to talk with people between tunes. At spots like Edison’s, we usually start with lighter brunch-friendly material and then, if the room stays with us, work in deeper cuts and a few of our own.
The Room & The Neighborhood
Edison’s calls itself a modern speakeasy, but what stands out to us is how dialed-in they are on the basics: the staff actually knows when the music starts, they make sure we’ve got what we need, and they don’t treat live music like an afterthought. Paul deserves credit for that; he clearly cares about the details.
It’s in Bettendorf on Tanglefoot Lane, which means you get a steady mix of locals dropping in—some people there for brunch, some for a proper meal, and some just camping at the bar for the afternoon. From our spot, we see everything from families splitting plates to folks parked with a single drink, listening harder than they planned to when they walked in.
If you’re around Bettendorf that Saturday and in the mood for a slower afternoon with real food and live music that’s not blasting your ears off, this one should fit. We’ll see how the room feels and build the set from there.
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
Sunday we pointed the car toward Galesburg and wound our way out to Hidden Hills Vineyard & Winery for a rare Sunday afternoon show. The sky was that flat early-March gray, but as soon as we pulled up and saw the building tucked into the hillside and the edge of the woods, it already felt like we’d stepped out of town for a bit.
With a smaller crowd and a relaxed pace, we had room to stretch a little. We ended up wandering through the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, and even a few ’90s tunes. A lot of what we pulled out lined up with what Dave loves, which made it fun – every so often we’d see him look up from behind the bar with that “oh, this one” expression.
Hey folks, we’re looking forward to playing at Crescent City Tap in Galva on April 3, 2026. We’ll be there from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, and it’s always great to see familiar faces while sharing some music.
