Sunday afternoon shows are starting to grow on us. There’s something about loading out while there’s still daylight that feels like we’re getting away with something.
Driving down the long driveway into Tres Rojas Winery, flanked by rows of vines on both sides, we could feel the week start to fall off our shoulders. By the time we parked near the south side of the building, the patio was already dotted with tables, umbrellas, and people settling in for the afternoon. Owner Lisa met us inside, walked us through the indoor space, and then showed us our spot at the shaded end of the building, looking out over the patio.
Getting There (Featuring Vince Gill and a Missing Wallet)
Before we even made it to Washington, the day had already given us a couple of stories.
On the drive over, Greg stopped at Scooter’s for a quick bite. There was someone outside taking drive-through orders, and Tom leaned over and said, “He kind of looks like Benson Boone, right?” That turned into a whole conversation about pop singers, which was briefly interrupted by Greg realizing he didn’t have his wallet.
There was a short moment of panic before we remembered phones can pay for almost everything now. The handheld device wasn’t working, but the staff waved us through to pay at the window, and it all worked out. The same thing happened with gas later—no wallet, just a phone and a little faith in technology. The punchline, discovered that night: the wallet had been with Greg the whole time.
The soundtrack for the drive was fittingly sentimental. On the way to pick up Tom and Malissa, Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High on That Mountain” came on. Greg made a mental note to play it for them once they were all in the car. They loved it, and it led to talking about Lyle Lovett’s “God Will” and a whole thread about songs that hit you a little deeper as you get older. Those shared songs and conversations between shows are a big part of why these trips don’t just feel like work.
First Impressions of Tres Rojas
When we arrived, Lisa welcomed us, recorded a quick pre-show welcome video (Tom handled the talking; Greg did his usual “stand there and try not to look awkward” routine), and showed us where to pull the cars around back so we could unload right next to the performance area. We will never stop appreciating an easy load-in.
Inside, Tres Rojas has a spacious bar and event room; outside, the patio stretches out with plenty of seating. By the time we started, the patio was full and stayed that way. Tom tried some of the wine and really enjoyed it. Greg, still convinced he was wallet-less, skipped it entirely and later realized he could have just asked Tom to spot him a glass.
We also spotted some familiar faces: the Vogels, longtime friends from Tom’s Bishop Hill bakery and restaurant days, had made the trip from Bloomington, and Tom’s parents, his son James, and a friend were there too. Playing a new place feels a lot less “new” when you can look out and see people you know.
Singing on Fumes, Then Finding the Voice Again
We’d played the night before, and Greg’s voice had already taken a beating. He’d slept badly, got up around 7:00 a.m., and by the first song at Tres Rojas, it was clear his voice was mostly air.
So he backed way off, sang as lightly as possible, and leaned on Tom’s harmonizer pedal to help fill out the sound. Thankfully, Tom was locked in and feeling strong—he seems to handle back-to-back shows better, as long as there’s no spicy food involved.
Somewhere around the halfway mark, Greg’s voice finally started to come back. A few songs later, it felt not just usable but solid. The real test was “New York State of Mind.” That’s a song Greg usually saves for days when he trusts his voice. Hitting those lines cleanly felt like a small personal victory in the middle of a sunny Sunday gig.
We closed the afternoon with a run of upbeat tunes—“Wild Night,” “American Girl,” and “Piano Man.” By that point, the patio crowd was fully with us, singing along and hanging on through the last chorus.
Requests, Originals, and a Reese’s Wrapper
One of the surprises of the day was a request for Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart.” We hadn’t played it in a while, but we decided to go for it. It came together better than expected, and it felt good to dust it off and watch people perk up when they recognized the opening.
Tom also took a few solo turns, including “Heart of Gold” and an original called “Our Time,” which Greg hadn’t heard him play in ages. There’s a different kind of focus in the air when we play an original. Covers tend to trigger shared memories; originals ask everyone to lean in and listen to a story they’re hearing for the first time.
Somewhere in the middle of all that, a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup wrapper kept swirling around in front of us, carried by the breeze. Since Reese’s is one of Tom’s favorite sweet treats, it was a little distracting—and a little tempting. It kept blowing back and forth just enough that Tom finally snapped a picture of it after the set.
Trying Out Our New Photo Upload Feature
This show was also our second chance to test a new website feature Greg built. When people scan the QR code on our piano shell during a live acoustic duo performance, it takes them to our homepage, where they can upload photos and join our newsletter.
We invited Tom’s parents to try it, and they uploaded some photos from the patio. Someone else in the crowd joined in too. Seeing real people use something that started as a “what if we…” idea on Greg’s laptop was pretty thrilling. Some of those photos are now part of the Audience Gallery below and will likely show up on social media as well.
Post-Show Pizza and Big Feelings
After we packed up (still in daylight, which felt luxurious), we headed out with Tom’s family for dinner. The first restaurant we tried was already booked, so we ended up at Pizza 150 in Edwards. Greg had driven past it many times and always wondered if it was any good. Now we know: yes, it is. Tom’s parents very kindly picked up Greg’s tab, which he really appreciated.
We talked nonstop over dinner and probably covered just about every corner of the emotional map. Tom’s family has a way of making Greg feel like he’s not just “the guy Tom plays with” but part of the family.
By the time Greg got home around 9:00 p.m., the day had turned into a full trip: a full workweek, a Saturday night show, an early Sunday winery gig in the sun (with a bit of sunburn as a souvenir), and then dinner with family. Exhausting, yes—but the good kind of exhausted.
On the drive home, Greg found himself thinking about how we often look back at certain stretches of life and call them “the good old days.” Lately, it’s becoming clearer that we’re living some of those days right now—road trips, music, tired voices, shared meals, and the people we love. And somewhere in that reflection, is when he finally realized the wallet had been with him the whole time.
Huge thanks to Lisa and the team at Tres Rojas for having us out and for already inviting us back for 2027. That’s the kind of feedback that keeps us going.
Thinking About Live Music for Your Own Gathering?
If you’re planning something—at a winery, a backyard, or anywhere people might want to relax with live music in Washington or the surrounding area—and this kind of acoustic set sounds like a fit, you can reach out to us here: bellandfieldmusic.com/book-acoustic-duo/.
Audience Gallery
Photos shared by people who joined us for the show.
We don’t play a lot of museums, so getting asked to be part of the Kewanee Historical Society’s 50th birthday party already felt a little different in the best way. Instead of a stage or a corner of a bar, we were set up on the mezzanine, looking down over the main floor while people came in, grabbed food, and found old friends.
The star of our setup area, though, was this bright orange vintage sofa under a painting of a Hawaiian woman who is… let’s just say, not overdressed. The painting used to hang at the old Waunee Farms restaurant, and once we saw it, we knew there was no way we were getting through the night without a photo or two.
Rams Riverhouse is starting to feel like our own little experiment in how many tiny things can go sideways before a show and still add up to a really good 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’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.
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.
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.
We’re excited to play at Fernando’s Place in Kewanee on Sunday, April 26, 2026, from 5 to 8 PM. This spot in the heart of Kewanee offers a taste of authentic Mexican cuisine that locals really appreciate. Whether you’re in the mood for tacos, burritos, or anything else, it’s a comforting place to relax and enjoy.
We rolled back into Crescent City Tap on one of those bitter cold January nights where you question all your life choices while you’re loading gear. We’ve played this room a bunch of times now. It wasn’t packed like some of the past shows, but we also knew the folks who did come out would really be there to listen and have a good time with us.
One of Greg’s favorite moments of the night had nothing to do with the set list. Between songs he turned to me and asked, “So what are you feeling?” meaning, what should we play next. My mom was in the audience and immediately perked up: “Did you just ask him how he’s feeling? Why, is he sick?”
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