VIDA ETERNA EP RELEASE WSG COLD MOUNTAIN CHILD
This is a 18+ | 17 under with a parent or guardian Advance tickets may also be purchased in person at the General Store by card only (no cash) Vida Eterna is a Kalamazoo-based dreampop band with shoegaze and post-punk influences, drawing from the college rock heyday of the late 80s and early 90s. Their energetic live show flows between loud, blissed-out distorted guitar noise and slow, ambient, introspective lyrics with ethereal vocals. Vida Eterna’s debut self-titled EP will be released on July 30th at Bell’s Back Room, following the release of their first single, “Had To Let You Know,” on July 11th, 2026. The single will be accompanied by a music video directed by Zac Clark, featuring dark, David Lynchian imagery reminiscent of MTV’s 120 Minutes.
Sounds of the Zoo Presents: Celebrating Women in Music featuring Grace Theisen Band & Kylie Phillips
This is a 18+ | 17 under with a parent or guardian Suggested Donations at Door Sounds of the Zoo returns for its fifth year in 2026, continuing its mission of Creating Change Through Music in the heart of downtown Kalamazoo. What began as a grassroots idea has grown into a week-long, citywide celebration of live music, community, and connection. The 2026 festival runs for seven days across eight locations, featuring 40+ bands and artists. Every event is free and open to the public, inviting the community to experience music in an accessible and welcoming way throughout downtown Kalamazoo’s live music venues and public spaces. This year’s lineup spans beloved local venues including Bell’s Backroom, along with additional performances throughout the downtown corridor. The festival culminates with three full days of programming in Bronson Park, transforming the heart of the city into a vibrant, open-air stage. At its core, Sounds of the Zoo is about more than music. The festival is rooted in values of diversity, equity, and inclusion—amplifying a wide range of voices and genres while also bringing awareness to mental health, sustainability, and community well-being. Free live music. Local venues. A shared city experience. Sounds of the Zoo 2026 is an invitation to show up, listen, and be part of something bigger—where music brings people together across every background and every corner of the community.
Payton & Annabelle: The Songs of Simon & Garfunkel
This is an 18+ seated event | 17 and under admitted with a parent or guardian Advance tickets may also be purchased in person at the General Store by card only (no cash) Award winning Kalamazoo based duo Payton&Annabelle are thrilled to return to Bell’s Backroom with their previously sold-out show, Payton&Annabelle: The Songs of Simon & Garfunkel. After having spent years enjoying and casually performing the music of the well-known singer-songwriters, the pair have dedicated a full set to their fantastic song craft. Featuring popular favorites, deep cut gems, an outstanding backing band, and special guests, this experience promises to be one that can be enjoyed by all. The duo honors both their full band songs and intimate duets, providing both in their memorable live set. The duo have sold out multiple duo nights at Kalamazoo’s Clover Room and have sold out a previous night at Bell’s Back Room with their full band and guests.  The pair are quickly making a name for themselves in Michigan and around the Midwest. Their original song “projection” won the first ever state-wide New Moon Songwriting Competition, and their music also garnered them first place in the 2023 Battle of the Bands at the Kalamazoo State Theatre. The duo currently have their debut album For the Willows streaming everywhere, and are working on recording their second full length album. https://www.paytonandannabelle.com https://www.instagram.com/paytonandannabelle/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/20Pz0ky33gWdsPScb8goBi https://www.facebook.com/people/Payton-Annabelle/61579818767274/
Payton & Annabelle: The Songs of Simon & Garfunkel
This is an 18+ seated event | 17 and under admitted with a parent or guardian Advance tickets may also be purchased in person at the General Store by card only (no cash) Award winning Kalamazoo based duo Payton&Annabelle are thrilled to return to Bell’s Backroom with their previously sold-out show, Payton&Annabelle: The Songs of Simon & Garfunkel. After having spent years enjoying and casually performing the music of the well-known singer-songwriters, the pair have dedicated a full set to their fantastic song craft. Featuring popular favorites, deep cut gems, an outstanding backing band, and special guests, this experience promises to be one that can be enjoyed by all. The duo honors both their full band songs and intimate duets, providing both in their memorable live set. The duo have sold out multiple duo nights at Kalamazoo’s Clover Room and have sold out a previous night at Bell’s Back Room with their full band and guests.  The pair are quickly making a name for themselves in Michigan and around the Midwest. Their original song “projection” won the first ever state-wide New Moon Songwriting Competition, and their music also garnered them first place in the 2023 Battle of the Bands at the Kalamazoo State Theatre. The duo currently have their debut album For the Willows streaming everywhere, and are working on recording their second full length album. https://www.paytonandannabelle.com https://www.instagram.com/paytonandannabelle/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/20Pz0ky33gWdsPScb8goBi https://www.facebook.com/people/Payton-Annabelle/61579818767274/
Small Brown Bike
This is a 18+ event with standing room only| 17 under with a parent or guardian Advance tickets may also be purchased in person at the General Store by card only (no cash) SMALL BROWN BIKE formed in 1996 in Michigan and released four full-length albums plus EPs and singles over their career. Their 2000 sophomore album Dead Reckoning earned international acclaim and a 5-star review from Kerrang, who praised its “unrivaled depth of emotion.” The band toured relentlessly, sharing stages with Hot Water Music, Cursive, Sparta, Cave In, and many others. In 2003, they released The River Bed on Lookout! Records before breaking up later that year. They reunited in 2006 and officially returned in 2009, recording their fourth album Fell & Found in 2011 with producer J Robbins. AV Club praised them as “one of the best purveyors of this sound.” The band continued to play shows and festivals through 2016, eventually going on an indefinite hiatus. In 2023, tragedy struck with the passing of one of their founding members, Travis Dopp, after a three-year battle with cancer. In 2026, the remaining founding members—Mike Reed, Ben Reed, and Dan Jaquint—announced shows to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their breakout record, Dead Reckoning, and honor the 30-year anniversary of the band’s founding. Homebase: Marshall, Michigan
Basic
18+ Standing Room Only Show | 17 and under admitted with a parent or guardian Advance tickets may also be purchased in person at the General Store by card only (no cash) Working with guitars, drum machine, sampler, self-built electronics, and all manner of percussion, BASIC, the trio of Chris Forsyth, Mikel Patrick Avery, and Douglas McCombs, synthesize the vast influences and distinct histories of each member, producing a boundary-less, rhythm-forward amalgam of art rock, trance jazz, collective improvisation, and humming electronics on their new eponymous full-length, out June 12, 2026 on No Quarter. Philadelphia’s Chris Forsyth, known for his lyrical guitar compositions and mercurial improvisations as leader of the Solar Motel Band, founded BASIC in 2022 naming the project in homage to the 1984 Robert Quine/Fred Maher album “Basic,” yes, but also to indicate a desire to get down to fundamentals rhythmically and musically. Shortly thereafter, fellow Philly denizen Mikel Patrick Avery, whose subtle and propulsive drumming has provided the pulse for Natural Information Society, Marshall Allen’s Ghost Horizons, and Rob Mazurek’s Exploding Star Orchestra (amongst other projects), joined, bringing his unique combination of programed beats and acoustic percussion – a single drum with a metallic bell affixed and a variety of hand percussion run through a self-devised barrage of electronic processors and tonal filters (many controlled in real-time with touch pads) – to BASIC. Chicago stalwart Douglas McCombs came on board in late 2024 to tour their debut record “This Is BASIC,” thereby solidifying the lineup and expanding the group’s sound. As often heard in his work with Tortoise and Brokeback, McCombs’ playing in BASIC combines a mastery of musical negative space with memorable lines on Fender Bass VI, a six-string instrument with a distinctive twang tuned an octave below a standard guitar, allowing McCombs to function as both bassist and guitarist. After 35+ live gigs touring the first record and the March 2025 release of their merch table- and Bandcamp-only three-song EP “Dream City,” “Basic” was tracked by Nick Broste in a mere two days in September 2025 at Electrical Audio, the legendary Chicago studio built and operated for many years by the late Steve Albini, with minimal overdubs and a final mix conducted over three days in January at Uniform Recording in Philly with engineer/mixer Jeff Zeigler. As a result of their newfound tour chemistry, it all came together quickly and with minimal pre-production. As Forsyth puts it: “I’d say we invented 60% of this record on the spot at Electrical… This record is exciting for me because I really didn’t know what it was until we were finished with it.”
Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers wsg Hot like Mars & Headband Henny
2026 Bell’s Beer Garden Summer Concert Series This is an 18 and over event – 17 and under admitted with a parent or guardian Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers will make a sprightly young groove doctor out of anyone. With spectacular energy pulsating from every member of the band, the Rainbow Seekers could illuminate the very chambers of Heaven. Lead singer Joe Hertler splashes through lyrical puddles of golden rain, leaving his audience wearing flowery crowns and bubbling smiles. A ride on the Rainbow will take you across the mountains of Motown, through the fjords of folk, over the archipelagos of Americana, and-at last-into a funky firth, where only the fiercest of friendships can be found. The Rainbow Seekers began their historic quest 8 years ago, revolving around the pure, unadulterated songwriting of their fearless leader, Joe Hertler. Ryan Hoger was the first among the Seekers to find this lonely songsmith and recognize the twinkling magic in his beard. The young boy gave up all his earthly possessions (besides his guitar, of course) and became the first disciple of the Rainbow. With this, the core of the Rainbow was thereby established, and it didn’t take long for the Rainbow Seekers to continue their expansion. Multi-instrumentalist and notable auxiliary percussion maestro Micah Bracken journeyed from the bowels of Atlantis when he heard tell of the Rainbow, and the earth trembled as saxophonist and all-around badass Aaron Stinson descended from Olympus on a golden rainbow of his own. Then came thunder from the depths of space, and as it picked up the bass, a soft exhale escaped the lips of every princess within a hundred moons, “Bambis,” they cooed. All the while, on the other ends of the earth, a young boy was hard at work, honing and sharpening his sticks for the day that the Rainbow would come his way, and when it landed at his door, Ryan McMahon climbed aboard. VIP MERCH tickets include: – entry – signed poster
HiTech WSG Caged Lotus
This is an 18+ event with standing room only | 17 under with a parent or guardian Advance tickets may also be purchased in person at the General Store by card only (no cash) VIP Tickets include a reserved seat in the loft area of the back room. A mix of Ghettotech, house, Rap & Miami base, HiTech are on a mission to destroy stereotypical “bottle service” club culture by bringing raw energy, humor, dancing and moshpits back to electronic music. In the process, they’ve become one of the most talked about live acts since their debut last summer.Comprised of MCs/producers King Milo, Milf Melly and DJ 47Chops, HiTech released their albums HiTech & DETWAT last year on FXHE label, hitting The Fader’s Top 10 and Pitchfork’s Top 50 Albums of 2023 lists, racking up fans including Earl Sweatshirt, Danny Brown, Pink Siifu, Show Me The Body & Crystalmess and playing much lauded shows everywhere including Berghain, The Lot, Rinse, The Face’s Rated and across PFW. Hilarious and raunchy, HiTech are also outspoken and principled.With a summer full of festivals and news that HiTech and Detwat are being re-released on streaming services this summer, HiTech are bringing Detroit back to the global stage. Caged Lotus is a Kalamazoo-based hip-hop collective known for its high-energy performances, genre-bending sound, and deep roots in Southwest Michigan’s creative community. Emerging from the Vine Neighborhood music scene, the group brings together a diverse roster of artists who blend rap, alternative hip-hop, live instrumentation, and experimental influences into a sound that is uniquely their own. The collective was founded on the idea of “growing out of the muck”—transforming life’s challenges into art, connection, and creative expression. Since their formation, Caged Lotus has built a reputation for electrifying live shows, collaborative showcases, and community-driven events that spotlight both established and emerging talent. More than just a music group, Caged Lotus has become a creative movement dedicated to cultivating opportunities for artists and fostering a vibrant local music culture. Current members include Headband Henny, Daniel Brock, Taxi Cab, and Peace. On July 10th, Caged Lotus brings its signature energy, powerful lyricism, and immersive stage presence to the legendary Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, delivering a performance that showcases the collective’s evolution and the thriving spirit of Kalamazoo’s independent music scene.
The Flying Leaps WSG Two Dollar Bills & Dolphin Strangler
This is a 18+ event with standing room only I 17 under with a parent or guardian. Advance tickets may also be purchased in person at the General Store by card only (no cash). THE FLYING LEAPS From Kalamazoo, Michigan, this multi-instrumentalist quartet features eclectic originals and arrangements by Abe Savas, Jeff Hale, Jesse Williams and Jay Gavan. With influences that arc from classic rock to yacht rock to heavy metal to surf rock and soul, this is a band that will not let you rest on your laurels.  Get ready to be surprised!! TWO DOLLAR BILLS Two Dollar Bills are a 5-piece alternative rock band from Kalamazoo, Michigan. They play original music with influences that combine 60s and 70s power pop with modern indie and alternative. Will Gavan, Bradyn Weatherwax, Mark Warden, Patrick McLaughlin, and Luke Feister are currently in the process of completing their self-titled debut album Two Dollar Bills, scheduled for release this August!  DOLPHIN STRANGLER Dolphin Strangler are a Michigan trio based in Cincinnati’s Northside neighborhood. They play guitar-heavy, instrumental jams.
KALAMASHOEGAZER 17
18+ Standing Room Only Show | 17 and under admitted with a parent or guardian KALAMASHOEGAZER 17, The longest running Shoegaze & Dreampop Festival in the US, in Kalamazoo, MI. 17 years.
