moe. with Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country Best.Summer.Ever
2024 Bell’s Beer Garden Summer Concert SeriesThis is a 18 and over event. Al Schnier (guitars, vocals) * Chuck Garvey (guitars, vocals) * Rob Derhak (bass, vocals) * Jim Loughlin (percussion, vibes) * Vinnie Amico (drums) Hailed by American Songwriter for their “mind-bending musicality,” moe. is treasured for their mesmerizing musical synergy, unfettered showmanship, and smart, resonant songcraft. For three decades, the band has corralled myriad musical forms on a truly original journey rich with crafty, clever songwriting and astonishing resourcefulness. Fueled by an impassioned fan base, moe. has spent much of those thirty years on the road, encompassing countless live performances marked by eclectic wit, deep friendship, and exploratory invention. Having built an enduring legacy with hard work and a confirmed commitment to creativity and community, moe. seem as surprised as anyone to find themselves at such a significant landmark. Al Schnier (guitars, vocals), Chuck Garvey (guitars, vocals), and Derhak first came together at the University of Buffalo in 1990, musician-friends uniting to play for the sheer fun of it. The band followed a handful of cassette-only releases with 1992’s FATBOY, recorded in an apartment studio above Buffalo’s Top Shelf Guitars with a bird’s eye view of Mighty Taco. Finding themselves with an increasingly avid local following, moe. ventured forth, now with master rhythmatist Jim Loughlin among their ranks. The more the band traveled, the more they grew creatively, evincing a remarkable willingness to progress as they went along. moe. quickly became part of a burgeoning scene centered around NYC’s Wetlands, a grassroots revolution that embraced freewheeling genre fusion — spanning funk and free jazz, country and classic rock, prog, new wave, calypso, pop and everything else under the sun — fan interaction, and unrestrained improvisation. 2020’s THIS IS NOT, WE ARE — the band’s 12th studio album and first since 2014’s NO GUTS, NO GLORY — includes eight new songs, most of which were road tested over the past two years of touring. In addition, the LP features one song making its first appearance anywhere, the Garveypenned “Undertone.” Self-produced by the band, THIS IS NOT, WE ARE sees moe. once again pushing their music forward while simultaneously rifling through their back pages on songs like Derhak’s nostalgic “Skitchin’ Buffalo” and the Al Schnier composition, “Crushing.” That preternatural interplay was of course honed through night after night, week after week, of on-stage togetherness. moe. is truly a live band, rightly adored by a fervent following for their epic concert performances, each one imaginatively improvisational, rhythmically audacious, and utterly unique. Indeed, the band has spent much of its 30-year career on the road, including innumerable headline tours, international festival sets. Impossible to pigeonhole as anything other than simply moe., this one-of-a-kind band has never been easily categorized, their sonic adventurousness and tongue-in-cheek humor distinctly and undeniably their own. Despite current circumstances, moe. is celebrating their milestone anniversary with characteristic self-deprecation and wistful optimism. Here’s to the next thirty.$1 of each ticket will got to Backline, a non-profit that connects music industry professionals and their families with mental health and wellness resources.More info at backline.care
Here Come The Mummies
2024 Bell’s Beer Garden Summer Concert SeriesThis is a 18 and over event. Here Come the Mummies is an eight-piece funk-rock band of 5000 year-old Egyptian Mummies with a one-track mind. Their “Terrifying Funk from Beyond the Grave” is sure to get you into them (and possibly vice versa). Since their discovery, HCTM has been direct support for P-Funk, Al Green, Mavis Staples, KC and the Sunshine Band, and Cheap Trick; rocked Super Bowl Village; become a regular on The Bob and Tom Show; appeared on That’s My Jam with Jimmy Fallon; played massive festivals like Summer Fest, Summer Camp, Common Ground, Musikfest, and Suwannee Hulaween; and sold tickets by the thousands across large swaths of North America. Maybe that’s why the ladies (and some dudes) can’t stop losing their minds over these mayhem-inducing mavens of mirth. Some say they were cursed after deflowering a great Pharaoh’s daughter. Others claim they are reincarnated Grammy-Winning studio musicians. Regardless, HCTM’s mysterious personas, cunning song-craft, and unrelenting live show will bend your brain, and melt your face. Get ready! Here Come The Mummies. HCTM is: Mummy Cass – guitar, vocals Eddie Mummy- drums, vocals K.W. TuT- bass, vocals Spaz- keys, vocals The Pole!- bass Midnight Mummy- bari & tenor sax, keys, percussion, talk box, vocals Dr. Yo- saxes, vocal, tambo Highlander- tenor sax “H-POD” (High Priest of Death)- trumpet www.herecomethemummies.com www.facebook.com/herecomethemummies twitter.com/hctmummies
The 1985
This is a 18 and over event with standing room only Turn back time with the Midwest’s RADDEST retro dance party band. The 1985 is a TRIBUTE to the best of 80’s rock, pop, new wave, rap and metal, covering artists like Prince, Journey, Madonna, Poison, Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Joan Jett, Def Leppard, Blondie and more! Lights, videos, costumes and choreography all come together for an immersive, totally 80’s music experience that keeps you partying like its 1985!
Southern Culture on the Skids
This is a 18 and over event with standing room only Southern Culture On The Skids has been consistently recording and touring around the world since 1983. The band (Rick Miller – guitar and vocals, Mary Huff – bass and vocals, Dave Hartman – drums) has been playing together for over 30 years. Their musical journey has taken them from all-night North Carolina house parties to late night TV talk shows (Conan O’Brien, The Tonight Show), from performing at the base of Mt. Fuji in Japan to rockin’ out for the inmates at North Carolina correctional facilities. They’ve shared a stage with many musical luminaries including Link Wray, Loretta Lynn, Hasil Adkins and Patti Smith. Their music has been featured in movies and TV, parodied by Weird Al, and used to sell everything from diamonds to pork sausage. In 2014 the band was honored by the Southern Folklife Collection at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill with an exhibition featuring their music and cultural contributions. Their legendary live shows are a testament to the therapeutic powers of foot-stomping, butt-shaking rock and roll and what Rolling Stone dubbed “a hell raising rock and roll party.”At Home with Southern Culture on the Skids is the latest full length album from the band and was released in March of 2021. It was recorded during the stay at home period of the pandemic when the band was at home and not touring. The album consists of 11 tracks recorded and mixed in Rick Miller’s living room with some additional tracks recorded at his studio, The Kudzu Ranch.The first radio single off the album is “Run Baby Run”—a rocking number with deep garage roots. SCOTS bassist Mary Huff provides an urgent vocal while the band pulls back the throttle on a full race fuzz fest—cause she’s gotta to go fast! Run Baby Run!The other songs on the album are a combination of the band’s unique mix of musical genres: rock and roll, surf, folk and country—all a bit off-center, what Rick proudly calls “our wobbly Americana”. Rick goes on, “We put a few more acoustic guitars on this one, as you would expect if you recorded in your living room, but it still rocks like SCOTS. So put your headphones on, get in your favorite chair/sofa/recliner, put on “At Home With” and let’s hang out for a while.”
The Accidentals
This is a 18 and over event.Standing Room Only VIP Ticket Includes: Merch BundleMeet & GreetEarly Entry Digital Show DownloadExclusive Posters, Stickers and Glasses for the show! All female, multi-instrumentalist, indie power duo, The Accidentals, Sav Buist, Katie Larson added powerhouse, Katelynn Corll, on drums last year and blew the doors off the Festival scene. Launching hard off their debut album, Odyssey, with Sony Masterworks. They followed the album release with two-hundred days of touring nationally, seventeen festivals, sync placement with Turner Classic Movies and FOX sports, and a RAM Trucks BANDvan #tourtough commercial. They followed that up with a self-titled LIVE album and a single collaboration with Lily and Madeline on New West Records, and toured the UK. They scored the indie film “ Almost Home”, and taught workshops across the country. The band toured 150 dates, including backing up Keller Williams, Gabriel Kahane, Martin Sexton, on strings. They wrapped the year as guest artists with the TSO Orchestra on original pieces they scored and arranged. They released TIME OUT 1, an album of co-writes with legendary writers, Dar Williams, Tom Paxton, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Kim Richey, Maia Sharp, and Gretchen Peters, artists that inspired them to become artists (Wildfire went to #1 at Folk Radio for the year and the album #8) and they finished their much anticipated studio Album, Vessel, co-produced by John Congleton (St. Vincent, Lana Del Ray) and Tucker Martine (Nico Case, Decemberists) touring the album all of Oct and November before Covid shut down the live shows again. Their songs Cityview and The Line won first place in the prestigious USA Songwriting Contest, Songwriter Serenade, and Kerrville Folk Festival competitions. They barely took a breath in 23 as they kicked the year off with a covers album spanning their collective interest in women that influenced them, the first single, Blonde’s Heart Of Glass released at the end of Jan. They released and toured the TIME OUT album in March with Gary Burr (Pure Prairie League) Georgia Middleman, and Mary Bragg. Hosted their first SOLD OUT FAN Cruise and Bike Tour in Croatia in June and played a packed summer of shows w/ occasional bassist/guitarist, Patty Pershayla. Keep your eyes on that covers album coming out in April 24’ and the brand new TIME OUT 3 album release (produced by Mary Bragg) out in October 24’. Their music can be found online, all the streaming platforms, Barnes and Noble, and at their shows. Show schedule can be found at Bandsintown and on their website at www.theaccidentalsmusic.com
90s Night
This is a 18 and over event with standing room only Get ready to travel back in time at the ultimate 90’s Night Party! Join us for an electrifying evening featuring two incredible live bands that will transport you to the era of iconic hits and unforgettable memories. High Energy Performances of songs you LOVE! -18+ Event -Costumes/Dressing Up Encouraged Emerging from the heart of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Lighting Matches is an alternative-rock ensemble that blends diverse musical backgrounds. With introspective narratives and tight harmonies, Matt Plessner and Rachel White lead the soulful charge, delivering performances that captivate and resonate. Mark Jilbert and Scott Garrison provide the impeccable musicianship that forms the band’s robust backbone. Hailing from West Michigan, The Band Cordero is a vibrant blend of personalities and talents. Comprising Jonathan, Kari, Daniel, Brandon, and Stephen, their pop-rock sound is a unique concoction, reminiscent of The 1975 and Lewis Capaldi collaborating with OneRepublic as the guiding godfather. Don’t miss this opportunity to dance, sing, and relive the magic of the 90s with Lighting Matches and The Band Cordero! Get your tickets now for a night filled with nostalgia and nonstop fun.
Jay Gavan and The Flying Leaps w/ Helen Yee
This is a 18 and over event with standing room only Jay Gavan is a Kalamazoo musician who has dabbled in rock, jazz, klezmer, surf rock, folk, soul and classic album cover projects. He has played in a variety of groups, produced several records of original music, and currently shares the stage with The Birdseed Salesmen, Guitar Up Surf Band!, The Corn Fed Girls, and the Kalamazoo Academy of Rock. The Flying Leaps is his latest group endeavor, performing an eclectic mix of original music and cover tunes and featuring Kalamazoo greats Mike Shimmin, Ben Lau, and Mike Fuerst. And always keep an eye/ear out for guests! Helen Yee is a violinist, multi-instrumentalist, composer whose regular stomping grounds include the worlds of music between traditional and new, “high” and “low,” East and West. Over the years in New York City she expanded beyond the confines of classical training to improvise and compose in multiple styles. Now residing in Kalamazoo, MI, her explorations continue with solo works incorporating violin with live looping and electronics.
Alejandro Escovedo w/ James Mastro
This is a 18 event with standing room only No one has really ever been able to define themselves and their music like singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo does. His life in music of all kinds sometimes feels like a swirl through the sky, where his songs point out all the majesty and mystery of how he sees the world. The sounds he makes take him places that he might not even predict, but once there, greatness always follows. It’s just the way Escovedo is. It has happened over and over for decades, almost like a fateful agreement he has with the cosmos. There is a good chance it cannot be explained, especially by him. Maybe that’s because this is a musician who feels magic, both in himself and the world around him, and is open to the experience of whatever comes his way. It is not always easy, and can have a high demand on how a person lives. But it is the way that Escovedo is always moving forward. On this new album, Alejandro Escovedo has taken a road rarely traveled, which is totally in keeping with how he has lived his life in music. Echo Dancing is an experiment in how to use the past to shape the future. By recording completely new and repurposed versions of songs from his past, Escovedo actually gets a chance to rewrite his own history. It’s also an idea that pushes growth into the present, and asks an artist to see themselves anew. “I always feel that a well-written song can withstand a lot of abuse,” Escovedo says. It is an area of creativity that the man has always honored. “Turning a past song inside out leads to discovery of new ideas you might not have understood about the song,” he says. “Even lyrical refurbishing has proven helpful and effective. It’s like interpreting your own work anew. The songs never seem to be complete. They are always evolving.” Deeply embedded in the burgeoning Austin scene in the 1980s, Escovedo was a prime architect in the new band True Believers, which included his brother Javier and Jon Dee Graham. In many ways the band helped build the gateway to the whole burgeoning Americana music scene which prospers to this day, but it was also the turning point for Alejandro Escovedo to take his life in his control and record solo albums. In the thirty-plus years since that decision has come a wild roller-coaster ride of groups, spinoffs, tribute albums and even original dramatic projects and experiments. In 1998, No Depression Magazine named him Artist of the Decade. “I said goodbye to certain phases of my life as I have grown,” the musician says. “I greeted new acquaintances musically. And I was extremely surprised by the outcome. That is the thrill of being alive. I feel we have now made a beautiful collection of songs recorded in an effortless vibe of collaboration and camaraderie. I can’t give Nicola and Antonio enough credit and thanks for their musicianship and wide-open approach to making this album. And I should also mention Ivano Giovedi, who incredibly engineered the recordings. He did an amazing job.” Echo Dancing makes sure Alejandro Escovedo’s evolving circle remains unbroken.
Tim Kinsella & Jenny Pulse wsg Fred Thomas
This is a 18 and over event with standing room only Tim Kinsella and Jenny Pulse have spent years making thoughtful and unpredictable art, whether musically as Joan of Arc or Spa Moans, or under their given names as writers and visual artists. On Giddy Skelter, their debut album as the unadorned “Tim Kinsella & Jenny Pulse,” they once again take an unexpected turn, but aim for something more direct. They’ve crafted a swirling, past-future, future-past, sorta-rock, collage-rock, melange borne from the confined anxiety of the pandemic. It’s a full-length undeniably of its moment, rich with musical references while radiating a visionary path forward. To assemble Giddy Skelter, Kinsella and Pulse aggressively culled their tracklist until they had a lean and impactful 11 songs, unlike anything either musician has released before. Opening track “Unblock Obstacles” chugs along on a three-chord riff and dubbed-out drums before venturing into a hypnotic, feedback-filled drone that channels pre-Loveless My Bloody Valentine. “Over and Over” imagines a world where Slowdive or Lush collaborated with Prefuse 73. On “Nena,” one minute features loops of classical piano, the next Spacemen 3-style psychedelic drone, and the next contemporary R&B. The majority of songs on Giddy Skelter foreground Pulse’s yearning, ethereal vocals, giving the music a distinctly feminine overtone. The title Giddy Skelter alludes to both Gimme Shelter, the infamous documentary about the Rolling Stones’ disastrous Altamont free concert, and the Manson Family’s Helter Skelter scenario. But none of this is an homage to a bygone era. And there’s another dimension to the title: It can be interpreted alchemically, combining two of the most popular songs in rock history — “Gimme Shelter” and “Helter Skelter” — both of which have sinister associations that give them greater gravity. Sometimes the thing that makes great rock n’ roll is the ineffable and the intangible, something you can only describe as alchemy; other times it’s the rigors of process. On Kinsella and Pulse’s Giddy Skelter, it’s both — and it sounds unlike anything else you’ll hear this year.
The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis wsg Andrew Rathbun Tri
This is a 18 and over event with standing room only Joe Lally was onstage, playing at full throttle, when he realized that his band had found a true kindred spirit. It was the fall of 2021 and the Messthetics — the instrumental trio of Lally on bass, his former Fugazi bandmate Brendan Canty on drums and guitarist Anthony Pirog — were at Brooklyn venue the Bell House, digging into their uptempo riff workout “Serpent Tongue.” Joining them for the piece was a special guest, acclaimed jazz saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, making only his second cameo with the group after a drop-in at another New York show back in 2019. That first meeting had been a success, but this time, Lewis’ presence sparked something new.The Messthetics spent a few months in the fall of 2022 assembling and arranging material as a trio before meeting with Lewis for just one day of rehearsal prior to the recording in December. Even with minimal prep time, the material evolved considerably. Lewis added a lush, spiraling melody to the chorus section of “The Time Is the Place,” originally called “Meters Groove” in honor of the song’s Canty-written central riff, a crisp seven-beat strut. And Lewis was the key element that unlocked Lally’s “Railroad Tracks Home,” joining the bassist on the second pass through the theme and turning the subtle, swinging mood piece from something, in Lally’s words, “dirge-y and dark” to “a light-bringing thing.”Judging by the enthusiastic response the Messthetics and their esteemed guest have received during more recent live meetings, listeners are similarly eager to hear what happens when brilliant players like these stretch themselves through collaboration.
