Kalamazoo Academy Of Rock
This is an all ages event. Kalamazoo Academy of Rock is back at Bell’s! These youth bands have been wow-ing audiences for years – come on down for a show like no other! For more information about KAR visit www.kzoorock.com
A. Savage w/ Annie Hart
This is a 21 and over event.Standing Room Only Parquet Courts frontman A. Savage presents his new single/video, “Thanksgiving Prayer,” and announces a fall North American tour. “Thanksgiving Prayer” marks Savage’s first new solo music since 2017’s Thawing Dawn — “a handy guide for keeping your cool as the world degenerates into a hot mess” (Pitchfork) — and follows the release of Parquet Courts’ acclaimed 2021 album, Sympathy For Life. “Thanksgiving Prayer” is anchored by Savage’s poetic musings, observations that are accentuated by saxophone flourishes from Euan Hinshelwood. “Thanksgiving Day is every day I write a song like this,” Savage croons atop instrumentation from Magdalena McLean (violin), Jack Cooper (guitar), and Dylan Hadley (drums/percussion). “When I get down on all four paws and drag myself // by my own jaws toward a feeling.” Of the single, Savage adds: “Well, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and every year on that day I write down some words having to do with gratitude. Some years are better than others, but the last one I celebrated these words just sort of came out of me. It was a pretty special holiday actually, because in fact we were recording this song, but I made everybody take a day off. [Producer] John Parish and his wife Michelle were kind enough to allow me to take over their kitchen to cook the meal for everyone. Dylan and I were the only Americans, so there was a bit of explaining to do. So it was the band, the studio staff and the Parish family, and it was an absolutely lovely day. I was in awe of the kindness and mercy, and that’s what the song is about; being in awe of humans. When I got back to my room I was on such a high so I started writing and this song is what was on the page the next morning, when we recorded it.” The accompanying “Thanksgiving Prayer” video — directed by Tiff Pritchett —is a black-and-white homage to silent film, with Savage adorned in makeup and surrounded by his band and handmade decoration. Of the “Thanksgiving Prayer” video, Savage adds: “The video is directed by a brilliant young director Tiff Pritchett, and she had this idea to sort of do a silent film tribute. The scene from Renoir’s film Rules of the Game where Danse Macabre is played was referenced, as was Klaus Nomi.”
The California Honeydrops – Bye Bye Baby Tour
This is a 21 and over event. “The California Honeydrops…evoke the greasy rumble of Booker T and channel the spiritual ecstasy of Sly and the Family Stone.”-Rolling StoneFormed in the subway systems of Oakland, retro-soul outfit The California Honeydrops are an electrifying group that defy convention at every turn. They’ve become a mainstay at festivals including Byron Bay Blues fest (Australia), Outside Lands, Monterey Jazz, Lightning In A Bottle, and touring with B.B. King, Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, and Allen Toussaint. Led by the enigmatic and energetic frontman, Lech Wierzynski, and drummer Benjamin Malament, each member of the band is a virtuoso in their own rite—Yanos “Johnny Bones” Lustig on saxophone, Lorenzo Loera on keyboards/guitar, Beaumont Beaullieu on bass, and regularly accompanied by Scott Messersmith on percussion, Oliver Tuttle on trombone, Leon Cotter on saxophone/clarinet, and Miles Lyons on trombone/sousaphone—navigating through a vast repertoire of original songs and timeless classics every night. But what truly sets them apart is their unwavering commitment to the art of improvisation-a skill so finely honed that they have completely abandoned the use of set lists and no two shows are ever the same. Off stage, their music has been streamed more than 200 million times, and placed in a variety of TV and films, including “Dead To Me,” “Alaska Daily,” “Black-ish” and more. They are currently touring North America in support of their new deluxe album, ‘Soft Spot’.
Dopapod + TAUK
This is a 21 and over event.Standing Room Only The quartet Dopapod—Eli Winderman [keys, vocals], Rob Compa [guitar, vocals], Chuck Jones [bass], and Neal “Fro” Evans [drums]—present albums as experiences meant to be shared out of your speakers and on stage. Traversing time travel, palindromic labyrinths, and binary pairs in a greater cohesive mystery, Dopapod’s latest self-titled album ties the conceptual ends of the group’s discography, while charting a path forward. The group’s hypnotic hybrid of funk, rock, jazz, bluegrass, and electronica has packed shows coast-to-coast, and earned acclaim from Rolling Stone, Guitar World, Glide Magazine, and more, while reeling in millions of streams online. Their immersive, expansive vision as a group continues to conjure alchemy nearly fifteen years into their journey as they tour and record through 2023.—— TAUK has been painting with sound for nearly a decade now, pushing boundaries and reinventing themselves every chance they get. Founded by Dolan, Jalbert, and Carter, who began playing together as middle schoolers on Long Island, the band landed on its present incarnation in 2012, when college pal Teel joined full time.Since then, the quartet has gone on to tour with the likes of Umphrey’s McGee, Widespread Panic, and Lettuce, landed festival slots everywhere from Bonnaroo to Electric Forest, racked up millions of streams across platforms, and garnered extensive critical praise with a series of widely lauded studio and live albums. The Washington Post hailed the band’s music as “a hard-charging, often melodic fusion that—thanks to a penchant for improv—offers limitless possibilities,” while Keyboard Magazine declared that their sound “doesn’t adhere to a single genre but, instead, creates its own,” and Relix dubbed them “an incredibly impressive ensembleof talent.”
The Arcadian Wild
This is a 21 and over event.Standing Room Only The Arcadian Wild is a four-piece indie folk/pop group from Nashville, TN. Led by songwriters Isaac Horn and Lincoln Mick and Bailey Warren on fiddle, The Arcadian Wild confidently inhabits and explores an intersection of genre, blending the traditional with the contemporary. Combining elements of progressive bluegrass, folk, and formal vocal music, The Arcadian Wild offer up songs of invitation; calls to come and see, to find refuge and rest, to journey and wonder, to laugh and cry, to share joy and community and sing along. The band’s 2023 album Welcome marks the start of a captivating new chapter for the genre-bending trio, who returned to the studio with renewed purpose and insight after devoting the last few years to a series of critically acclaimed singles and EPs. Like much of the band’s catalog, the album blurs the lines between chamber folk and progressive bluegrass, drawing on everything from country and classical to pop and choral music with lush harmonies and dazzling fretwork, but this time around there’s a rawness to the writing, an embrace of candor and simplicity that cuts straight to the heart of things like never before. The result is perhaps the most arresting collection yet from a band known for its ability to stop listeners dead in their tracks, an exquisitely beautiful celebration of community, connection, and the power of belonging that feels tailor-made for these challenging times.
Moon Orchids, Wowza In Kalamazoo & Paul Fake
This is a 21 and over event.Standing Room Only Moon Orchids are a Kalamazoo-based unit featuring songwriter/frontperson Jacob Simons, guitarist Bailey Miller and trumpeter Morgan Keltie. The band’s 4-song debut record SKIN/SKEIN was released on January 3, 2023 in the form of a 12″ vinyl record (45 RPM) and Bandcamp digital download.
JD McPherson w/ Yohei (solo)
This is a 21 and over event.Standing Room Only Hailing from Broken Arrow, OK, JD McPherson has recorded four studio albums and toured extensively at venues worldwide, including festival sets at Glastonbury, Bonnaroo and Newport Folk Festival, among many others. Rolling Stone has described his music as “Timeless, forward-thinking rock & roll.” His 2017 LP, Undivided Heart & Soul, was released to widespread critical acclaim with NPR praising, “McPherson’s mastery of rock and soul fundamentals is beyond question, but his voice moves in wild ways on these songs, and the band exudes a new kind of risky energy.” McPherson was born as the youngest child, growing up on the family’s cattle ranch near the town of Talihina. His father was a farmer, while his mother was a church minister. He took up the guitar at age 13. “Where I actually grew up was just completely removed from anything resembling a town or a city. It was an hour away from the nearest supermarket. What that granted me was a lot of isolation and when you are bored you tend to work really hard on your interests. So it probably would have been a different story if I grew up in a town somewhere.” He studied visual arts in college, earning a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Tulsa, and later worked as an art and technology teacher. McPherson taught middle school art for four years before embarking on a music career. After deciding to pursue music more seriously, McPherson sent a demo to Jimmy Sutton of the small independent record label Hi-STYLE Records, which specialized in roots music. This was the start of a process that ultimately led to 2010’s Signs and Signifiers. After its wider release through Rounder Records, Rolling Stone gave Signs and Signifiers a 31⁄2 star (out of 5) review in November 2012 and labeled McPherson an “Artist to Watch.” McPherson’s sophomore LP, Let The Good Times Roll, was released on Rounder Records in 2015, showing McPherson with a wider musical range and an even stronger ability to weave the present with the past. In 2018 McPherson released his breakthrough debut Christmas album, SOCKS, featuring 11 all-original Christmas songs, the album received overwhelming critical praise… “JD McPherson is a vivid reinterpreter of the strutting rock ’n’ roll of the 1950s. His holiday album, SOCKS, is a collection of original songs with startlingly original conceits.” –The New York Times “SOCKS overflows with vintage rock & roll tidings of comfort and joy…You could easily fool someone into thinking you discovered a gem of an album from 60 years ago.” –Rolling Stone “It’s not really much of a contest, in the end: McPherson’s album is so far ahead of the rest of the 2018 pack, everyone else is having to eat his Christmas dust.” —Variety JD is currently recording a covers project (four songs have already been released digitally – “Just Around The Corner” by Big Al Downing, “Lust For Life/Sixteen” by Iggy Pop. “Let’s Rock” by Art Neville and “Manta Ray” by The Pixies). This summer JD will be part of the Robert Plant and Alison Krauss touring band as well as opening the show with his own band, “I was eating a bowl of Count Chocula when I got the call to come do my best Grady Martin impression with this gang of legends. Honored to have been invited, more than I can express.
Sister Hazel w/ Midnight South – SOLD OUT
This is a 21 and over event.Standing Room Only Originating from Gainesville, FL, Sister Hazel is comprised of five gifted, seasoned musicians whose well-spring of natural talent has been called “one of the Top 100 Most Influential Independent Performers of the last 15 years” by Performing Songwriter Magazine. Song “All for You” topped the adult alternative charts during the summer of 1997 and the success propelled their album to platinum status. In their first showing on the country music charts they made a strong debut with “Lighter In The Dark” at #4 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, #6 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart, #30 on Billboard’s Top Current Albums chart. The band landed on Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart again in 2018 and 2019 with Volumes I, II, III, and IV of a clever EP compilation series titled “Elements.” In February 2018, “Water,” landed on the Billboard Country Albums chart at #9 and at #2 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart along with making their debut on the most revered stage in country music, the Grand Ole Opry. In September of 2018, “Wind” landed at #1 on iTunes country page and #11 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart. In February 2019, Vol. III “Fire” landed at #5 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart and #46 Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart. The collectible compilation series ended with “Earth” which again landed at on the charts at #15 on Billboard’s Americana/Folk Album chart. Living up to their fan-centered reputation, the band hosts annual events like “Hazelnut Hang,” that focuses on fan involvement and was a pioneer in themed cruise experiences by co-founding “The Rock Boat,” a cruise featuring nonstop opportunities for fan/artist interaction. Sister Hazel has been equally attentive to connecting with their audience through social media. They have since made their Grand Ole Opry debut and shared the stages with country music superstars at The CMA Festival, Tortuga Music Festival, among others. In addition to the events and touring, the band also gives back with “Lyrics For Life.” Founded by singer Ken Block and the Band, the charity unites musicians and celebrities for concerts and auctions to benefit cancer research and patient-care charities.
Joshua Powell & Bonehawk
This is a 21 and over event.Standing Room Only Joshua Powell is the exhausted wizard at the helm of IN’s most haunted rock band. From his hardcore roots in the Floridian swamps and beyond the fever dream of his folk era, his literary lyrics dig for enlightenment in a surrealist muck. “Four LP’s and over 900 shows later, the midwestern road dog’s ever- evolving, transcendent style embraces hallucinatory metal and grimy psychedelia.” -Audiotree Bonehawk is a Rock and Roll band from Kalamazoo, Michigan playing a modern approach to 70’s era psychedelic hard rock, heavy metal, jam, and blues. For fans of Thin Lizzy, Allman Brothers, Iron Maiden, Dio, and ZZ Top, BoneHawk brings a modern take with their own sound of big buzzy riffs, smooth vocals, thunderous drums, and tons of guitar harmony interplay. In 2014, Bonehawk’s debut album, Albino Rhino, was self-released and made more than a splash locally. The record spread west where the band was picked up by San Francisco label Ripple Music, who rereleased Albino Rhino internationally. After countless nation wide tours, festivals, and re-pressings of their debut record, Bonehawk decided to regroup and begin work on new songs. In 2016, Bonehawk released a split album and also a tribute to Thin Lizzy. 2020 marked the long awaited return of Bonehawk with the release of Iron Mountain and a new lineup consisting of Matt Helt (Vocals & Guitar), Nate Cohn (Drums), Cam Mammina (Guitars), and Matt Smith (bass). 2020 marked the long awaited return of Bonehawk with the release of Iron Mountain and a new lineup consisting of Matt Helt (Vocals & Guitar), Nate Cohn (Drums), Cam Mammina (Guitars), and Matt Smith (bass).
The Krelboynes wsg Charles the Osprey & Glass God
This is a 21 and over event.Standing Room Only The Krelboynes are back and better than ever with a brand new album and a brand new sound. This quartet from Kalamazoo is creating apocalyptic post-rock with doomy dreamscapes and Lovecraftian lyrics. Their new album “Boyne Again” tells the tale of prehistoric monsters resurrected by the appearance of the asteroid that wiped them out centuries ago. The revelations revealed in their recordings may frighten you–but worry not, Dear Reader! The Krelboynes act not only as harbingers of horror but also as forerunners of fun! No one knows how to have a good time more than the wild party animals that make up Kalamazoo’s premiere indie rock band: The Krelboynes!
