saturdays at your place – I’d Rather Be In Michigan! w/ Harrison Gordon, Worry Club, Liquid Mike, Kerosene Heights & More
2026 Bell’s Beer Garden Summer Concert Series This is a 18 and over event – 17 and under admitted with a parent or guardian saturdays at your place – I’d Rather Be In Michigan!w/ Harrison Gordon, Worry Club, Liquid Mike, Kerosene Heights, FinalBossFight!, no problemo! & Satsuma There’s something kinda magical about naming your band saturdays at your place. Right off the bat, it calls to mind images of collapsing onto a friend’s couch at the end of a long week, and the kind of nights that turn into stories you’ll tell for years to come. For the band from Kalamazoo, Michigan, it’s more than just a name; it’s what’s held them together through college and the strange process of becoming an adult. Whether unpacking tour burn out or the shame of outgrowing your past, they’re constantly rejecting irony in favor of something much bolder: sincerity. On their upcoming second full-length, these things happen (out September 12), saturdays at your place take everything that made their early material resonate—twinkly guitars, heart-on-sleeve songwriting, a distinctly Midwestern ache—and stretch it into something even more resonant. It’s a record about growing up without growing cold, and it’s also a testament to where they’re from, both literally and musically. Formed by three friends who met at Western Michigan University, the band—Esden Stafne (vocals/bass), Gabe Wood (vocals/drums), and Mitch Gulish (guitar)—have always used music as a way to map the wretched trajectory of growing up. But on these things happen, they’ve stopped asking for directions and started finding their own way through the chaos. The result is a heartfelt, emotionally chaotic and self-aware glimpse at adulthood in all its many complexities. A lot of inspiration for the record came from Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1999 film, Magnolia. Channeling the gut-punch angst of bands like Modern Baseball and Hot Mulligan, lead single “waste away” is a standout moment about both wishing you were dead AND remembering how much fun life can be, too. Elsewhere, “what am I supposed to do?” finds the band reflecting on individuality and people-pleasing; and “I’d rather be in michigan” is an attempt to capture the struggle of finding stability amidst a nonstop tour cycle. Then there’s the gut-wrenching closing track, “i give in.” A cinematic portrayal of codependency and trauma, it wraps the album in a sort of quiet comfort, one that comes to terms with the shared weight of what we all carry in our day-to-day lives. “I wanted to write that song for a long time,” Gabe says. “I’ve never felt like I was the right person to offer any sort of unique perspective on that kind of situation, I really didn’t want to get it wrong. But being open and honest about it is actually what I needed to finally let go and forgive and move on.” The hype for saturdays at your place first kicked off with their 2023 EP, always cloudy, and has since blossomed into a steadily-building wave of momentum. “tarot cards” instantly had fans on the hook with its undeniable melody and quirky pronunciation, but the entire record has since gone on to cement their place as one of the most exciting modern emo bands around. And while always cloudy was a strong introduction, these things happen marks a decidedly more introspective future for saturdays at your place; it’s also the first music they’ve released since 2023.
BLACK COUNTRY NEW ROAD wsg HORSEGIRL
2026 Bell’s Beer Garden Summer Concert Series This is a 18 and over event – 17 and under admitted with a parent or guardian There are few contemporary bands who can do musical reinvention quite as consistently as Black Country, New Road. From their Mercury Music Prize-nominated debut For the First Time, which touched upon everything from jazz to post-rock via klezmer music, to the art-rock meets chamber pop follow up Ants From Up There (both top 5 charting albums). Then when singer Isaac Wood amicably left shortly after, they wrote an entire set of new songs to tour which ended up on Live at Bush Hall, an album The Guardian claimed was a “magical resurgence” in a triumphant five-star review. Now, on studio album three, the band are once again building from the ground up in yet another miraculous musical transformation. “Bush Hall was a really fun project to find our feet in,” says Charlie Wayne. “But we toured it to death and we were done with those songs. This album is a new statement of intent for us as a six-piece.” The band have now settled into a new shape in which vocal duties – and most of the songwriting – is split between Tyler Hyde, Georgia Ellery, and May Kershaw. “It created a real through line for the album, having three girls singing,” says Ellery. “It’s definitely very different to Ants From Up There, because of the female perspective – and the music we’ve made also compliments that.”
All Your Friends: The Indie Party
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) An indie dance party for the ones who still romanticize a scratched iPod, American Spirits, and a blurry night scored by Bloc Party and Crystal Castles. All Your Friends is your basement-floor flashback to the bloghouse, post-punk revival, and early Tumblr era — when the jeans were tight, the eyeliner was smudged, and every night felt like a house show turned afterparty. Expect to move to LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture, Foals, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio, and that remix you forgot you loved.
The Mountain Goats
2026 Bell’s Beer Garden Summer Concert Series This is a 18 and over event – 17 and under admitted with a parent or guardian There are Mountain Goats albums that emerge from historical deep dives, vividly rendered autobiography, liturgical exploration, and modern anthropological study. Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan came from a dream. In May 2023, John Darnielle took to his phone in the middle of the night to document a title from somewhere in his subconscious. Because this is the Mountain Goats—a band known for avoiding the easy route, always challenging themselves to push a step beyond—Darnielle not only decided to complete this mysterious project but also to deliver it as a full-on musical that stands as the most conceptually detailed and musically elaborate project in the band’s ever-expanding catalog. “I loved musicals when I was a kid,” Darnielle explains, “but I hadn’t really indulged in them that much until the last 7 years or so. And then we did Jenny From Thebes, which I called a ‘fake musical’ a lot… But this one actually is going for it.” Produced by the Mountain Goats’ multi-instrumentalist Matt Douglas, who also co-wrote several songs, the record is embracing, inviting, and overflowing with melody and orchestration that extends far beyond the boundaries of their past work. “My approach is more arrangement-based,” Douglas says of his role. “I’m trying to sculpt the shape of the songs with the layering of instruments that are suiting the song best… I am sometimes a bit of a maximalist with that stuff. Sometimes more is more!” Working at Dreamland Recording Studios in Hudson, New York, the Mountain Goats have crafted a record that matches the emotional vulnerability of their previous career peaks while filling up a larger space than ever. This may be like a bleak story to tell, a common thread of Mountain Goats concept albums.
S.A.D.R. – SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER RELIEF with: Overly Polite Tornadoes, Vida Eterna, Discus, Blood At Ease
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) S.A.D.R. (an acronym for Seasonal Affective Disorder Relief) is coming to Bell’s Brewery in February. Come join us for a night of live music and community to lift your spirits from the darkness and fenderbergs of our Michigan Winter. There is often less live music happening this time of year, and this show is meant to fill that void for people in need. OVERLY POLITE TORNADOES are a veteran Kalamazoo-based duo formed by multi-instrumentalists who also play in the local and beloved dream-pop/shoegaze band Tambourina. They write tightly constructed songs that pull from shoegaze, post-punk, and early indie rock, using guitar loops, analog textures, live drums and tender harmonies to build intensity without clutter. Their music carries a quiet confidence, pairing clarity and distortion in a way that feels deliberate, ecstatic, and deeply human.BLOOD AT EASE is the project of songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Bailey Miller. With friends and family hailing from the Great Lakes region, Miller presents a unique style of folk-song that alternates “between gently plucked melodies and raucous explosions of sound.”DISCUS are a breezy Indie rock band from Chicago, IL. What started as two brothers writing songs in their childhood basement has bloomed into an artful and melodic five piece ensemble. Sure to please fans of The Radio Dept, Broadcast, Earlimart, or The American Analog Set.VIDA ETERNA is comprised of Kalamazoo’s own April & Adam Zimont (Tambourina), Matthew Willsea (Cardboard Highway, Create Clean Slate) and Lachlan Roderick Wallace MacQuarrie. Together they dazzle with their unique blend of ethereal dreampop, hypnotic textures, and shoegaze leanings.
Tune-Yards wsg RINGDOWN
18+ Standing Room Only Show 17 and under admitted with a parent or guardian Formed by Merrill Garbus in 2006, Tune-Yards has become a name synonymous with creativity and forward motion. Known for explosive performances, surprising song structures, and danceable rhythms, their music also highlights connections between song and social consciousness. The New York Times praised their debut album, BiRd-BrAiNs, as “a confident do-it-yourselfer’s opening salvo,” and relentless touring established Garbus as a commanding live performer. Garbus stepped into the producer role with 2011’s w h o k i l l, a bold and sonically inventive album that earned critical acclaim, including the #1 spot on The Village Voice’s Pazz and Jop poll. By 2021’s sketchy., Garbus and bassist Nate Brenner had solidified their partnership, creating a fully collaborative work. The duo has announced their sixth studio record, Better Dreaming, to be released on May 16, 2025 on 4AD. Tune-Yards also excels in scoring, contributing to Boots Riley’s Sorry to Bother You, I’m A Virgo, and the forthcoming I Love Boosters. Their artistry continues to expand across music, film, and television.
Craig Finn & The Band of Forgiveness wsg James Felice
18+ Standing Room Only Show 17 and under admitted with a parent or guardian Craig Finn is a Minnesota-bred singer/songwriter based in New York City, best known as the singer of The Hold Steady. Finn spent the ’90’s leading Minneapolis indie band Lifter Puller, which released 3 albums and an EP. After relocating to New York, he joined with Lifter Puller member Tad Kubler to form The Hold Steady in 2003. The Hold Steady quickly achieved critical acclaim and a worldwide fanbase with their unique pairing of dense lyrical narratives with big rock guitars. The Hold Steady’s ninth album, The Price Of Progress, was released in March 2023, commemorating the band’s 20th Anniversary. Craig Finn releases his 6th solo album Always Been on April 4. Produced by Adam Granduciel (The War On Drugs), the album features musical performances by Granduciel and members of The War on Drugs, Kathleen Edwards, Sam Fender, and more. Always Been tells the story of a man who becomes a clergyman despite a lack of faith. The songs detail his rise, fall, and eventual redemption, while also shining a light to sharply reveal the other characters that populate the world he moves through. A limited edition, 92-page companion book Lousy With Ghosts accompanies the album and features 11 works of fiction by Craig Finn. These stories take place in the same universe as the record, giving deeper looks at the characters within. Finn released his first solo album in 2012 with three additional solo LPs put forth from 2015 – 2019: Faith in the Future, We All Want The Same Things, and 2019’s I Need a New War – which coalesced into a sign-of-the-times musical trilogy. Finn’s fifth album, A Legacy of Rentals was released in 2022 and received universal critical acclaim. That’s How I Remember It is Craig Finn’s podcast series, launched in 2022. Co-produced and distributed by Talkhouse, the podcast series examines the connection between memory and creativity. Each episode features a discussion between Finn and one creator – including musicians, authors, filmmakers, and more – about the role memory plays in their art. These exclusive conversations reveal the different ways each creator synthesizes their remembered life experience to tell stories about themselves and the world we live in. Podcast guests have included George Saunders, Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Lucinda Williams, Johnny Marr, Jason Isbell, Duff McKagan, Adam Duritz, Ben Gibbard, and many more.
Soccer Mommy wsg dummy
2025 Bell’s Beer Garden Summer Concert SeriesThis is a 18 and over event. 17 and under admitted with a parent or guardian Sophie Allison has always written candidly about her life, making Soccer Mommy one of indie rock’s most interesting and beloved artists of the last decade. Allison has used Soccer Mommy’s songs as a vehicle to sort through the thoughts and encounters that inevitably come with the reality of growing up. After all, Soccer Mommy began as a bedroom-to-Bandcamp exercise with teenage Allison posting her plaintive songs as demos. Over the years, though, she has often enhanced that sound, using the endless production possibilities, newly at her fingertips, to outstrip singer-songwriter stereotypes. The records would start with songwriting’s kernels of truth, and she would then imagine all the unexpected shapes they could take. Every Soccer Mommy record has felt like a surprise. On Soccer Mommy’s fourth album, the tender but resolute Evergreen, Allison is again writing about her life. But that life’s different these days: Since making her previous album, 2022’s Sometimes, Forever, Allison experienced a profound and also very personal loss. New songs emerged from that change, unflinching and sometimes even funny reflections on what she was feeling. (Speaking of funny, this is a Soccer Mommy album, so there’s an ode to Allison’s purple-haired wife in the game Stardew Valley, too.) These songs were, once again, Allison’s way to sort through life, to ground herself. She wanted them to sound that way, too, to feel as true to the demos—raw and relatable, unvarnished and honest—as possible. The songwriting would again lead where the production would follow. Nothing overindulgent, everything real.
The Flying Leaps w/ The Plural Nouns & Yellowhouse
This is a standing room only show 18+ or 17 under with a parent or guardian Yellowhouse is an indie rock band full of Kalamazoo locals. With classic rock tones and a groovy feel, their tunes will be sure to have you dancing! Come pick up a handmade setlist and rock out with us! The Plural Nouns are a surf rock combo from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Formed in 2024, the band consists of Jay Gavan, Jeff Hale, Will Gavan and Bradyn Weatherwax. Jay was a founding member of Guitar UP! Surf Band, and The Plural Nouns continue their tradition of bringing original tunes and familiar standards into the surf, spy, spaghetti, twang-verb and instro idioms. The Flying Leaps are a quartet from Kalamazoo who specialize in eclectic sounds. Abe Savas brings an expressive songwriting tableau, Jesse Williams, the “multi-instrumentalist,” delivers prog-infused concoctions. Jay Gavan brings angular originals, and Jeff Hale keeps it all together, from 70s rock to latin jazz. Each member draws from rich experiences and catalogues of tunes and tones and creates a quartet that will surprise you even while it’s making you dance.
Saxsquatch & Bridge Band wsg Basic Comfort
This is a 18+ event with standing room only17 and under admitted with a parent or guardian Saxsquatch: Multi-instrumentalist. Music Enthusiast. Doesn’t want to be in your pit orch. Basic Comfort: alternative pop band Basic Comfort from Kalamazoo, Michigan: Band members: Mitchell plays keys and sings, Schadig and Mike Anyonga play guitar and sing, and Ryan Edgar plays bass. Latest album: Dimensions is their self-produced second album, which explores connection to the self and others
