After a six month quarantine lockdown, The Bellamy Brothers help re-open the Blue Gate Performing Arts Center in Shipshewana, IN with a live indoor performance.

With only two shows completed on the heavily scheduled 2020 calendar, the newly constructed 1,500 seat theater was shut down due to the COVID-19 worldly pandemic.  At the same time, all live entertainment across the globe was brought to a screeching halt.

Since then with some success, some artists and venues have flirted with outdoor shows while keeping the concert goers socially distanced.  However due to some State’s regulations, some venues have not had any options other than to sit dormant until the pandemic weakened.

Six months after the pandemic began, there appears to be signs of stage lighting re-appearing on stages as venues and artists are finding ways to re-open and entertain for those who feel comfortable attending shows again.

On Thursday evening, The Bellamy Brothers make a return for another visit to Shipshewana, IN.  The brothers, David and Howard have performed in Shipshewana numerous times in the past, but this makes the first visit to the new theater.

The show is being enjoyed while the concert goers are socially distanced amongst groups away from each other and mandated to wear a facial covering when in a congregated area and while entering and exiting the venue.  Hand sanitizer stations are also strategically placed throughout the venue.

The evening starts out as is customary at all Shipshewana shows, with emcee Andy Rohrer taking a poll to find out the geographic of the attending crowd.  He also conducts a drawing for a freshly baked pie to be given away to a lucky concert attendee before welcoming the band to the stage.

The band enters the stage with Ronnie Milsap’s “What a Difference You’ve Made In My Life” playing through the speakers.

As the recording concludes, the band begins playing while Howard and David make their entrance onto stage with their 1986 hit, “Feelin’ The Feeling.”

The country pop duo includes over 50 albums with over 30 Top 40 hits and 20 #1 singles.  A career that spans 45 years and has toured over 70 different countries.  The Bellamy Brothers are the most nominated duo in country music history and have influenced the makings of Big & Rich, Brooks And Dunn and other duo country acts.

The brotherly duo is joined on stage by a five piece band that includes: rocking lead guitarist, Randy Hiebert, Jim Heep on pedal steel guitar and Rocky Marvel, the stick twirling drummer.  Galen Butler on keyboards and Randy Hall on bass guitar, while his wife Stephanie Wilson-Hall provides background vocals.

During the 90 minute show, the Bellamy Brothers perform classic country hits that span from their debut single “Let Your Love Flow” that started it all in 1976, thru to their 2019 release “If You Ever Leave” from their current album Over The Moon.  Along with their own original hits, two covers by Don Williams “Some Broken Hearts Never Mend” and Johnny Lee “Do You Love As Good As You Look” are included in the 23 song setlist.

With the band loosening up and showing off a bit of their musical talents in the country rock tunes of “Rip Off The Knob” and “Get Into Reggae Cowboy,” they tame back in the softer country ballads of “Vertical Expression (Of Horizontal Desire)” and “You Ain’t Just Whistlin’ Dixie.”

The Bellamy Brothers on average tour 200 shows a year.  For 2020, they were scheduled to be on tour opening for Blake Shelton for the spring and summer swing.  With the pandemic shutting the entertainment business down, Howard and David returned to their family farm in Darby, Florida.  When not working on farm duties, the brothers spent time writing and recording for a new ep, Bucket List that released in July. While being “cooped up” for the past six months, they also were able to record a few episodes of their reality TV show “Honky Tonk Ranch” for the Circle Network.

Being “un-cooped” and back out on stage, the brothers include other crowd favorites “Kids Of The Baby Boom,” “Lovers Live Longer,” “Old Hippie” and are joined with crowd participation on “If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me.”  They conclude the show at the Blue Gate Performing Arts Center with the upbeat single “Redneck Girl.”

At the conclusion of the show, the crowd shows their appreciation to The Bellamy Brothers by sending them off with a standing ovation before invading their merchandise table for all the latest collectibles.

With a career that has spanned as long as The Bellamy Brothers, it is apparent fun and innocent songs will last a lifetime and continue to capture an audience’s attention.  The music lives on as the crowd continues to grow with a mixture of all ages, from young children to seniors.  There is no mention of today’s current worldly events or political views, just pure fun country music.

To keep up on the news or current show dates of The Bellamy Brothers or Blue Gate Performing Arts Center, click on any of the links below.

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The Bellamy Brothers
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Blue Gate Performing Arts Center
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The Bellamy Brothers setlist:
1. Feelin’ The Feeling.     2. Kids Of The Baby Boom.     3. Dancin’ Cowboys.     4. Some Broken Hearts Never Mend (Don Williams cover).     5. Sugar Daddy.     6. Do You Love As Good As You Look. (Johnny Lee cover).     7. Lovers Live Longer.     8. I Could Be Pursuaded.     9. When I’m Away From You.     10. Rip Off The Knob.     11. Vertical Expression (Of Horizontal Desire).     12. Old Hippie.     13. Crazy From The Heart.     14. Forget About Me.     15. You Ain’t Just Whistlin’ Dixie.     16. Lie To You For Your Love.     17. I Need More Of You.     18. For All The Wrong Reasons.     19. Get Into Reggae Cowboy.     20. If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me.     21. Let Your Love Flow.     22. Redneck Girl.     Encore: 23. If You Ever Leave

Event Date: 27-AUG-2020