(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- Outpost in the Burbs presents The Lone Bellow on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at the First Congregational Church of Montclair. Eli Kollman will open the night. Showtime is 8:00pm.
The Lone Bellow's latest album, "What A Time To Be Alive" captures the band's signature harmonies and heartfelt storytelling while boldly stepping into new sonic territory with their full touring ensemble. Written collaboratively for the first time with their full touring band — founding members Zach Williams, Brian Elmquist, and Kanene Pipkin joined by drummer Julian Dorio and multi-instrumentalist Tyler Geertsma — the album channels the raw, ecstatic energy of the band's live show into a dynamic collection of songs that pulse with warmth, honesty, and human connection.
Recorded live in Muscle Shoals, AL, after a writing retreat in a converted Kentucky firehouse, the album is both a celebration and a reckoning: of friendship, loss, love, and resilience. From the gritty, Stones-tinged opener "After The Rain" to the soul-stirring closer "What A Time To Be Alive," the record captures the joy and vulnerability that have long defined The Lone Bellow's sound — lush harmonies, heartfelt lyrics, and genre-blurring arrangements steeped in folk, rock, and gospel.
The album's creation was marked by setbacks, including the theft of early recordings, but the outpouring of support from their fanbase reaffirmed what the band has always known: their music is a shared experience. That spirit echoes throughout the album, whether in anthems like "Common Folk" and "I'm Here For You," or in intimate reflections like "You Were Leaving" and "Night Goes Black."
Tickets are $46.61 and available for purchase online. The First Congregational Church of Montclair is located at 40 S Fullerton Avenue in Montclair, New Jersey.
Since their acclaimed 2013 debut, The Lone Bellow has appeared on The Tonight Show, Austin City Limits, and The Late Show, topped Americana charts, and headlined storied venues from Carnegie Hall to the Ryman Auditorium. But with their latest album, they reaffirm their commitment not just to making music, but to building community — on stage, in song, and around the table.
Opener Eli Kollman was born and raised in West Texas, where he first developed a deep love for the arts. During high school, he began to seriously pursue that passion, drawing inspiration from artists across disciplines—actors, poets, and musicians alike—who shaped his desire to create.
His dedication led him to audition for and earn acceptance into The Juilliard School, where he relocated to New York City. While there, Eli immersed himself in the rich history and roots of the New York folk scene, studying both its legacy and its evolving sound. Blending these influences with his own West Texas upbringing, he began crafting a style that honors his inspirations while creating something entirely his own.
Outpost in the Burbs, located in Montclair, is unique in northern New Jersey. It's a place to enjoy live music on Friday and Saturday nights during the fall, winter and spring, and it's an organization that offers opportunities to serve others in the community. And all of this takes place thanks to our volunteers, about 100 of them.
Since its inception in 1987, the Outpost has produced more than 500 concerts by internationally known folk artists—Judy Collins, Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman, Richie Havens, J.D. Souther, Dar Williams—and more than 50,000 people have attended. Outpost volunteers have donated more than 35,000 hours of their time through our programs affiliated with Habitat for Humanity, Toys for Tots, Human Needs Food Pantry of Montclair, Toni's Kitchen, MESH, Community Food Bank of N.J., Dress for Success and the food pantry staffed by Outpost volunteers at Christ Episcopal Church in East Orange that feeds some 120 people a month.
