Arcy Drive Lights Up Turner Hall Ballroom With Indie Rock Hits

Even if the weekend is over, that doesn’t mean you still can’t have fun on Monday. May 4th, 2026, Arcy Drive played Turner Hall Ballroom to a crowd of awaiting fans. It was a surprisingly warm night for downtown Milwaukee compared to the last couple chilly days, with fans walking into the venue wearing dresses, shorts, and big smiles.

Turner Hall sits steps away from the riverwalk of downtown Milwaukee and right across from arena Fiserv Forum. Originally  built in 1882 by the city’s German-American Turner Society, the venue evolved from a place of gymnastics and political gatherings into one of the city’s most distinctive live music venues. Designed by Henry C. Koch, the hall’s large ballroom, with its high ceilings, balcony, and natural acoustics, made it an ideal space for performances even in its early years, when it hosted dances and musical events for the local community. Over time, Turner Hall has been shifted, with a stronger focus on concerts and weddings, attracting a wide range of touring artists across genres.

To start the night off, Arcy Drive brought up a stand-up comedian who I just can’t find the name of. He took the stage to a small group of fans who were early arrivers to the upcoming show which didn’t start until 8. To those who took the chance being early they were gifted a short comedy stint which offered a change of pace for the expected musical openers.

After a bit of laughter and as the venue started to fill up, musician, Colin Palmier gave fans a strong performance, showing off his solo skills as a trained saxophonist. The artist avidly post on social media with tutorials and updates on daily life as he joins Arcy Drive on their “The Pit Tour.”

Colin Palmieri is a young American saxophonist, composer, and educator from Cleveland, Ohio. He began playing jazz at a young age and developed his skills through programs like the Tri-C JazzFest Academy before going on to study music education at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. As a student and emerging artist, he started leading his own groups, including quartets and quintets, performing bebop, blues, and original compositions. Now in his early 20s, Palmieri is active in the Cincinnati jazz scene as a bandleader and collaborator, co-leading projects like the Hoschar-Palmieri Quintet and continuing to perform, teach, and compose.

For tonights show Palmieri played a handful of popular songs, giving them a jazz twist as he played over the tracks with his saxophone. Fans sang along to the hit songs once encouraged by Palmieri while also dancing with the jazzy tunes.

Then at around 8:45 the band everyone was waiting for took the stage. Arcy Drive is an indie rock band from Northport, Long Island, New York. The band takes its name from the actual street where the group first began playing together. Forming when four childhood friends, guitarist and vocalist Nick Mateyunas, guitarist Austin Jones, bassist Patrick Helrigel, and drummer Brooke Tuozzo, decided to start making music, initially just for fun.

What began as a casual project quickly developed into something more serious as they discovered a shared passion for songwriting and performing. By 2022, they started releasing music, including their debut single “Roll My Stone,” and began building a following through energetic live shows and social media. Their style, often described as “attic rock” or “shed rock,” reflects their DIY beginnings paired with strong live energy.

Over time, they released additional projects, gaining attention from larger audiences while performed at major festivals such as Outside Lands, Bonnaroo, Gov Ball, and Lollapollza, culminating in the release of their debut album The Pit in 2025.

The moment they stepped on stage, the crowd exploded as cheering, clapping, and dancing was all fans seemed to be able to do. As the band gave on hell of a performance, unlike any other show I have been to, the fans seemed incredibly supportive, calling out different band members names, cheering them on and shouting praise as they went through this following set list;

1. Under the Rug

2. Smoke & Fire

3. The Itch

4. Superbloomer

5. Roll My Stone

6. Mamacita

7. Time Shrinks (Acoustic)

8. Liquor Lips (Aborted)

9. Desert Song

10. Girlfriend

11. Seaside

12. What's In My Head

13. River

14. Creatures of the Night

15. Blister in the Sun

(Violent Femmes cover) (Snippet)

16. Night Moves

(Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band cover) (Snippet)

17. Artificial Doom

18. Louie

Encore:

19. Thrift Store

20. Wicked Styley

It was truly a sight to see compared to the usual digital landscape that is 2026. There were really few phones out, with Arcy drive fans truly seem to want to live in the moment as many danced, smiling at their friends or partner, cheering on the band, and clapping.

The historic Turner Hall ballroom seemed like a perfect place to host this Indie show. Their string lights and giant disco ball setting the scene for a time of dancing excitement and finally reminiscing as the night drew to an end. For anyone who hasn’t seen Arcy drive before, they’re really a band you should add to your radar if you’re looking for a show where you can truly just live, not worrying about social media or being scared to dance because everyone else wanted to, and it was really cool to see.