Finding Home Through Music at Eddy’s
When Jim Weander and his wife, Susan, moved to the Geist area 18 months ago, there was one place that immediately felt right: Eddy’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill.
“It was the first place we went to,” he recalls. “We immediately fell into the local vibe. The only thing missing was live music to make it home.”
Today, that missing piece has been filled — not just for him, but for the growing community of regulars who now gather to hear him play. Thanks to the support of Eddy’s owners, Dianna and Ryan, what started as a fresh start in a new state has become a full-circle musical homecoming.
After spending 25 years playing music in Hawaii, stepping back into the local music scene in Indiana might have felt intimidating. Instead, it felt natural.
“Since I just started back into the music scene after 25 years playing in Hawaii, I feel like ‘home,’ aka Eddy’s, was the perfect place to start,” he says.
His time in Hawaii shaped him into a versatile performer. In a tourism-driven environment where audiences changed nightly, adaptability wasn’t optional — it was essential. One evening might call for traditional Hawaiian melodies, while the next demanded classic rock, country or island-inspired covers.
“You had to cover everything,” he explains. “Dust the guitar with a little of this and a little of that and watch the crowd for what works.”
That experience prepared him well for playing in Geist. He now arrives at each show with a “potential set list” of 60 to 80 songs, ready to pivot depending on the mood in the room. Reading the crowd has become second nature, and at Eddy’s, the crowd often rewards that attentiveness.
One of his favorite moments happened when he noticed a young man — his neighbor’s son in his 20s — quietly mouthing every word to a song he was playing.
“That showed me I was reaching him and his parents,” he says. “That meant a lot.”
Of course, not all moments are quiet ones. “You can’t beat a table of six ladies jumping up to dance and dragging everyone in arm’s reach to join in,” he adds with a laugh.
Those spontaneous bursts of energy are part of what make neighborhood venues special. Unlike tourist hot spots, places like Eddy’s are built on familiarity. Faces return. Conversations continue. Music becomes shared memory.
Still, breaking into a new music scene wasn’t without its challenges. In Hawaii, he says, “everyone knew everyone that played.” In Indiana, he arrived as a stranger in a scene where many performers already had established relationships and booking agents.
“It was a little daunting,” he admits.
But the local music community proved welcoming. Musicians like Orvis Kirkland, of Orvis and Friends and Flying Toasters, invited him to sit in during performances, giving him a chance to experience the neighborhood scene from behind the microphone.
“That friendship built my confidence to ask to play at different venues,” he says.
Dan Stackpoole at Portofino was the first to give him a shot locally. Soon after, Dianna Miller opened the doors at Eddy’s — bringing his story full circle to the very place that first felt like home.
His next performance at Eddy’s is scheduled for March 5, and he’s especially looking forward to seeing familiar faces. “Shout out to Bridgewater!” he adds, recognizing the neighbors who have become loyal supporters.
Beyond local shows, music remains woven into his everyday life. He and his wife travel in their 38-foot motorhome, often finding themselves at campgrounds and wineries across the country — places where, inevitably, a guitar comes out and a crowd gathers.
“I love playing at private parties where I can mingle with the crowd,” he says. Whether at Eddy’s, a backyard gathering or a campground under the stars, the goal remains the same: connection.
And in Geist, he’s found exactly that — one song at a time.
