I recently had the opportunity to sit down and have a chat with Barry from the electrifying indie-punk outfit, Gallus, regarding their upcoming tour, joining the Marshall Live Agency, and more!
Back in January you announced your new venture in working alongside Marshall Amp’s live agency, how has this been so far?
We’ve had a blast getting to know the team at Marshall! It’s very impressive the moves they have put in place for us whilst the music scene has been somewhat halted for so long. We can’t wait to see what they can do when the show is fully on the road!
For many people the DIY Big Bank Holiday Weekender in May would have been the first sight of a live music event in over a year, how was the experience of playing in front of a crowd again after such a long time?
The DIY gig was very special to us. There were bands on that lineup that I have been wanting to share a stage with for a while and it was brilliant to be back in that kind of environment. The crowd had to remain seated but because it was their first gig in so long, they still showed a lot of energy. It was a great taste of what’s to come with all the restrictions easing.
Do you have a pre-gig ritual to get you in the zone before walking out on stage?
It’s been so long that I’ve honestly forgotten what we get up to before going on stage. At the DIY show we had a few pints with some lunch and it was very chill. I’d like to perhaps keep that going for future shows.
What upcoming Scottish artists have been on Gallus’ playlist rotation lately?
We’re really loving what Dutch Wine are getting up to at the moment! There’s a lot of bands that have been killing it with releases during lockdown which is great to see. Eamon and I lived with Blair from Dead Pony during lockdown and every song they release gets better and better. Nu Cros, Voodos, Baby Strange, Lizzie Reid, Doss and Walt Disco have also been frequenting my on repeat for months!
What can fans expect from new music? A continuation/ development of Gallus’ unique sound, or is there a new direction the band plan to head in?
We were really all over the place (in our own way) before Covid. We took the time to really focus on what we are as a band and work on a more cohesive sound. We’re buzzing to show everyone what we’ve been working on.
From a fan’s perspective, Gallus’ animated live performance is a stand-out trait, is this something that comes completely natural to you or has it been developed through confidence of playing more shows?
We’ve always been 5 guys that never take ourselves too seriously. That’s made it easier for us to go for it on stage. It’s as natural as it possibly can be. We never want what we do to look forced. We just want to have fun and we want the crowd to have fun with us!
How has the band’s writing process developed through the years? Do you have a method you stick to that works best, or does each song have its own unique process?
We have one main format but it does change sometimes. Usually, Eamon comes with an idea and the guys flesh it out sonically, after that either myself or Eamon and I work on the lyrics. It’s what we’ve always found works best. The 5 of us have different music tastes so the real test is coming up with something we all love but we always get there in the end.
How are you feeling about your upcoming UK tour in December? Also, what was your reaction to selling out King Tuts in under a day?
Couldn’t be more excited about the tour. This is something we’ve all wanted to do for years and now it’s actually happening. We’ve worked very hard and can’t wait to embarrass ourselves up and down the country. We really didn’t expect selling out Tuts so quickly, it was a very nice feeling. Now, all we need to do is wait and show everyone a new and (hopefully) improved Gallus!
Big thanks to Barry for the chat, be sure to grab a ticket to see the lads on their upcoming UK tour while you still can! Check out Gallus’ social media below for details.