New Orleans is familiar with music, with brass bands and jazz musicians filling the streets and smoky clubs. It’s a city that always has a sound going, a place perfect for bands and performers of all kinds, which is exactly why the indie-rock group, The Gallery, fit right in. Hailing from Massachusetts, the four-man band made a NOLA stop on their tour, playing at the Southport Music Hall on July 31. Honestly, if you weren’t there, you should be kicking yourself right now. The band played easy-listening Tom Petty-esque tracks from their new album, Restless, available now. Where Y’at had a chance to sit down and chat with them before the show:
WYAT: Where does the name “The Gallery” stem from?
The Gallery: There’s really no exact meaning behind the name. We went to high school together and because there was a place called the gallery, we just thought it sounded catchy.
WYAT: What kind of music do you all listen to and how does it influence your personal sound?
The Gallery: We listen to Coldplay and groups who have a similar sound to us. While we’re touring and listening to other musicians play, we kind of go off of their stage presence and sound. If it’s something we like, then it influences us.
WYAT: What is the collaboration process like with 4 people?
The Gallery: We sort of just start with one concise idea and go from there, with all of us contributing something.
WYAT: What has been your favorite place to play?
The Gallery: Favorites that come to mind are Nashville and places in the South and the Midwest. We’re really enjoying New Orleans so far, too. One of the most memorable has been Chicago, and also a boat tour called The Rock Boat.
WYAT: How has your sound changed from when you first started out?
The Gallery: We’re always trying to get better and we find ourselves just going through a learning process. We have learned from a lot of our earlier music and albums.
WYAT: What’s it like to go from practicing in a basement to going on tour? What’s that transition like?
The Gallery: It’s great. Practicing in our parents’ basement helped us get here, and we’re grateful for that. This is our 6th tour and we love it.
