The Gully Boys origin story begins in the aisles of a Minneapolis thrift shop. Vocalist/guitarist Kathy Callahan (she/her) and co-worker Nadirah McGill (they/them) spent their days sharing dreams and building a friendship amongst racks of forgotten treasures. When Kathy confided her desire to sing in a band, it set off a groundswell of events: Nadi grabbed a pair of drumsticks, and the two invited middle school friend Natalie Klemond (she/her) to join on bass. From there, a cover of Best Coast’s “Girlfriend” marked the start of a journey fueled by undeniable chemistry, channeling the raw energy of legends like No Doubt, Garbage, and Hole into a sound that’s galvanizingly Gully.
Two years of relentless gigging followed, and earned Gully Boys the Best New Band crown by their local Minneapolis City Pages in 2018, shortly after the release of their debut demo collection, Not So Brave. Their anticipated follow-up EP, Phony, arrived in late 2019, just months before the live music world came to a halt. Inspired by this break in the action, the band added lead guitarist Mariah Mercedes (they/them), and worked with producer Zach Zurn at Carpet Booth Studio to release their Favorite Son EP (2021) and standout singles “See You See” (2022) and “Optimist” (2023).
Grounded in a bond as fierce as their sound, Gully Boys’ electrifying live performances have earned them spots on SXSW stages, Audiotree sessions, and tours alongside Nova Twins, Motion City Soundtrack, Destroy Boys, Bad Bad Hats, and more. From the iconic stage at Minneapolis’ First Avenue to national gigs that defy expectations, Gully Boys capture an ethos of equal parts anger and tenderness—fueling a journey that feels like it’s just getting started.
Pollyanna
Pollyanna are a three-piece New Jersey band – Jill Beckett (vocals/guitar), Daniel McCool (drums), and Brandon Bolton (bass) – blending elements of loud rock, pop and punk into an emotional roller coaster of fury and catharsis. Born from the DIY touring scene, Pollyanna have become a force in the tri-state music scene, fusing pissed-off, “burn the world down” energy with moments of queer joy, trans pride, and raw vulnerability.
Following their I Surrender Records debut “Slime”, the band are keeping momentum high with their razor-sharp new single “Gravedigger,” recorded with Brett Romnes (Hot Mulligan, Mom Jeans, The Front Bottoms). With their new sophomore album, “Weirdo”, Pollyanna are taking bold new steps, articulating the journey of trading hatred for joy, and they’re just getting started.
