Gully Boys and Bad Bad Hats at Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC, August 4, 2022

Gully Boys

Gully Boys and Bad Bad Hats at Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC, August 4, 2022,

Aug 11, 2022 By Drew Drain Photography by Drew Drain Web Exclusive

The Gully Boys took the stage of the Cat’s Cradle Backroom promptly at 8:00. The three-piece band comprised of Nadirah McGill (drummer/vocalist), Kathy Callahan (vocalist/guitar), and Natalie Klemond (vocalist/bass) recently added Mariah Mercedes (guitarist) to the lineup. The initial sounds of the opening crunchy chords immediately transported me back to the mid-1990’s when bands like Babes in Toyland, 7 Year Bitch, and L7 were putting out great music, but unfortunately, they did not receive the same levels of commercial success in the male dominated scene. Thankfully, The Gully Boys must have plugged-in to the underground enough to have heard those records. I guess growing up so close to the legendary Minneapolis rock-club, First Avenue, helped them be more aware than others that weren’t so lucky to have those bands touring through their backyards. It felt like I could draw a direct line from those bands, through Helium and Ex Hex to The Gully Boys.

The Gully Boys sunk their claws in deep and put on a real rock show. Kathy Callahan, with her guitar slung low, provided the lead vocals and guitar for much of the set, which included tracks from the 2018 full-length release Not so Brave, the 2021 EP Favorite Son, and the See You See single released in June. The drumming and vocals of McGill linked up well with the bass of Klemond, and Mercedes guitar fit right in as the final member of the rhythm section.

I was able to catch up with Nadirah McGill at the merch table for a couple of minutes after the show. Unfortunately, they were never able to recover much of the gear stolen from their van in October 2021. McGill’s 1970s Ludwig Red Vistalite kit, which they only got to play once, was one of the items stolen and still missing. It’s awful that their dream kit was stolen, but thankfully, McGill continued drumming despite the stolen gear. New singles should be coming “soon-ish” according to Mcgill, and hopefully, a new album won’t be too far behind. The Gully Boys are on the road through mid-October.

Bad Bad Hats are an indie pop band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. They, Kerry Alexander (vocals and guitar), Chris Hodge (bass and vocals), and Connor Davison (drums and vocals) took the stage pretty quickly following The Gully Boys set. Alexander, who must be a mathematician in her spare time away from the band, promised that the set would include 8/10 of the bands 2021 album Walkman. Alexander’s witty remarks and stage banter kept the audience entertained between songs. I am usually a “less talk and more rock” kind of guy, but I found myself really enjoying her stories. My personal favorite was hearing about her time studying abroad in Paris during college. Apparently, about halfway through finishing a sandwich (le sandwich in French), she realized she’d eaten most of the wrapper. She also informed the audience that despite widely held beliefs that Bad Bad Hats did not invent the guitar and bass player back-to-back rock and roll maneuver.

The setlist included songs on such diverse topics as making sure to let loved ones know how you feel when you have the chance in Priority, enjoying gas station snacks from SuperAmerica (now rebranded as Speedway) in their single Speedway, and the Buffalo Bills legacy of not winning most of the time in an infectious tune called Wide Right. The bands rhythm section offered an inspired performance. Hodge on bass and Davison on drums put on a cohesive performance, and it provided the perfect canvas for Alexander’s guitar and lyrics. As an aside, I must confess that I am envious of the mustache Davison has cultivated on his upper lip. Try as I might, I’ve never been able to grow one of my own. He wears it well, and it fits in nicely with his expressive face and kinetic drumming style.

Unfortunately for me, but fortunately for the band, a crush of happy concert goers surrounding the merchandise table kept me from being able to catch up with the band after the show. Bab Bad Hats are continuing their tour, but Kiss the Tiger will replace Gully Boys as the support act after the August 7 show at Johnny Brenda’s in Philadelphia. The band has dates announced through the end of September, and I hope they continue to put out catchy tunes with great hooks for a long time to come.