CultureLoad

Play The Gallery: Single-handedly to success?

A new album, their own label - Four rocking Gallerysts at full force.

What does a band do? Play instruments or sing. Ok, at best writing the own songs. This is not enough for Play The Gallery. They will found their own label soon, are working on a new album and take matters into their own rocking hands, from recordings in their own studio and merchandising to shooting music videos. Play The Gallery, this are Tanja (28, Vocals), Daniel (25, Guitar/Vocals), Lukas (24, Bass/Shouting) and Jonas (25, Drums).

The band has its origins 10 years back by now, in three guys, who love to play music and prefer to do it loud. Daniel remembers: “It all started in Jonas’ little bedsit with various reports at the police for disturbance of the peace.” Then, in 2005, Tanja found her way into the men’s club.

Since then, much has happened with the Gallerysts musically. Tanja recounts: “When I listen to my voice from four years ago, I think a little girl is singing.” That much critique for the own work? After all, the band won the “Rockförderpreis” in their hometown Siegen in 2005 and can look back at a range of nationwide performances with Die Happy, Luxuslärm and Tribute to Nothing amongst others. Daniel qualifies with a smile and explains: “Sometimes I was already kind of discontent right after we completed a number. Actually, you never really finish a song. But meanwhile, I’m less critical and often think: ‘That’s rather good stuff you made!”

Nevertheless, throughout their five years together, Play The Gallery have not only matured musically and become more precise, they have also carved out the common sound of the band from four individually different styles of music. Powerfully dashing Alternative Rock, combined with a uncompromisingly striking female voice and thunderous Shoutings of the bassist in the background. Danceable, ready to sing along and still exceptional, kind of different – that’s Play The Gallery. Their music raises the pressure, there’s hardly time to breathe.

This however, is to be a little bit more balanced on the new album. The band will of course remain faithful to the dashing rock, but want to strike a gentler tune as well. “Listening to our current songs, I’m almost losing my hearing”, Daniel jokes explanatory. The four of them want to present the album to their fans till the end of this year. One thing is for sure by now: it will be Gallerystic through and through. Play The Gallery wants to ensure this by founding its own Label. Daniel illustrates: “The good thing is: everything we will do by then, will be homegrown.” In order to harvest this homegrown fruits as soon as possible, “we lock ourselves in our rehearsal room and solely write songs.”, he says confidently.

Anyway, strictly speaking they are a live band. Tanja agrees and adds: “Standing only in the rehearsal room would be no thing for me, I want to share my music with someone.” For her, every gig was like a kind of short vacation from the everyday live, she continues. The other members of the band also enjoy to fully let our the energy of their music on stage. Daniel becomes enthusiastic thinking of concerts they’ve played: “I just like it so much, hearing our music through a really wicked stereo equipment. When Jonas is really tucking the first bass drum…”

The stage also gave the band their best experience so far. They were the headliner at the Endless Summer Open Air, but they nearly missed the show… “We were scheduled to play at 22:15. We drove there shortly before – with an old navigation system. I suppose it didn’t know some of the streets by then. When we arrived according to the GPS, we were in the middle of nowhere”, Daniel reports. That was their best experience? Tanja clarifies: “When we finally made it to the festival, we immediately went on stage. We had not much time to be concerned about something or to get nervous. This was great. You’re much more impulsive and you are instinctively doing everything exactly the right way. Last but not least, it was a wicked stage and wicked people!”

Everyone, who wants to experience Play The Gallery live, can see them on June 13th at the Days of Music and Culture in Puderbach or on September 18th at the NRW Tag in Siegen. Apart from that, interested Gallery visitors may have to be patient until the new album is released. To shorten the waiting time, you can already listen to and download some songs on CultureLoad for your own private home-concert. With this in mind: “Burn the gates down!”

Magdalena Schüßler
Editorial Team