Presented by Spirit of '68 Gully Boys

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.