Glasgow indie-punk band Gallus have gone from playing small venues in the city to touring across the UK and Europe – but guitarist Gianluca Bernacchi says there is still a gap in Glasgow’s live music scene.
The band formed in 2017 after cousins Paul and Eamon Ewins joined forces with Barry Dolan, with the band taking its name from a Glasgow pub where the group used to meet. Gianluca Bernacchi later joined on guitar, with Matt McGoldrick completing the current line-up.
Their reputation grew through energetic live shows and appearances at festivals including TRNSMT, Primavera Sound, SXSW and The Great Escape. The band also supported Biffy Clyro before releasing their debut album, We Don’t Like The People We’ve Become, in 2023.
Now, as they prepare to release their second album Life Is Bliss on September 25, Gallus are reflecting on the Glasgow venues that helped shape the city’s music scene.
Speaking about the loss of the ABC, Bernacchi said Glasgow is missing a venue that sits between the smaller clubs and larger arenas.
“I think what Glasgow really misses since the death of the ABC is a venue of that size,” he said.
“Like 1,000-cap venue where you don’t have a 1,000-cap venue in Glasgow apart from the Galvanizers and SWG3.”
Bernacchi said the city now has a gap between venues holding a few hundred people and larger spaces with capacities of around 2,000 or more.
He said the ABC previously provided an important stop for touring artists who were not quite ready for the city’s biggest stages.
“Back in the day in the ABC, you would have good sized touring acts come and bring people to that point of the city,” he added.
Gallus’ second album explores themes including anxiety, disappearing communities and the changing face of Glasgow, with the band continuing to draw on their experiences of the city.
The musicians are due to play a headline hometown show at The Art School in Glasgow on October 2.