“Welcome to the Christian Mingle Jamboree.” Ron Gallo was quick to show off his sharp sense of humor as he welcomed his audience at Arlene’s Grocery Tuesday afternoon. Based out of Philadelphia, the former frontman of Toy Soldiers has joined forces with bassist Joe Bisirri and drummer Josh Aaron (both from The Lawsuits) to bring us his latest, self-titled project.
The floors shook as Gallo and his band filled the room with a heavy sound just as big as his hair. At times, that sound took on a bluesier vibe, other times it was more gritty, but it was rawly deliciously from start to finish. Gallo sang with an intense gaze, a piercing one that implies he might be seriously deep in thought, and it was impossible not to be drawn in. His rocking set was peppered with satire, widely evident in songs such as “Young Lady, You’re Scaring Me” and “Why Do You Have Kids?,” and left the crowd hooked on every word.
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Gallo’s uniquely powerful vocals were fiercely on display in his cover of Harry Nilsson’s “Early In the Morning.” His captivating voice is charged with emotion. It grabs you by the throat, pulling you closer with every line, and won’t let you go until his set is done.
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It’s hard to believe these guys have been playing together for less than a year, as they’ve got the presence and the tightness of a band that’s been playing together for quite some time. If you missed out on Tuesday’s performance, there’s still another shot to catch Ron Gallo at Leftfield this Saturday at 3:45pm.
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Ron Gallo
Article: Nicole Shyti
