For these professional musicians, the rock band circuit has come full circle….literally.
The four members of the band “Full Circle” were playing music back in the pre-internet heyday of the 80s and 90s when big crowds were the norm at local rock clubs Wednesday through Saturday nights, and musicians could make a living playing cover songs to adoring fans.
“We’re seeing people our age coming back out to the clubs, now that their children are all grown up and they’re finding themselves, empty nesters,” states Gary Ross, band founder, and lead guitarist. “It’s not the same scene as it was in the 1980s but the vibe is still alive. We all have a lot less hair and we don’t wear spandex anymore, but we’re keeping the energy going doing what we love.”
Full Circle is a hard-working rock cover band that’s been performing in Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut since 1993. The four-member band of talented musicians, backed by a professional sound and light system, performs a variety of dance-able rock sets ranging from Adele and Alice in Chains to The Who and Led Zeppelin. The band is known for its versatility in playing virtually any genre of rock and “sounding just like the record.”
Full Circle, which started out as a guitar duo act, used to play out every weekend on both Friday and Saturday nights, with a regular gig on a weeknight also. In 2007, Gary decided to expand it into a four-piece act adding drums and another singer. That year, lead singer and keyboardist Betty Galligan joined the band, bringing outstanding vocal talent, piano skills and 18 years of experience from being in her brother’s rock band. Over the years, band members have come and gone, but Gary and Betty are the mainstays with drummer/vocalist Mick Coste who joined in 2010 after a year’s worth of “fill in” drummers and recently added bassist Dave Plante who has been with the band for the past four months.
“It’s extraordinary to be able to play together all these years with talented musicians who are also your friends,” Betty notes. “We’re like siblings who all get along, have a great time, and play beautiful music together. The audience can tell if you’re not feeling it. We feel blessed to be able to do this every weekend.”
Everyone in the band has a demanding day job, and all have spouses who are supportive of their hobby. “If it weren’t for music, we’d go crazy,” Gary comments. “We look forward to doing this on the weekends to relieve stress from the week.”
With thousands of gigs collectively under their belts, the bandmates have seen a lot of change in the rock cover band circuit. Many places they’ve played in the past are no longer in business. The club owners today, however, are keeping the band circuit alive and Full Circle is so grateful for their support of live music.
“The biggest change for me was when smoking was outlawed in bars and clubs – if it weren’t for that, I’d not be playing because the smoke negatively impacted my singing voice and health,” recalls Betty. “But maybe I’d be sounding a lot more like Janis Joplin! We’d see people put their coats on and leave during a gig and thought it was because they didn’t like what we were playing, but they are only going outside to have a cigarette.”
People are generally busier nowadays with a lot more options for entertainment including staying home on their couch with Netflix. How does Full Circle compete? “In the old days, you had to go out for fun and socialization in order to meet people,” Betty adds. “In recent years, we have played gigs where you look out into the young crowd and see faces lit up with blue light because they’re looking down at their phones texting their friends standing right next to them. We’d play a bunch of songs from 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm to hardly anyone because everyone would just be getting to the bar at midnight! There was also an era when karaoke was way more popular than live music. We’ve had to keep up with the times, learning new popular non-rock songs along the way like Poker Face and Katy Perry tunes to throw into the mix.”
Full Circle continues to rock night clubs, restaurants, and bars on the local scene including Escada Bar, Lou’s Café, Renegades, Twisted Hop, Broadway Lounge, and The Narragansett Cafe. Gary and Betty have a duo act called “Betty and G” which performs at Quinn’s Irish Pub and the Harmony Café. You can follow them on Facebook to catch their busy schedule.
“We plan to play until we get really old and can’t do it any longer,” jokes Gary. “Rock and roll keeps us alive – just look at Keith Richards.”
