The punk rock trio, 8 Inch Betsy, has made a name for itself outside of their home base of Chicago.
As an openly gay group, they describe their music as a mix between the bands Social Distortion, Joan Jett and Green Day.
The band is currently preparing for a tour that will take them all over the East Coast. The tour, which kicks off on March 4 in Lexington, Ky., will hit Columbus March 8 at Vic’s Midnight Café on Fifth Avenue.
The all-female group includes base player and backup vocalist Liz Burke, lead singer and guitarist Megan Galbraith, and drummer Stephanie Levi.
Burke and Levi played in bands together in Tucson, Ariz. for years prior to 8 Inch Betsy and after a bandmate left their group, they decided they needed to acquire a new lead singer. This is where Galbraith came in to be a part of today’s 8 Inch Betsy.
“Steph and I played in a band in Tucson in the late ‘90s and early 2000s and we really connected. Then, we saw Megan play and we just knew she would really work well with us,” Burke said.
Although Burke said that she only started to become interested in playing music when she was in her early 20s, she has since learned to love the music world and has strayed away from her college aspirations of becoming a social worker.
Not only do Burke and her bandmates enjoy the constant Mexican food the band consumes, but they also enjoy the lifestyle they are fortunate enough to be a part of.
“We get to travel, we get to meet a lot of cool people. It is always a positive experience to play for a lot of youth,” Burke said.
All of 8 Inch Betsy’s songs are originally written by Galbraith and encompass themes that include everyday life situations that relate to the common person.
“Our songs are inspired by life experiences, relationships and everything that you can’t say out loud,” Galbraith said.
The “Betsys,” as some fans refer to the group, are under the label 307 Knox Records, which is located in Durham, N.C. The record label is home to many indie bands and first hit the scene in 2004. The band will be releasing their first album with 307 Knox Records, their second overall, this coming spring. The album is called “The Mean Days.”
Unlike other bands, 8 Inch Betsy does not have any sort of pre-performance ritual, but Burke notes that in order to perform she must put on her “nerd gear,” and it is essential for Galbraith to take one shot of whiskey to loosen up before a show.
The trio also exudes a calm demeanor off stage. They see that their current experience on the road is once-in-a-lifetime. Each time they get on stage, they feel lucky to do what they are doing. As Burke describes, she is solely in the business for the music. In order to continue to affect people, they know it is important to just keep playing and become a stable fixture in pop culture.
“We certainly want to keep going, keep touring and get to as many people as possible. We really want to make this a permanent thing,” Burke said.
Not only will 8 Inch Betsy be in town on March 8, they head to Columbus again during their tour two more times. On May 21 they will perform at Havana on North High Street. They will also be participating in the Columbus Pride festival on June 18.
