This Way To The Egress

This Way To The Egress

This Way To The Egress is a six-piece group from the United States, founded in 2008 by front man Taylor Galassi and based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The band tours nationally as a unit from 2010 and plays a mix of cabaret, dark cabaret, steampunk, gypsy punk and circus punk, using accordion, violin, tuba, electric guitar, trombone, piano and drums.

Style and performance

The group combines vaudeville, world beat and circus elements with shifting styles, costumes and time signatures. Its live performances include confetti, chanting, puppetry and theatrical fire-wielding characters, alongside a propulsive beat and dense arrangements. The band is known for an energetic stage presence and for using unusual instrumentation to give its songs distinctive textures.

Band members and influences

The members are Taylor Galassi, Sarah Shown, John Wentz, Zach Martin, Jaclyn Kidd and Joe Lynch. The band’s influences include Primus, Tom Waits, The Flaming Lips, Gogol Bordello, Madonna, Django Reinhardt, Queen and Die Antwoord. It has played more than 400 shows across the United States and performs internationally as well.