Mainland was the first band that played at the Sucre show at Webster Hall (presented by Nylon Magazine) on Saturday night.
Mainland managed to draw in a sizeable crowd, and their best songs were “Margot” (the chorus of which is really catchy) and their penultimate song “The Stroll” (music video below).
+Mainland on Facebook and Twitter
“The Stroll”:
I spoke to Christy (Carlson) Romano, who you know from Disney shows like Kim Possible and Even Stevens, about doing Broadway, being a writer and director, and how music-centric entertainment for kids has changed over the years.
After The Show: So you’ve done Broadway as both a child and an adult – how do you keep up the mental energy and physical stamina to perform night after night?
Christy Romano: You pretty much don’t have any other life but doing the show. It wears on your voice singing…if it’s a straight play you have more leeway, but pretty much you have to be dedicated to the show, just focusing on it. The upside is that you get to sleep late, but it’s tough on your body. You almost have to look at it like you’re an athlete.
When I was doing Beauty and the Beast I was getting acupressure and acupuncture weekly, on top of throat massages, and inhalers for my vocal chords!
You’ve balanced acting, film, academics, theatre, & music seemingly very effectively. Do you have any advice for kids and teens about achieving success, maintaining balance, and not burning out?
I think I did burn out after doing Beauty and the Beast and ran on fumes after coming back to LA & having a record deal and a book deal…My biggest advice would be ‘everything in moderation.’
In summer when I was on hiatus from Even Stevens I would be doing computer camp or basketball camp or sailing camp. There was one summer I loved doing sailing camp.
My mom was my manager and got me grounded, which is important [for kids] even when they get older. Have a real life outside their passion or dream…it’s great when they can coexist and help each other…my fiancé is also my business partner now, but we keep life separate.
What can you share about your current projects? I know you started Interstitial Productions & have been working on a short & a feature too?
Yes, that’s correct! I started directing, went back to school (Columbia University) for directing. I’m waiting to hear about AFI and hoping to go there in August, so my fingers are crossed right now. I directed a music video that did really well on YouTube — We had a lot of hits – over a million within a month.
The Mad Musician — Steph Gold is his name. Our budget for “The Sun” was small and that went well – there was buzz about it. I’d love to direct other music videos. Music and singing is always going to be my first love and first talent, but there’s so many things I want to do that are surrounding our industry.
Everyone Says I Love You is one of my favorite movies, so I think it’s so funny that you had a bit part as the singing Chiquita Banana.
I think it’s so funny too. I know someone really knows my work well when they mention that, because it’s so obscure. I’m so young in it and that was cool because I met Woody Allen.
Originally there was another girl — this flapper girl singing a different song — who played the banana and they actually recast her with me after they shot her. They wanted a different image…I guess they fired the old banana and put me in [laughs].
You authored the novel Grace’s Turn [Hyperion]. What was your goal with that book? Is that kind of writing something you might want to do again?
Absolutely. I’m in talks and writing a presentation to make another Young Adult book that’s somewhat based on Valley of The Dolls. I’m really excited about that and hopefully Hyperion will like it. My goal [with Grace’s Turn] was to do something different and share my knowledge in a different way – sort of a snapshot/semi-autobiographic take on my experience.
From your perspective how has kid-oriented music entertainment changed over the past 10 years?
Thank you for asking because I really do think about this all the time, having been someone who’s lived it. Even Stevens was the first [Disney TV] show to ever do a musical – way before Glee and way before High School Musical.
We did really well in our ratings that Disney decided to do more music stuff…and decided that was a direction that they wanted to take, when they started seeing that music was really important to the audience. In a way we feel responsible for paving the way for all these kids now.
If I were to see a Selena Gomez or Vanessa Hudgens – I did see Vanessa Hudgens a few years ago and she was so respectful and thanked me. When you’re a Disney kid you look up to the people who came before you. I’m impressed with the talent – the kids on Disney get more and more talented.
I’m glad you said that because a lot of people don’t realize the impact the music-centric Even Stevens episodes had. Do you have a favorite episode, music-related or not?
I remember this one episode where I had a pig that I had to be followed around with – it was a Sadie Hawkins day dance – I had to act with the pig and it was really sweet. Besides that I definitely didn’t like the one where I had to get a sundae dumped on me.
I liked the musical one [“Influenza: The Musical”] probably the best.
You’ve co-written some songs with The Matrix – what was that like?
Pretty fantastic. After my record deal with Atlantic I had a development deal and developed some songs with The Matrix and Kara DioGuardi – two development deals essentially. I learned so much as a songwriter.
I don’t really write music anymore. I was trying to find my voice because I didn’t want to be the type of person who was just going into it for the sake of it / the platform. What I wanted to do was more of a Sheryl Crow thing [than Katy Perry] and it was before women were coming out and having success with that. It kind of just didn’t work out and I think I’m okay with that.
You’ve mentioned that living in LA as an adult vs as a child actor feels really different. How so?
When I was younger I was really busy working and as an adult it’s really hard to stand out from the crowd. If you’re not a character actor, you’re just like everyone else. You have to be at the right place at the right time, and the writer or director has to like you for some reason – it’s so picky. Living here requires a lot of strategy.
Thank you Christy! Check out her brand new official website.
After The Show: So how do you like Thornton [USC School of Music]? What kinds of classes are you taking?
Kathryn Gallagher: I love it! It’s such an amazing program. I take songwriting and pop harmony, performance classes and guitar lessons…anything you need, you can find there. It’s so exciting.
In terms of business, what are your goals? Do you want to sign with a label or publisher?
I want to make my first record and release it. I want to work with everyone, try everything, and make a really good record. I love performing – my dream is to go on tour with my own music…that seems like the most perfect thing in the world.
Right now we’re working on my first music video, for a song called “Damaged” that was placed in this movie Thanks For Sharing (with Gwyneth Paltrow and Mark Ruffalo).
I love your song “How Do I Grow Up” – it’s so, so good. Do you want to share the inspiration or how the song came about?
Yes, thank you! That song I wrote for the movie Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You. The director loved another song of mine so much that he sent me the script and I wrote a song. He said that it was too sad…so I got [to watch] the scene in an email –Toby Regbo is running with his therapist – and picked up my guitar and the song [“How Do I Grow Up”] was done in 20 minutes. I know exactly this feeling of not knowing what to do.
I was a senior in high school waiting to hear back from colleges – I saw that scene…I really identified with this kid — the feeling ‘I don’t know anything, I don’t know what I’m doing.’ It came out of this crazy point of desperation. It’s a really confused desperation. And after I finished it – maybe it’s okay that I don’t know. No one’s going to tell me and I just have to figure it out.
That’s cool – I didn’t know that you wrote the song specifically for the movie/scene. What qualities do you look for in collaborators/musicians to write or perform with?
Humor and honesty. Honesty’s a big one. I start any co-write with just talking. Openness and all the things I look for in a friend. And also talent is always lovely [laughs], but it really is almost further down on the list. You have to like them as a person, especially because co-songwriting can be such an awkward thing…you have to be honest and open, and that’s not an easy thing to do at all.
I’ve noticed that many kids of actors or musicians, who also want to do something creative with their lives, often face a backlash and resentment, and accusations of nepotism. Is that something you’ve had to deal with at all?
It’s funny because it’s definitely present but I’ve never had another dad [Peter Gallagher], and I never will…I love my dad because he’s an amazing dad. Both of my parents are amazingly supportive and I feel so lucky because of that.
I’ve been around it my whole life – my dad lives in that actor/musician world – so I definitely think it helps being around [the] creative. So I understand that more than, like, finance. I know there can be weird feelings or questioning…times when people assume that I get certain things because of whatever reason, but I just work and try to make my parents proud. There’s not much I can do about it. I wouldn’t trade my parents for anyone.
I discovered your music via Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You. What about licensing – is there a type of film or certain kind of scene where your songs would naturally/thematically fit well?
That’s interesting – I’ve never thought about that. I think any scene where anyone is very confused or sad or self-deprecating, my songs would just fit right in there [laughs]. I write from such a personal point of view that I’m always surprised when a song can take on so many other meanings. It’s such an honor that anyone would want to use my songs.
And serious question: Your thoughts on Taylor Swift vs Miley Cyrus, in terms of the quality of their music + career longevity?
I’m a huge fan of both honestly. I’ve been listening to Taylor Swift since her first record. I’ve been loving Taylor Swift forever — I think she’s such an amazing songwriter…her tour is amazing. And Miley Cyrus – I totally watched Hannah Montana.
They’re so different – I hope they both have really long careers and are extremely successful, I think they’re so cool and so honest about who they are and what they stand for.
Thanks Kathryn! Check out KathrynGallagherMusic.com + stay updated on new music/shows on Facebook & Twitter @kathryng
Rilo Kiley released their official music video for “Let Me Back In” on the RKives project.
(“Let Me Back In” used to be titled “I Love LA.”)
A band called Edsel covered “Good Good Things” by Descendents.
It’s pretty similar to the original, but I like that it has a slightly slower tempo:
So many songs reference other songs, bands, or albums. Other songs are about music itself.
Here are some good “meta songs” off the top of my head…what other ‘songs about songs’ do you know and like?
“Gimme Sympathy” by Metric (“the Beatles or the Rolling Stones”):
“Blonde on Blonde” by Nada Surf:
“Pink Wig To My Salieri” by The Jealous Girlfriends:
“Popstars” by Rooney:
“Ben Lee” by The Ataris:
“Let It Rain” by Tilly & The Wall:
© 2026 After The Show
Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑
