BRUNSWICK

Six months ago, Joe Gallant of Portland — via Wiscasset and Bath — performed before a packed house at the Frontier Café in Fort Andross.

Well, Gallant and guitar will make a return engagement this Saturday and bring along a few friends for the ride.

“Since January I’ve put together a band,” said the 25- year-old, who draws his musical inspiration from the likes of Robert Cray and Eric Clapton.

“Brian ‘Sponge’ Savage plays bass and Matt Snell plays the drums. The other guitarist is Sam Berce.”

Savage and Snell are from the Bath area, while Berce hails from Auburn. The band practices in Sponge’s basement.

“Matt and I just started talking about getting together to play, but with no real intent of anything coming out of it … just to hang out together,” said Gallant, who put out a solo CD “My Own Divide” last October. “And, things went well from there.

“It’s more fun and I think the band gives us a lot more freedom and a lot more energy,” added Gallant, a waiter in his “off ” hours. “And, it’s tough to play bigger venue shows by yourself. I’ve done that and it’s fun, but it’s not the same.”

The band’s song list “is still being hashed out,” said Gallant. “We have more country tunes now, more blues songs, some reggae-sounding stuff. We’re still trying to figure out how this all is going to mesh.”

The band recently performed at the Old Port Festival and there was a “big show” at The Asylum in Portland with the Mallett Brothers Band, featuring Luke and Will, sons of famed folk singer Dave Mallett.

“They’re like the hottest act in town,” praised Gallant.

Forming a band to play out in public forced adjustments for Gallant & Co.

“This has been a great challenge for all of us … it’s definitely a lot more management on my part,” said Gallant. “Where as before I would just grab my guitar and go. I didn’t need to contact anyone but the venues.”

The band hasn’t adopted an official name, so for now, they’re still playing under the Joe Gallant moniker.

“I’ve also been busy. Since January I’ve played in New York five times and they’ve got some great places down there,” he said. “I’ve been all through Massachusetts and New Hampshire.”

He is the only single member of the group and knows when to pass the praise around. “The women of the band are, like, phenomenally supportive of what we’re doing,” lauded Gallant. “They’ll come in and hang out at practice and stuff like that. They’ve been great.”

“We’re also building a twoyear plan at this point,” added Gallant. “Everything from what cities we want to play in, how often we want to play, how often we want to have releases. Everything will be mapped out because just about everything I’ve done to this point is just firing aimlessly.

“And, a lot depends on your goals … like if you were starting a shirt company, or a bakery, or a restaurant. If you want to make a career out of it, or even a sub-career, you have to have a plan. Everything’s mapped out. I’ve persisted … but sometimes it takes a little longer.”

Gallant figures the band will play about a 90-minute set, beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday, and he hopes to have another strong audience.

“Some new songs, some newer versions of old songs … definitely upbeat, a positive show, with a lot of energy,” he said. “Saturday is going to be a really great time.”

Tickets to the band’s Frontier Café show cost $10 in advance or $12 at the door. The website is www.explorefrontier.com.