"Dave Gallaher, aka Microwave Dave, is a talented Alabama-based bluesman who incorporates cigar box guitars into his electric and acoustic shows, as well as an instrument called the Lowebow. Played with a slide, the Lowebow is a deadly weapon in the right hands."
PREMIER GUITAR, August 2009
Best of the Valley Readers Poll
Best Blues Band/Artist: MICROWAVE DAVE
VALLEY PLANET, February 2009
"The charisma and approach to each song makes you forget who else might have recorded it. That alone is not an easy task. These three pull it off from track to track. These guys were born to be recorded live and raw. The atmosphere resonates off the disc and brings you to the show."
BLUESWAX, April 2008
Best of the Valley Readers Poll
Best Blues Band/Artist: MICROWAVE DAVE & THE NUKES
Best Jazz Band/Artist: MICROWAVE DAVE
VALLEY PLANET, January 2008
"A great live act. Why these guys haven't gotten much national exposure outside of their native Alabama is beyond me. Gallaher has a laundry list of folks he's had the pleasure of playing with and has the chops to show for it. The Nukes are about as in the pocket as you get."
ILLINOIS BLUES, July 2007
"Blistering, industrial-strength blues-rock served up with great variety. Gallaher can roar and holler with the best."
BLUES REVUE, May 2007
"It's a pretty good bet that a good time was had by all on those four nights down in Gadsden."
LIVING BLUES, April 2007
2007 BAMAs (Birmingham Area Music Awards)
Best Blues Artist: MICROWAVE DAVE & THE NUKES
BIRMINGHAM WEEKLY, March 2007
4th Annual Best of the Valley Readers Poll
"Best Blues Band/Artist: MICROWAVE DAVE"
"Best Jazz Band/Artist: MICROWAVE DAVE & THE NUKES"
VALLEY PLANET, February 2007
"If you missed the National Public Radio broadcast of "Michael Feldman's Whad'ya Know?" here's what you didn't hear: a stellar performance by local blues musicians Microwave Dave & The Nukes (Feldman was visibly impressed)." HUNTSVILLE TIMES, November 2006
"Microwave Dave delivered a mesmerizing performance (at the Legends Of The Blues Festival) on his home-made (Diddley-bow like) guitar."
MUSIC NEWS NASHVILLE, June 2006
"Microwave Dave cooks his blues."
CHATTANOOGA TIMES FREE PRESS, February 2006
"Anarchic soloing… Idiosyncratic… Ironically stylish… Dave's singular chops are as impressive as they are aberrant."
LIVING BLUES, December 2005
"Unpredictable, risky but generally successful, certainly exciting… A guitar tour-de-force."
BLUES & RHYTHM (UK), Summer 2005
"Trail Of Tears", an evocative slide piece, heats to a jaw-dropping crescendo over seven minutes."
BLUES REVUE, Spring 2005
"A dynamite, world class blues show-from the band's first song I could tell that this amalgam was a first class outfit."
ENTERTAINING U (Jacksonville, FL), February 2005
2004 Real Blues Awards
"2003 Top Southern Blues Releases: Atomic Electric, Microwave Dave & The Nukes."
"2003 Best Southern Blues Band: Microwave Dave & The Nukes (tie with J Lapalme and Roadhouse)."
"2003 Best Southern Blues Guitarist/Modern: Microwave Dave Gallaher."
REAL BLUES (Canada), Spring/Summer 2004
"'Microwave' Dave Gallaher damn near vaporizes his strings. . . To quote Frank Barone, 'Holy crap!'"
GUITAR ONE, January 2004
"All in all, Microwave Dave & The Nukes are ballistic."
BLUESARTSTUDIO (Vienna, Austria), January 2004
"Microwave Dave & The Nukes display the kind of unwritten understanding of what the blues is meant to be. They have across-the-board talent with a subtle, 'we've got the goods' swagger."
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BLUES NEWS, November 2003
"This Alabama trio has everything a blues fan could want: impeccable taste; a steady, no-frills rhythm section; and in Microwave Dave Gallaher, a first-rate guitar individualist."
BLUES REVUE, November 2003
"An inspired blues power trio . . . a moody instrumental tour de force."
BIG CITY BLUES, September 2003
"Live, the Nukes apparently 'deliver like a freight train on fertility drugs.'"
MOJO (UK), July 2003
"Some of the best pickers ever to set foot over the Alabama state line to carry their music to the world."
GRITZ MAGAZINE, Spring 2003
"A group of proven road warriors . . . together, these fellows really pack a wallop."
MUSIC CITY BLUES NEWS (Nashville, TN), May 2003
"Huntsville's own Microwave Dave & The Nukes showed why the group had a large, enthusiastic crowd in front of the WTAK stage. Dave's interpretations of Muddy Waters' classic blues and his tribute to Bo Diddley held the fans enthralled."
HUNTSVILLE TIMES (Alabama), September 2002
"It was truly special seeing Candy Shines performing with individuals who were mentored by her husband, Johnny Shines. Then Dave brought out the cigar-box guitar for a thrilling set that left a packed Cotton Club awestruck."
ALABAMA BLUES SOCIETY, May 2002
"Microwave Dave plays with enough energy to nuke a couple of frozen dinners with each chord he blazes through."
BLUES ACCESS, Summer 2001
"His axe drips seductive honey. . . His taste in covers is impeccable. If you're looking for wiry, tightly-wound good-time raunch, this'll fill you up."
BLUES REVUE, August 2001
"Rife with crackling songs that bounce off a variety of bases, all of 'em apt to give the body a case of the shakes."
HITTIN' THE NOTE, Summer 2001
"The distorted guitar and foot stomping harkens back to the Detroit sounds of a half century ago."
LIVING BLUES, April 2001
"Such a good band, so tight, so sure, so together, never missing a beat, always on cue. . . Sounded like a lot more than just three. . . Dave has a terrific stage personality. He makes you feel like he's playing for a bunch of friends who happened to drop in."
ATLANTA BLUES SOCIETY NEWS, August 2001
"The overriding focus is Gallaher's excellent guitar playing. His slide, a fine mix of precision and grit, is the sound of a player who's payed dues aplenty."
BLUES REVUE, February 2000
"You missed a blow away performance if you missed Microwave Dave & The Nukes at 4th & 23rd last Thursday night. Dave, Rick and Skip thrilled the packed club with over three hours of classic and new Nukes stuff."
ALABAMA BLUES SOCIETY, October 1999
"This band deserves high marks as a true blues band that is keeping alive the blues tradition while adding originality and personality to the music."
BLUES REVUE, October 1997
"Microwave Dave-he's a blues man!"
BOBBY 'BLUE' BLAND, WJAB radio liner, May 1997
"This rock-ribbed Huntsville, Alabama band works a relentless boogie beat with it's tongue firmly in cheek, laughing hard while grinding out loud, proud electric country funk."
SOUTHLAND BLUES (Southern California), September 1996
"Dave turned the public into a shouting and dancing crowd and such moments were very rare with the other bands. After their performance at the Belgian Bluesnight in Bruges, Microwave Dave and his friends were given unanimous applause by the national press."
BACK TO THE ROOTS MAGAZINE (Belgium), May 1996
"They tear things up on the fast numbers but the also play slow blues with conviction. There's some wicked guitar and slide playing by Gallaher."
WESTCOAST BLUES REVIEW (Canada), May 1996
"The Nukes can play raunchy and raw blues, but also smooth and soulful. Not easy to pull off, but it succeeds here."
BALTIMORE BLUES SOCIETY, April 1996
"These guys kick up a shoeful of traditional dirt-poor and hungry instrumental dust. Strong guitar work brings muscle memory of the great masters."
KANSAS CITY BLUES SOCIETY, March 1996
"From the hard rocking sounds of Chicago to the raw earthy sounds of the delta with a few stops in between."
ALABAMA BLUES SOCIETY, December 1995
"MW: 'And last, I understand that this is your second time at the End Zone with Microwave Dave & The Nukes backing you. How do you think they did?'
BO DIDDLEY: 'Microwave Dave & The Nukes? They are all right! Yeah!'"
ALABAMA BLUES SOCIETY, December 1993
"A bunch of guys who realize the roots of the blues and use that knowledge to leave their audience with the idea that blues should 'make you feel good'. This was a very tight group! Microwave Dave can very much tear up a guitar."
MUSIC CITY BLUES NEWS (Nashville, TN), November 1993
"Fine vocals and a real affinity for West Coast blues . . . put them way ahead of most of the rest of the pack."
BLUES & RHYTHM (UK), July 1993
"MOST GRACIOUS BAND: Microwave Dave & The Nukes. This Huntsville band not only took the stage Friday night at 6pm and played a riproaring set to a crowd of maybe 50 people, they also filled in when John Mayall's plane was late. Both times they played with vigor and style. A truly classy bunch of guys."
BIRMINGHAM NEWS, September 1992
"All the bands delivered high-powered blues and were well-received, but the hit of the day was of course, Microwave Dave. He was met at the stage by dozens of cheering fans. The highlight of the set was a three-part 'scat' during Born To Boogie Woogie. Each member sang or spoke one of the song's melodies with no accompaniment. Very neat. The closing song was Too Tall To Mambo. And just on time, the park rangers closed the show down-I don't think anyone could have danced any more!"
THE EXPONENT (UAH-Huntsville, AL), October 1992
"Microwave Dave & The Nukes opened the festival with a bang! They had the crowd dancing and jumping."
SPEAKIN' OUT NEWS (Huntsville, AL), June 1991
"This three-man band was a Panoply phenom with their crowd-rousing music, and the crowd was B-I-G! Microwave Dave gave the guitar a new voice, letting it sing it's own lyrics."
THE EXPONENT (UAH-Huntsville, AL), May 1991
Best of the Valley Readers Poll
Best Blues Band/Artist: MICROWAVE DAVE
VALLEY PLANET, February 2009
"The charisma and approach to each song makes you forget who else might have recorded it. That alone is not an easy task. These three pull it off from track to track. These guys were born to be recorded live and raw. The atmosphere resonates off the disc and brings you to the show."
BLUESWAX, April 2008
Best of the Valley Readers Poll
Best Blues Band/Artist: MICROWAVE DAVE & THE NUKES
Best Jazz Band/Artist: MICROWAVE DAVE
VALLEY PLANET, January 2008
"A great live act. Why these guys haven't gotten much national exposure outside of their native Alabama is beyond me. Gallaher has a laundry list of folks he's had the pleasure of playing with and has the chops to show for it. The Nukes are about as in the pocket as you get."
ILLINOIS BLUES, July 2007
"Blistering, industrial-strength blues-rock served up with great variety. Gallaher can roar and holler with the best."
BLUES REVUE, May 2007
"It's a pretty good bet that a good time was had by all on those four nights down in Gadsden."
LIVING BLUES, April 2007
2007 BAMAs (Birmingham Area Music Awards)
Best Blues Artist: MICROWAVE DAVE & THE NUKES
BIRMINGHAM WEEKLY, March 2007
4th Annual Best of the Valley Readers Poll
"Best Blues Band/Artist: MICROWAVE DAVE"
"Best Jazz Band/Artist: MICROWAVE DAVE & THE NUKES"
VALLEY PLANET, February 2007
"If you missed the National Public Radio broadcast of "Michael Feldman's Whad'ya Know?" here's what you didn't hear: a stellar performance by local blues musicians Microwave Dave & The Nukes (Feldman was visibly impressed)." HUNTSVILLE TIMES, November 2006
"Microwave Dave delivered a mesmerizing performance (at the Legends Of The Blues Festival) on his home-made (Diddley-bow like) guitar."
MUSIC NEWS NASHVILLE, June 2006
"Microwave Dave cooks his blues."
CHATTANOOGA TIMES FREE PRESS, February 2006
"Anarchic soloing… Idiosyncratic… Ironically stylish… Dave's singular chops are as impressive as they are aberrant."
LIVING BLUES, December 2005
"Unpredictable, risky but generally successful, certainly exciting… A guitar tour-de-force."
BLUES & RHYTHM (UK), Summer 2005
"Trail Of Tears", an evocative slide piece, heats to a jaw-dropping crescendo over seven minutes."
BLUES REVUE, Spring 2005
"A dynamite, world class blues show-from the band's first song I could tell that this amalgam was a first class outfit."
ENTERTAINING U (Jacksonville, FL), February 2005
2004 Real Blues Awards
"2003 Top Southern Blues Releases: Atomic Electric, Microwave Dave & The Nukes."
"2003 Best Southern Blues Band: Microwave Dave & The Nukes (tie with J Lapalme and Roadhouse)."
"2003 Best Southern Blues Guitarist/Modern: Microwave Dave Gallaher."
REAL BLUES (Canada), Spring/Summer 2004
"'Microwave' Dave Gallaher damn near vaporizes his strings. . . To quote Frank Barone, 'Holy crap!'"
GUITAR ONE, January 2004
"All in all, Microwave Dave & The Nukes are ballistic."
BLUESARTSTUDIO (Vienna, Austria), January 2004
"Microwave Dave & The Nukes display the kind of unwritten understanding of what the blues is meant to be. They have across-the-board talent with a subtle, 'we've got the goods' swagger."
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BLUES NEWS, November 2003
"This Alabama trio has everything a blues fan could want: impeccable taste; a steady, no-frills rhythm section; and in Microwave Dave Gallaher, a first-rate guitar individualist."
BLUES REVUE, November 2003
"An inspired blues power trio . . . a moody instrumental tour de force."
BIG CITY BLUES, September 2003
"Live, the Nukes apparently 'deliver like a freight train on fertility drugs.'"
MOJO (UK), July 2003
"Some of the best pickers ever to set foot over the Alabama state line to carry their music to the world."
GRITZ MAGAZINE, Spring 2003
"A group of proven road warriors . . . together, these fellows really pack a wallop."
MUSIC CITY BLUES NEWS (Nashville, TN), May 2003
"Huntsville's own Microwave Dave & The Nukes showed why the group had a large, enthusiastic crowd in front of the WTAK stage. Dave's interpretations of Muddy Waters' classic blues and his tribute to Bo Diddley held the fans enthralled."
HUNTSVILLE TIMES (Alabama), September 2002
"It was truly special seeing Candy Shines performing with individuals who were mentored by her husband, Johnny Shines. Then Dave brought out the cigar-box guitar for a thrilling set that left a packed Cotton Club awestruck."
ALABAMA BLUES SOCIETY, May 2002
"Microwave Dave plays with enough energy to nuke a couple of frozen dinners with each chord he blazes through."
BLUES ACCESS, Summer 2001
"His axe drips seductive honey. . . His taste in covers is impeccable. If you're looking for wiry, tightly-wound good-time raunch, this'll fill you up."
BLUES REVUE, August 2001
"Rife with crackling songs that bounce off a variety of bases, all of 'em apt to give the body a case of the shakes."
HITTIN' THE NOTE, Summer 2001
"The distorted guitar and foot stomping harkens back to the Detroit sounds of a half century ago."
LIVING BLUES, April 2001
"Such a good band, so tight, so sure, so together, never missing a beat, always on cue. . . Sounded like a lot more than just three. . . Dave has a terrific stage personality. He makes you feel like he's playing for a bunch of friends who happened to drop in."
ATLANTA BLUES SOCIETY NEWS, August 2001
"The overriding focus is Gallaher's excellent guitar playing. His slide, a fine mix of precision and grit, is the sound of a player who's payed dues aplenty."
BLUES REVUE, February 2000
"You missed a blow away performance if you missed Microwave Dave & The Nukes at 4th & 23rd last Thursday night. Dave, Rick and Skip thrilled the packed club with over three hours of classic and new Nukes stuff."
ALABAMA BLUES SOCIETY, October 1999
"This band deserves high marks as a true blues band that is keeping alive the blues tradition while adding originality and personality to the music."
BLUES REVUE, October 1997
"Microwave Dave-he's a blues man!"
BOBBY 'BLUE' BLAND, WJAB radio liner, May 1997
"This rock-ribbed Huntsville, Alabama band works a relentless boogie beat with it's tongue firmly in cheek, laughing hard while grinding out loud, proud electric country funk."
SOUTHLAND BLUES (Southern California), September 1996
"Dave turned the public into a shouting and dancing crowd and such moments were very rare with the other bands. After their performance at the Belgian Bluesnight in Bruges, Microwave Dave and his friends were given unanimous applause by the national press."
BACK TO THE ROOTS MAGAZINE (Belgium), May 1996
"They tear things up on the fast numbers but the also play slow blues with conviction. There's some wicked guitar and slide playing by Gallaher."
WESTCOAST BLUES REVIEW (Canada), May 1996
"The Nukes can play raunchy and raw blues, but also smooth and soulful. Not easy to pull off, but it succeeds here."
BALTIMORE BLUES SOCIETY, April 1996
"These guys kick up a shoeful of traditional dirt-poor and hungry instrumental dust. Strong guitar work brings muscle memory of the great masters."
KANSAS CITY BLUES SOCIETY, March 1996
"From the hard rocking sounds of Chicago to the raw earthy sounds of the delta with a few stops in between."
ALABAMA BLUES SOCIETY, December 1995
"MW: 'And last, I understand that this is your second time at the End Zone with Microwave Dave & The Nukes backing you. How do you think they did?'
BO DIDDLEY: 'Microwave Dave & The Nukes? They are all right! Yeah!'"
ALABAMA BLUES SOCIETY, December 1993
"A bunch of guys who realize the roots of the blues and use that knowledge to leave their audience with the idea that blues should 'make you feel good'. This was a very tight group! Microwave Dave can very much tear up a guitar."
MUSIC CITY BLUES NEWS (Nashville, TN), November 1993
"Fine vocals and a real affinity for West Coast blues . . . put them way ahead of most of the rest of the pack."
BLUES & RHYTHM (UK), July 1993
"MOST GRACIOUS BAND: Microwave Dave & The Nukes. This Huntsville band not only took the stage Friday night at 6pm and played a riproaring set to a crowd of maybe 50 people, they also filled in when John Mayall's plane was late. Both times they played with vigor and style. A truly classy bunch of guys."
BIRMINGHAM NEWS, September 1992
"All the bands delivered high-powered blues and were well-received, but the hit of the day was of course, Microwave Dave. He was met at the stage by dozens of cheering fans. The highlight of the set was a three-part 'scat' during Born To Boogie Woogie. Each member sang or spoke one of the song's melodies with no accompaniment. Very neat. The closing song was Too Tall To Mambo. And just on time, the park rangers closed the show down-I don't think anyone could have danced any more!"
THE EXPONENT (UAH-Huntsville, AL), October 1992
"Microwave Dave & The Nukes opened the festival with a bang! They had the crowd dancing and jumping."
SPEAKIN' OUT NEWS (Huntsville, AL), June 1991
"This three-man band was a Panoply phenom with their crowd-rousing music, and the crowd was B-I-G! Microwave Dave gave the guitar a new voice, letting it sing it's own lyrics."
THE EXPONENT (UAH-Huntsville, AL), May 1991
MICROWAVE DAVE USES AND ENDORSES CURT MANGAN STRINGS™
PRESS
PROMO PHOTOS
(right click "Save Picture As" to download hi-res files)
In August 2009, the Huntsville Stars Baseball Club (AA affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers) issued the Microwave Dave Bobble Head. Dave has attended Stars games since the team's arrival in 1985 and is a longtime season ticket holder. MD&N's "Road Runner" is played over the sound system at Joe Davis Stadium during the middle innings of every home game. The Nukes, who were performing outside the stadium and were surprised by this honor, also threw out the opening pitches for the game.
MICROWAVE DAVE BOBBLE HEAD