Deraps started as a Van Halen tribute project in the most contemporary way possible: Quebec guitarist Jacob Deraps and Australian drummer Josh Gallagher found each other through YouTube cover videos, traded files across an ocean, and ended up signed to Metalville Records with a publishing deal through Anthem Entertainment — the same company that handles Rush’s catalog. That trajectory, from internet covers to opening slots with Foreigner, Ann Wilson, and Loverboy, brings them back to Daryl’s House in Pawling on Wednesday, October 7.
The October date is a return engagement. Deraps came through Pawling on February 4, near the opening week of their inaugural U.S. tour (the “Viva Rock N’ Roll” run), as part of a thirteen-date sprint from the Hudson Valley to Seattle. Coming back to the same room eight months into the tour cycle suggests either a strong house draw or a genuine fondness for the venue, and probably both.
About the Show
The band’s appeal is specific: two players building late-1970s hard rock with a fluency that comes from years spent learning Van Halen records note for note. Jacob Deraps is sponsored by EVH, Eddie Van Halen’s gear brand, and holds a nomination for the 2016 Dweezil and Frank Zappa Fellowship Award. Those credentials confirm the guitar-first identity without requiring a press release to spell it out. The duo spent 2023 opening for Blue Oyster Cult, Foreigner, Ann Wilson, Loverboy, Tom Cochrane, and Lee Aaron at venues across Canada, the UK, and Europe — a more persuasive resume than most bands at their stage can show.
The setlist draws from two albums: the 2022 self-titled debut, which earned “My Side of Town” a spot in Classic Rock Magazine’s “Ultimate Playlist of 2022,” and Viva Rock N’ Roll, the May 2025 Metalville release that debuted at number one in Amazon Japan’s Hard Rock & Metal category. Burrn! Magazine readers in Japan voted Deraps “Best New Band” in 2022. Metal Devastation Radio in Germany called them “one of the most promising rock bands in the world.” The live show includes material from both records, classic-rock covers, and an Eddie Van Halen tribute.
Venue & Logistics
Daryl’s House in Pawling holds 300, an interesting fit for a band with transatlantic press attention and a Japanese chart debut playing clubs in the Hudson Valley. Doors are at 5:00 p.m.; the show starts at 7:00 p.m. All ages.
Tickets
Tickets are $22.03–$33.84. Buy tickets