For more than 35 years, The Figgs have been Saratoga Springs’ most durable rock and roll institution — a power pop trio whose output, consistency, and sheer refusal to quit have earned them a reputation as one of the most respected underground bands in the Northeast. They are Saratoga’s answer to a simple question: what happens when three high school friends never stop playing?
Origins
Mike Gent (guitar, vocals), Pete Donnelly (bass, vocals), and original drummer Guy Lyons formed the band in Saratoga Springs in 1987, initially as The Sonic Undertones. Pete Hayes replaced Lyons on drums in 1989, and the trio of Gent, Donnelly, and Hayes has been the core lineup ever since — over 35 years of the same three guys in a van, in a studio, and on stage.
The Catalog
The Figgs have released 16 studio albums, multiple EPs, and a stack of singles across labels including Imago (1993), Capitol (1996), and their own Stomper imprint. Low-Fi at Society High (1994) is widely considered their breakthrough, a power pop landmark that captured the energy of their Saratoga Springs live shows. Shady Grove (2019) and Chemical Shake (2022) prove the band hasn’t lost a step. Their sound draws from the Kinks, Elvis Costello, and the British Invasion, filtered through a distinctly American blue-collar sensibility.
Graham Parker’s Band
Since 1996, The Figgs have served as Graham Parker’s backing band for tours and recordings — a gig that speaks to their musicianship and versatility. They’ve also toured with Tommy Stinson of The Replacements and performed alongside artists like Paula Cole. But their identity remains rooted in Saratoga Springs, where they played early shows at Caffe Lena, the Bijou, and Skidmore College venues.
The Figgs were inducted into the Capital Region Music Hall of Fame in 2021 — a recognition of more than three decades of road-tested, no-frills rock and roll from a band that never chased trends and never needed to.