Baton Rouge band reunites for a show at Hartley/Vey

Five years after their last reunion and 20 years since forming, Baton Rouge's much-loved alternative rock band Thoughts of Mary takes the stage at the Hartley/Vey Theatre Nov. 2. Known locally for songs like “Anytime,” and for contributing to a fertile alt-rock scene in the 1990s that included Better Than Ezra, Meantree and others, the five band members have scattered since then across the southern U.S.

Marc Daigle, who currently lives in Dallas, says the band's reunion at Chelsea's in 2007 was initially meant to reconnect with each other. “It was a fun thing for us to all get back together and play for selfish reasons,” Daigle says. “But then we realized, much to our great surprise, that people still wanted to hear us.”

Daigle recalls shows at Murphy's and Fred's when the band first started and the Varsity once they got more established. He also remembers the friendly competition then among bands in Baton Rouge's bourgeoning alt-rock scene, each trying to best the other when it came to recording and releasing CDs. “To have that competition, we kind of spurred each other on,” he says.

Daigle says the band isn't worried about getting back into the groove for the Hartley/Vey show. “[For the Chelsea's show] it was kind of like riding a bike again. We all took to it quickly,” he says. “The cool thing is everybody is still playing music.”

Bandmate Gabe Daigle (no relation) also played with The Myrtles after Thoughts of Mary disbanded in 1994.

Tickets to the Nov. 2 show are $10. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the Bedlamville Triflers and Pat Fellows open. hartleyveytheatres.org, reverbnation.com/thoughtsofmary

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