Import/Export: Louis Boston's House Band

For any musician, building a loyal fan base is no easy feat.

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But as rockers Morgan Dorr, left, and Kevin McHugh of local band Endway found out, sometimes all it takes is the right venue. Last September, after four years of grinding out records and opening for national acts like Hoobastank and Brand New with little traction to show for it, singer--bassist Dorr and guitarist McHugh met Louis Boston VP Maria Fei, who instantly fell in love with their soul-infused pop sound and their fashion sense, which she describes as "current with a retro touch." Since then, Dorr and McHugh, often joined by fellow band members (drummer Scott James and keyboardist Brian Lempert), have been rocking out at the clothing retailer almost every weekend, selling hundreds of CDs each session and establishing a very stylish following. "We're really lucky to have the chance to play in a high-traffic spot with so many cool people," Dorr says. "It's tough to get people out to shows if they haven't heard of you."

Thanks to the buzz generated by the Louis appearances, Endway is in the midst of an East Coast tour, which concludes on 2/17 with a homecoming gig at the Paradise—a venue Dorr and McHugh have dreamed of playing since they started jamming together more than a decade ago as middle schoolers in Watertown. Fashion-wise, too, the guys admit that being surrounded by the finer things hasn't exactly hurt. Says Dorr with a laugh, "We show up a little cleaner."

IMAGE BY DIANA LEVINE