The band originally formed as a side project when The Soviettes and Rivethead stopped performing in 2006, but even though all of the band members are still active in other projects, they have continued with this project.[1]
The band is named after a part of Minneapolis (around Hennepin and Washington) that was considered the heart of the city at one time.[2][3]
"this Minneapolis indie rock band practices the art of kicking out the jams" (Annie Sparrows, MPR News)[7]
"The Gateway District have constructed a well put-together album that never runs out of steam or drags, as it works that thick, overdriven Jawbreaker base into an insistent cohesive work." (Joe Briggs, Punknews.org)[5]
"Some Days You Get The Thunder is just a straightforward, bass-heavy pop-punk record with deep, catchy and perfect female vocals that aren’t polished or poppy like we see so often these days. (Bobby Gorman, The Punk Site)[8]
"The Gateway District bring an accessible style of bouncy pop punk on their debut release, Some Days You Get the Thunder." (Loren Green, City Pages)[4]
"The band's ability to write a hook is plenty evident on Old Wild Hearts, perhaps no more so than on "Tell You Why," with a sugary-sweet anthemic chorus that may be the catchiest thing the band have written." (Darren McLeod, Punknews.org)[9]
"On their debut album, the Gateway District manage to sound like the post-punk professionals they are and at the same time to maintain a salutary level of relaxed noisiness." (Rick Anderson, Allmusic)[10]