FANCY TRASH :: news

5/4/08. DEVOTCKHA DATES
Hi. Thanks for bearing with us.

We've just confirmed four dates opening for DeVotchKa on their upcoming US tour, thanks to Ourstage.com. Dave and Josh will be playing as a duo, opening for DeVotchKa along with Basia Bulat in Washington, DC, Philadelpha, PA, Boston, MA and New York City, NY from May 16 through May 20.

Details on the TOUR page.

posted by Josh. 11:19 pm
...........................................................

4/17/08, CANCELLATIONS
All of our upcoming shows have been cancelled. Sorry about that.

posted by Josh. 5:35 pm
...........................................................

3/31/08. LINK ROUND-UP
Digging through the web today, we came across a few links to content on Fancy Trash. Here's a run-down:

- Photos by Javier Izquierdo from the "Three Cheers" CD Release show back on Sept 8, 2006 (caption: "Fancy Trash is raw and pure energy, it's folk in a primal scream like you've never heard it before. It's in your face and it's uplifting."): HERE

- Video of Fancy Trash playing "Three Cheers for the Cheated" at The Elevens CD Release show, Sept 8, 2006: HERE

- Photos by Wendy Brolga from a show at Toad in Cambridge, MA (caption reads: "Sounded like a cross between early REM and Neil Young"): HERE

- A Photo by Henning O. of Dave and Josh sitting at the bar at The Elevens: HERE

- Photos by Alex Mayer of a show at Jake's in Providence, RI: HERE

- Photos by spaceagelovesong80 of a show at The Squealing Pig in Provinetown, MA (caption reads "Good band. Bad name. Really really nice guys."): HERE

- A photo of Josh at The Elevens by Grey World Photography: HERE

- A video snippet of Fancy Trash at Tir na Nog from September 2006, with video and audio terribly out of synch: HERE

posted by Josh. 9:36 pm
...........................................................

3/28/08. SIERRA GRILLE PHOTOS
There's a series of pictures posted on The Sierra Grille's myspace page (myspace account required to follow that link), in their photo gallery from the show last night.

Here's one preview shot for your enjoyment. I busted a string on my upright bass just before we took the stage, so I had to scramble and borrow Drew Hickum's bass player's Fender, which is why we look so weird.

Well, it's one of the reasons. The others are mostly genetic.

Photo by Mark Sheehan

posted by Josh. 7:51 pm
...........................................................

3/9/08. DEMO SESSIONS

We're working on writing and recording demos through March and April, heading towards tracking a new album in May and June. It's going well. You can check out the progress and keep tabs on us as we work. Just take a look at (and bookmark) the BLOG.

posted by Josh. 10:21 am
...........................................................

3/1/08. OURSTAGE
Fancy Trash can now be found on Ourstage, a fun site to bop around and check out what independent musicians are up to. Our song "Lost in the Evening" is currently #24 in the Acoustic category. Check out Ourstage and start doing some evaluations.

In other news: we're at TOAST in Somerville, MA tonight! Hope you can make it.

posted by Josh. 11:40 am
...........................................................

2/16/08 . VIXEN CANCELLED
Due to circumstances beyond our control, next weekend's performance at The Vixen in Provincetown, MA has been cancelled. Very sorry to all of our fans out there. We'll work to reschedule something.

posted by Josh. 7:08 am
...........................................................

1/22/08 . TOUR DIARY
Ever wonder what it's like at a Fancy Trash show? Our friend Peter has a blog about his experiences at rock shows. Here's an excerpt about attending the first show of our CD Release Tour back in October '06 in Syracuse, NY that really captures the spirit of, admittedly, far too many of our touring experiences:

And there was exactly nobody there who wasn’t a holdover from said happy hour – Whitney and I at times comprised 67% of the audience, the other person being the guy who booked the show. And then sometimes this guy in a Mets tshirt decided he was just drunk enough to justify some solo cutting-of-the-proverbial-rug in front of (and sometimes on) the stage, something made all the more amusing because he was the only person who ever got within fifteen feet of the band, much less looked like they were enjoying the music (Whitney and I were sitting in the back, tapping our feet and enjoying cheap libations). And all this in front of a big window, through which the lights of the Chuck E. Chee shined strong and bright. We took some photos but this was one of those things you probably have to have spent half your life studying photography before you can really accurately capture the moment on film. Oh how I wish I hadn’t ABSOLUTELY WASTED MY LIFE by not studying photography, if only for that one shot.

Yep, that about sums it up. You can see all of his entries about Fancy Trash HERE.

posted by Josh. 6:04 pm
...........................................................

1/3/08 . NEW SHOWS, etc.
Thanks for a great New Year's Eve show. We had a wonderful time playing for you all. Now that we've hit 2008, we've got a few new shows listed on the Tour page, including returns to Providence, Cambridge, and a show at The Sierra Grille, former home of the much-beloved Bay State Hotel. Takes me back.

Hope to see you many, many times in the year ahead.

posted by Josh. 6:07 pm
...........................................................

11/20/07 . NEW YEAR'S EVE BASH!
We've just finalized the plans for the New Year's Eve show, and it's a doozy. We'll be opening for Ware River Club, reuniting for this special show. As if that weren't enough, Winterpills is on the bill. Plus, National Carpet will start the night off. Woo, I'm getting worked up just typing this all up ...

The show will be in the club room, downstairs at Pearl Street. Tickets are available at the Northampton Box Office. Get them before they're gone. Fancy Trash will be hitting the stage second, preceeded by National Carpet and followed by Winterpills. Ware River Club ends the night in high style.

We hope you can make it. You'll be sorry if you don't, trust us.

posted by Josh. 6:54 pm
...........................................................
11/15/07 . Iron Horse Photo Gallery
Finally managed to get a small gallery of photos from the Fifth Anniversary Show up on the PHOTO page. Thanks for Rick Thayer for the camera work.

Also, check out a batch of photos from the Pushkin recording sessions on the BLOG.

We've added a few shows, including a big New Year's Eve Bash opening for old friends Ware River Club (Did you miss them? It's a reunion!). Check out all the details.

posted by Josh. 8:01 pm
...........................................................
11/4/07 . Recording for posterity
We're doing a little bit of recording this weekend at the Pushkin Gallery in Greenfield. The goal is to catch some live in-studio versions of what we did with the six-piece band at the Anniversary Show.

Read the Recording Blog (and see some snapshots of Day One) right here.

posted by Josh. 7:17 am
...........................................................
10/10/07
Please join us in sending out our deepest thoughts and sympathies to our great friend Jason Smith, whose father passed away Tuesday night, and his entire family. Donations to the Stephen Hurricane Smith Fund can be made here: www.stephenhurricanesmithfund.org
...........................................................
9/29/07 . Thanks
Thanks to everyone who came out to help us celebrate our Five Year Anniversary at the Iron Horse. It was a fantastic night and a great turnout. Thanks also to everyone who has supported us all along. Extra special thanks to Jason Smith, Thane Thomsen and Katy Schneider who joined us onstage for the entire set, helping us build the first Double Wide Fancy Trash Big Band, the six piece rock and roll juggernaut that took the stage last night. Also, big round of applause for Steve Sanderson, Scott Hall and Bow Bow, all from Drunk Stuntmen, for a stunning opening set. Here's to the next five years being as rich and wonderful as the past five.
...........................................................
9/28/07 . Tonight!
TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT. Don't miss the big 5th Anniversary Bash at the Iron Horse ... it's going to be a different sort of show than we've ever done before.
...........................................................
9/18/07
Only ten days until the BIG SHOW! Get your advance tickets today at the Northampton Box Office, before they sell out. Don't be left out in the cold the night of the show.
...........................................................
8/14/07
The Big Announcement is here! We're playing a very special FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY SHOW on Friday, September 28 at the Iron Horse in our hometown of Northampton, MA. The show starts at 10 pm. Steve Sanderson, of Drunk Stuntmen fame, will open for us. We'll be playing "Double Wide" that night ... you'll have to be there to see what that means. It's an ALL AGES show and tickets are $8 in advance (available from Northampton Box Office) and $10 at the door. It's going to be a special one-time-only event in the life of Fancy Trash. You won't want to miss it.
...........................................................
7/17/07
Dave's out for a brief solo tour. Catch him in Denver and Chicago. Details on the Tour page.

Keep an eye out for details soon on a special show coming up in September. We're hitting a milestone and we're gonna celebrate ...
...........................................................
2/12/07
Another couple new shows added to the schedule (a return to Pete's Candy Store in Brooklyn, and our debut at Jake's in Providence, RI)
...........................................................
1/29/07
More new shows added!
...........................................................
1/27/07
Well, we're now officially in the New Year and we'll be shaking off our winter hibernation starting in March with some news shows recently added to the Tour Page. We hope to see you there.
...........................................................
12/4/06
There's a new review of "Three Cheers" in this month's Northeast Performer, which you can read HERE.

We're taking some time to (hopefully) write and record some new songs, but there is a big show on the horizon -- New Year's Eve at Union Station in Northampton, MA. We'll be playing two sets as part of the big FIRST NIGHT party that takes place all around town. See the shows page for more info.
...........................................................
11/6/06
Here's the FULL LIST up to the minute of all the radio stations currently spinning tunes for our new disc, "Three Cheers for the Cheated." Please call your local station and encourage them to give Fancy Trash some play. Thank you.

WLJS, Jacksonville, AL
KCAC, East Camden, AR
KJAK, Flagstaff, AZ
KFLI, Prescott, AZ
KAMP, Tucson, AZ
KBEACH, Long Beach, CA
KSSU, Sacramento, CA
KHSU, Arcata, CA
KGFN, El Cajon, CA
KRCX, Denver, CO
KOTO, Telluride, CO
KAFA, Colorado Springs, CO
WNHU, West Haven, CT
WVOF, Fairfield, CT
WRTC, Hartford, CT
WQAQ, Hamden, CT
WECS, Willimantic, CT
WFCS, New Britain, CT
WHUS, Storrs, CT
WPRK, Winter Park, FL
WMNF, Tampa, FL
WPLH, Tifton, GA
WVVS, Valdosta, GA
KRNL, Mount Vernon, IA
KURE, Ames, IA
WLCA, Godfrey, IL
WONC, Naperville, IL
WLTL, LaGrange, IL
WBKE, North Manchester, IN
WIUX, Bloomington, IN
WSWI, Evansville, IN
WMHD, Terre Haute, IN
WCRD, Muncie, IN
WWHR, Bowling Green, KY
KLPI, Ruston, LA
KNWD, Natchitoches, LA
KNSU, Thibodaux, LA
KSCL, Shreveport, LA
WTCC, Springfield, MA
WSKB, Westfield, MA
WBRS, Waltham, MA
WCFM, Williamstown, MA
WSHL, North Easton, MA
WRSI, Northampton, MA
WMRB, Cambridge, MA
WLOY, Baltimore, MD
WFWM, Frostburg, MD
WRBC, Lewiston, ME
WMHB, Waterville, ME
WKRK, Southfield, MI
WPHS, Warren, MI
WDBM, East Lansing, MI
WCKS, Allendale, MI
WHFR, Dearborn, MI
WMHW, Mount Pleasant, MI
KQAL, Winona, MN
KSTO, Northfield, MN
KSLU-1, St. Louis, MO
3WK, St. Louis, MO
KDWG, Dillon, MT
WLRZ, Hickory, NC
WLRC, Hickory, NC
WZMB, Greenville, NC
WASU, Boone, NC
WKNH, Keene, NH
WRSU, New Brunswick, NJ
WFDU, Teaneck, NJ
RLC, Piscataway, NJ
WMSC, Upper Montclair, NJ
WPSC, Wayne, NJ
M3 Radio, New York, NY
WKWZ, Syosset, NY
WBMB, New York, NY
WRUB, Amherst, NY
WCDB, Albany, NY
WGSU, Geneseo, NY
WCVF, Fredonia, NY
WSPN, Saratoga Springs, NY
WRCU, Hamilton, NY
WONY, Oneonta, NY
WPUB, New York, NY
106 VIC, Ithaca, NY
WBNY, Buffalo, NY
WLHS, Liberty Township, OH
WOBN, Westerville, OH
WRUW, Cleveland, OH
KXZY, Stillwater, OK
CSCR, Scarborough, ON, Canada
CILU, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
KWVA, Eugene, OR
KPSU, Portland, OR
WXAC, Reading, PA
WPPJ, Pittsburgh, PA
WUPJ, Johnstown, PA
WDCV, Carlisle, PA
WPTS, Pittsburgh, PA
WVOU, Collegeville, PA
WUSR, Scranton, PA
WVYC, York, PA
WRFT, Ambler, PA
WSFX, Nanticoke, PA
WNTE, Mansfield, PA
WKDU, Philadelphia, PA
WQRI, Bristol, RI
WRIU, Kingston, RI
WSBF, Clemson, SC
KAUR, Sioux Falls, SD
WTTU, Cookeville, TN
KWCR, Ogden, UT
WRIR, Richmond, VA
WXKM, Harrisonburg, VA
WVCW, Richmond, VA
WLUR, Lexington, VA
WGMU, Fairfax, VA
KYVT, Yakima, WA
KTCV, Kennewick, WA
KGRG, Auburn, WA
KSVR, Mount Vernon, WA
WSRI, Eau Claire, WI
WIPZ, Kenosha, WI
WSUP, Platteville, WI
WSUW, Whitewater, WI
WSHS, Sheboygan, WI
WMUL, Huntington, WV

10/12/06
Here are this week's college radio Adds. Fancy Trash was added to the playlist of these 26 stations over the past week, bringing the total up to 57. (See 10/6 news entry for last week's Adds.) We'd appreciate it if you'd all take the time to call the stations and request songs from "Three Cheers." (Might we suggest "Tulips" and "Compromise?")

KFLI, Prescott, AZ
KBEACH, Long Beach, CA
KAFA, Colorado Springs, CO
KRCX, Denver, CO
WMNF, Tampa, FL
WPRK, Winter Park, FL
WLCA, Godfrey, IL
WSWI, Evansville, IN
KURE, Ames, IA
KSCL, Shreveport, LA
WFWM, Frostburg, MD
WSHL, North Easton, MA
WCFM, Williamstown, MA
KMSC, Moorhead, MN
KQAL, Winona, MN
KSLU-1, St. Louis, MO
WKNH, Keene, NH
106 VIC, Ithaca, NY
WASU, Boone, NC
WRUW, Cleveland, OH
WKDU, Philadelphia, PA
WUSR, Scranton, PA
WSBF, Clemson, SC
KTCV, Kennewick, WA
WSUP, Platteville, WI
CILU, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada

10/6/06
The new album has been added to the playlist of 31 radio stations around the country. If you live near any of them, we'd love it if you called and requested songs from "Three Cheers for the Cheated." Likewise, if your local college or indie-minded radio station isn't on the list, call and request some songs and we'll try to get them on the list next week. Here's the rundown:

KCAC, East Camden, AR
KHSU, Arcata, CA
WVOF, Fairfield, CT
WFCS, New Britain, CT
WNHU, West Haven, CT
WVVS, Valdosta, GA
WIUX, Bloomington, IN
WBKE, North Manchester, IN
KLPI, Ruston, LA
WRBC, Lewiston, ME
WMBR, Cambridge, MA
WRSI, Northampton, MA
WFDU, Teaneck, NJ
WCDB, Albany, NY
WBNY, Buffalo, NY
WPUB, New York, NY
WKWZ, Syosset, NY
WZMB, Greenville, NC
WLRZ, Hickory, NC
WLHS, Liberty Township, OH
WKXZY, Stillwater, OK
UPJ, Johnstown, PA
WNTE, Mansfield, PA
WPPJ, Pittsburgh, PA
WQRI, Bristol, RI
WRIU, Kingston, RI
WIPZ, Kenosha, WI
KWCR, Ogden, UT
WRIR, Richmond, VA
WSRI, Eau Claire, WI
CSCR, Scarborough, ON, Canada

10/3/06
"Three Cheers for the Cheated" is now available on iTunes. You can get at it with the following link:

9/26/06
A snippe t of video of the song "Windows" has surfaced on YouTube. It's from last weekend's performance at Tir na Nog in Somerville, MA. Check it out.

9/12/06
Video of Fancy Trash performing "Three Cheers for the Cheated" at last Friday's CD Release show can be found online here: Three Cheers Live
(Thanks to Kevin Smith and masslive.com)

9/8/06
Tonight's The Night. 10 pm at The Elevens, Northampton, MA. CD Release.

9/7/06
Three new articles from the Daily Hampshire Gazette, The Republican and the Brattleboro Reformer are up on the Press Page. They're nice.

9/6/06
There's a free download now available of the song "Tulips" from No Depression Magazine. You can find it on their music page, here: No Depression Download

Two new articles are up on the Press Page, one from Local Buzz and one from The Valley Advocate.

8/29/06
The first little blurb/review about "Three Cheers for the Cheated" can be found here: Masslive.com

8/3/06
Fancy Trash has just signed with Nine Mile Records, a swell label specializing in non-traditional roots-based music (... is that what we are?). The new album "Three Cheers for the Cheated" will be released nationally on September 12.

We'll be having two, count 'em, two CD Release Shows to mark the occassion: Sept 8 at The Elevens in Northampton, MA and the next night, Sept 9, at Toad in Cambridge, MA.

Hip Hip Hooray.

7/24/06
Fancy Trash has been nominated in FOUR categories in this year's Valley Advocate Grand Band Slam -- "Indie/Alt," "Bass Player (Joshua Thayer)," "Drummer (Ben Laine)," and "Male Vocalist (Dave Houghton)." Please take a moment to fill out the ballot online and vote for us. We'll be forever grateful. The ballot can be found here: Grand Band Slam 2006 Ballot

6/30/06
A new review of Weighted Down from Northeast Performer can be found on the PRESS page.

To paraphrase:
"...this band, in their own right, are really something. Their latest EP, Weighted Down, is a mouthwatering taste of what’s to come on their forthcoming LP. From start to finish you yearn to just sit still and listen to what happens next."

6/16/06
Here's a link for video of Fancy Trash performing "Chickenhawk" (which will be on this fall's full-length Three Cheers for the Cheated) at last weekend's Brian Benefit show: CHICKENHAWK LIVE VIDEO (Courtesy of masslive.com and The Elevens)

6/12/06
Photographer Seth Kaye has a fantastic photo slide-show of pictures from Saturday's Brian Benefit show at The Elevens: SLIDESHOW. (Be patient, it takes a little while to load.)

6/5/06
Saturday Night, June 10, at The Elevens is the Benefit Concert for Brian Marchese, the local drummer who lost everything in a house fire. Tons of great bands all pitching in to help Brian get back on his feet. The event starts at 8:00 pm with a $10 cover charge. All proceeds go to Brian.

5/24/06
Dave with The World's Largest Catsup Bottle on his mind.

5/23/06
A nice article on recording music at home studios, with a quote from Josh, can be found here: TIME ON THEIR SIDE. As you know, all the Fancy Trash releases up to this point (and including the upcoming "Three Cheers for the Cheated") have all been recorded at Josh's basement studio, Brave Tiger.

Coincidentally, there's a blog, too, all about the adventures of recording our songs at Brave Tiger, that can be found HERE.

5/19/06
Don't miss this weekend's BIG SHOW at The Pines Theater (at Look Park) in Northampton, MA. It's the Pioneer Valley Family Bar-B-Q, an all ages event with bar-b-q all day from Holy Smokes and music from Fancy Trash, Drunk Stuntmen, Stone Coyotes and The Bum Steers. The event runs from noon to 5:00. Fancy Trash is scheduled to perform at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $10 at the door or $8 in advance from Off The Map Tattoo in Easthampton, MA. Proceeds go to Friends of Children, so it's a good cause as well as a swell time.

5/12/06
There's another Tour Wrap-Up interview, this time with Kristen Beam of the weblog SoundCheck. You can find it online here: SoundCheck Interview

5/5/06
As part of our efforts to raise funds to put out our next release, "Three Cheers for the Cheated" (which is all done and ready to go), Fancy Trash is venturing into the realm of house concerts and other more unorthodox and impromptu venues. If you'd like us to play a cozy set in your living room, rec hall, basement or ginormous rock club and you're about a 2 hour drive or less from Northampton, drop us a line with an idea: fancytrash@fancytrash.com. If you live further away than that and the offer's really enticing, we may be able to work out the logistics of getting there.

In other news, masslive.com has started a local-band-centric page on their website. You can find Fancy Trash on there. Here's the link: MassLive Band Page

5/4/06
There's a short tour wrap-up in The Valley Advocate this week. You can read the whole story here: ADVOCATE

Be sure to check out Fancy Trash as The Pioneer Valley Family Bar-B-Q on May 20 at Pines Theater along with Drunk Stuntmen, Stone Coyotes and The Bum Steers. More info on this and all the other upcoming shows on the Tour Page.

4/14/06
The tour kicks off TONIGHT with a hometown show at Bishop's Lounge in Northampton, MA and takes us out to Chicago, down to Nashville and all the points between! Check out the tour page for the full listing. We hope to see you (or your friends) on the road!

3/27/06
Here's a brief review of last friday's ep release show, from Kristen Beam (Soundcheck):

"I had the pleasure of taking in the Fancy Trash EP release event at the Elevens last night. Unexpected opener WildWood, a six-piece acoustic band headed up by lead vocalist Emily Kaufman who played originals along with covers of Suzanne Vega and Sting. The Jack Grace Band was up next, dishing out a healthy serving of New York City twang. The Johnny Cash to Led Zeppelin to Johnny Cash medley was quite satisfying.

"Fancy Trash started out with the EP title track, "Weighted Down," during which upright bassist Josh Thayer broke a bass string. How rock and roll is that? He came back with what I assume was Daria Grace's bass guitar for the rest of the set, while the band played all originals, from "Impossible" to "Windows." Many in the audience got up to dance throughout the set.

"I'm continually amazed by the strength of Dave Houghton's lead vocals. They're certainly apparent on the record, but come alive on stage with a controlled intensity that can easily be compared to Neil Young. "

3/21/06
An interview with Josh about the new record and tour can be found on the great MassLive weblog Soundcheck. Check it out.

(note: the link brings up a 'print' dialog box. Just hit 'cancel' to read the article, or 'ok' if you'd like to print it out for your scrapbook.)

3/17/06
Local radio station WRSI (93.9 "The River") has added a local music section to their website, on which you can find Fancy Trash. Check it out here: WRSiTunes

3/15/06
Last night's appearance on the MIT radio program Pipeline! (WMBR 88.1 FM) can be found as a podcast today. Isn't technology great? Fancy Trash comes in about half way through. Just click the podcast image to listen.

(update 3/16/06: If you normally use iTunes for your podcasting needs, you won't be able to jump ahead to the Fancy Trash portion of the show and will have to wait through an hours worth of music. It's okay ... the payoff is worth it. If, however, you use Windows Media Player, you will be able to skip ahead.)

3/6/06
The e.p. is now streaming on the music page for your listening enjoyment. So ... enjoy.

2/28/06
Hi.

If you've made it this far, then you can see we've revamped things a bit. Well, okay, a lot.

The new Fancy Trash e.p. "Weighted Down" comes out March 18, with Release Parties 3/18 at The Brass Cat, Easthampton, MA, 3/24 at The Elevens, Northampton, MA and 4/1 at Toad, Cambridge, MA.

Also, check us out at Night Owl Records on 3/18 at 7 pm, playing In-Store and on WXOJ, Valley Free Radio, 103.3 FM Northampton, live on air on 3/19, 4-6 pm. The Night Owl In-Store is your very first chance to buy the e.p. directly from us.

There's a new song from the e.p. posted on the Music Page.

The April tour to support the e.p. looks like this:
- April 14 - Bishop's Lounge, Northampton, MA - TOUR KICK-OFF
- April 15 - Water Street Landing, Lewiston, NY
- April 16 - The Modern Exchange, Southgate, MI w/ Mike Robillard
- April 17 - Lilly's, Chicago, IL w/ The Drunks
- April 18 - The Three-1-Three, Belleville, IL
- April 19 - Springwater, Nashville, TN
- April 20 - The Acoustic Coffeehouse, Johnson City, TN
- April 21 - Staccato, Washington, DC w/ The Cads
- April 22 - Hank's Saloon, Brooklyn, NY opening for The Jack Grace Band