They may call themselves Trailer Trash, but in talking to lead singer Joe Fazio and six-stringer Bob Stanek about the band’s inception, it sure sounds more like a recycling/re-tooling project.
“Everyone in this band are friends and we’ve played together in various tribute acts, emulating the likes of Pink Floyd, Van Halen and Rage Against the Machine before forming Trailer Trash in 2011,” Fazio says. “But one night after a less than stellar rock show with our party band MacDaddy, it occurred to me that modern country may be a more viable direction to explore.”
“For our first show, we actually opened up for ourselves, too … one set Trailer Trash, two sets MacDaddy,” Stanek adds. “A few weeks later, Trailer Trash played a benefit concert. We did our set and the reaction was tremendous. The club manager kept telling us to keep playing, but we had already done the only 12 songs we knew.”
This Saturday, Jan. 31, Trailer Trash returns to the scene of its first show with considerably more ammo in its audio arsenal as headliners at Chicopee’s Maximum Capacity. Including, as Fazio reveals, a few countrified ghosts from set lists pasts.
“We do enjoy drawing from our previous experience and surprising audiences from time to time, yes,” he admits. “It’s refreshing to see their reactions when we break into Motley Crue, Kid Rock, Bob Seger, or Vanilla Ice. Yes, even Vanilla Ice is fair game.”
A couple of weeks later — Feb. 13, to be exact — Fazio and company have the pleasure of sharing a bill with one of their local country heroes, Cottonwood, at the Palace Theater in Stafford Springs, Conn.
“Cottonwood is such a classic act and we could only hope to have the longevity they have,” says Fazio.
For Trailer Trash news, kindly point your browser to trailertrash413.com.
And speaking of longevity … a couple of musical milestones of note: Locally, folk-rock faves Aztec Two-Step will utilize the occasion of a Saturday, Jan. 31 Iron Horse show to perform the celebrated album Second Step in its entirety. 2015 marks the 40th anniversary of the seminal album. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door for this 7 p.m. show.
Nationally — of international interest even — the surviving members of the Grateful Dead say they will soldier on, performing three nights at Chicago’s Soldier Field this summer in an honor of the band’s 50th anniversary. Mickey Hart, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, and Bob Weir will be joined by Phish’s Trey Anastasio, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, and pianist Bruce Hornsby for the three performances, happening July 3-5. The band last performed at the same venue in 1995. More info on all of the above can be found at dead50.net.
Last but not least: We know the songs will remain the same when American Zeppelin pairs up with The Who tribute band Who Are You this Saturday, Jan. 31 at the Fairways At The “A” in Pittsfield. But the players, too?
“Yeah, I’m a guitarist with a fetish for the ancient keyboard instrument the Mellotron,” Garrett Lechowksi says. “And luckily, the guys in American Zep haven’t figured out I’m not a keyboard player … so I’ll be playing keys for them and guitar for Who Are You.”
Tix are $10 in advance (available at eventbrite.com) or $12 at the door.•
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 394-4262 or email garycarra@aol.com.
