David O’Hagan may have officially retired from his military career in 1981. But the former member of the U.S. Air Force believes that he’s still able to be of service to the country he loves and the troops he’s happy to call his brothers and sisters.
“My call to duty is a little different these days,” the singer/guitarist for the local classic rock outfit Shovelhead explains. “But whenever our band can help raise funds or awareness for active servicemen and women or veterans and we’re available—we try to answer the call.”
O’Hagan adds that he recently received such a query from fellow vet Paul Seifert of the band Barely Legal, asking if Shovelhead would lend some sonic support to a “Rockin’ BBQ for the Troops” Seifert was organizing for this Sunday, May 18 at the American Legion in Holyoke.
“Not only did we sign on,” O’Hagan reports, “but I countered by asking if Paul’s band would donate some time to an event I am throwing in July that will raise funds for wounded veterans. After visiting Walter Reed Hospital recently, this is now my biggest priority. And not surprisingly, Paul immediately accepted and returned the favor.”
The Rockin’ BBQ for the Troops will occur from 1 to 8 p.m. at American Legion Post 325 at 22 Sycamore St. and will feature food, raffles and a musical bill that also includes Remember When and Bad Habit. Admission is a $15 donation to buy care packages for U.S. troops in combat zones. For more information, visit www.barelylegalband.com or www.shovelheadlive.com.
In other news, Fancy Trash-man Josh Thayer recently checked in to report that his band is looking forward to its upcoming time in the sun. Or, more specifically, an opening slot for the band primarily responsible for the Grammy-nominated Little Miss Sunshine soundtrack, DeVotchKa.
As Thayer collaborator Dave Houghton explains, Noho’s Fancy Trash was plucked from a field of hundreds entered in a competition at ourstage.com for the coveted gig.
And while Thayer adds that, per his understanding, each contestant was to be judged solely by its online applications and uploads, he can only imagine that his band’s previous opening experience for the LM Sunshine band—a one-nighter at the Iron Horse—might have helped Trash rise to the top of the heap.
“[Opening for DeVotchKa] may have given us a leg up,” he concludes, “as the final say for the opening act came from the band. And I heard they remembered us and liked us.”
The DeVotchKa mini-tour kicks off this Friday, May 16 in D.C. and continues through Philly and Boston before settling down in the Big Apple later in the month.
Last up, in a competition that is still open, renowned guitar and drum makers Gretsch will be giving several acts the opportunity to stretch those always-tight band dollars this month, taking the occasion of the company’s 125th anniversary to launch a competition laden with instrument and cash prizes.
The contest is open to any unsigned band that wishes to log onto the official site—www.Gretsch125th.com—complete the online entry form, and upload, in MP3 format, one tune that contains at least one guitar and one acoustic drum track. All uploads must be less than 5 MB in size and submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time on May 31, 2008.
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 698-9373 or email Garycarra@aol.com.
