Shrewsbury drummer a big hit in 'The Honors'

(l to r) Andrew Bayardi, Roland Nicoli, Brandon Heisler and Jay Trikakis PHOTO/POTENT VISION PHOTOGRAPHY Shrewsbury - It's been a dramatic turnaround for Jay Trikakis. At Shrewsbury High School, Trikakis played drums in the pit for the school musicals and contributed as a member of the marching band. Now, he's touring with his band "The Honors" and playing alongside some major music acts.

"It's humbling, first and foremost," Trikakis said. "We've only been a band for about six months and we've amassed a lot of contacts. We've been a band around Boston and have done quite a bit of touring with diff erent bands and we're just trying to get together in an organized way with some experience behind [us] and knowledge of the [music] industry."

Trikakis found his passion for music while living in Shrewsbury. In addition to playing at High School events, he played in multiple bands, including "Sandbar Trio," "Custard Style" and "Good Samaritan." Those experiences helped him grow as a musician.

"The school was always supportive," he said. "If you get support young, it encourages you throughout."

And now as drummer of the Honors, Trikakis is benefi ting from the experience. The band also includes Brandon Heisler, guitar and lead vocals; Andrew Bayardi, guitar; and Roland Nicoli, bass. Most recently, the Honors opened for Blues Traveler. It's these type of appearances that Trikakis still can't believe he's a part of.

"It was an opportunity to play with an artist you respect and who has had success in the industry," he said. "For a single event, that's certainly the biggest event we've played."

The band spends a lot of time on the road, according to Trikakis, and finds that the most rewarding times are when they are hard at work.

"Every time we get together for rehearsals on Tuesday nights, it's a blast," Trikakis said. "It doesn't have to be in an exotic location or on the road. Our personalities are definitely out there, that's for sure."

The band is in the middle of a packed summer, with shows across Massachusetts and as far west as Ohio. While a full length CD is not currently in the works, the band currently has a six-song EP available at all shows. They recently released their latest song, "Ghost," available for free at their appearances.

"What's kind of cool is that if you come to every show, you'll get a diff erent version of it ['Ghost']," Trikakis said. "It's a work in progress and we're trying to be very faninvolved and have our fans be very involved with the music and the creative process."

Trikakis believes that fans are the number-one reason for the Honors's success.

"What it comes down to is the fans," he said. "They've been our best ally. If it weren't for the fans, there wouldn't be any music."

For more information about the Honors, check out their MySpace page at www. myspace.com/thehonorsmusic. com. Also, log on to Onstage. com Wednesday July 30 at 8 p.m. for a Partyline Listen Party for their latest single "Ghost."