If you’ve ever walked into Max’s Tavern on a Thursday night and were greeted by a heated crowd getting down to some heavy funk rock jams, you’ve probably stumbled upon Fat Cherry. Trevor Helt is likely strumming out some wonky riffs over a thumping accompaniment of bass and drums, beaming with an intense smile between his band and drunken dancers hanging on every note.
Helt describes the sound of Fat Cherry as “heavy funk.” He also notes a heavy R&B and hip-hop influence, but mostly funk. Helt’s method of playing derives from “stealing people’s ideas off YouTube” and turning it into his own musical expression. He also attributes his playing style to the jazz greats and blues revivalists, especially Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Fat Cherry can often be found rocking out at a random campus house party or lighting up Max’s every other Thursday.
“Playing for the college scene is really fun,” Helt said. “It can make for some intense shows, not always good, but at least intense. Also, college kids are just fun people.”
Helt graduated from the University of Oregon last spring and has become part concert promoter and part musician. He maintains the do-it-yourself, self-starter spirit.
Fat Cherry was formed out of the ashes of Helt’s previous project, Greenlander.
While most of their performances at Max’s involve reinterpreting generational classics, such as Bloodhound Gang’s “The Bad Touch” and Afroman’s “Colt 45,” Fat Cherry has been working on originals that they hope to release soon. But first, Helt and Fat Cherry bass player Thomas Heritage are working out plans to move to Austin, Texas.
“We are moving there to find a singer,” Helt said. “We feel like we have the right package so far and we just need a lead singer to fill out the last hole.”