Fancy Girls Market rock the MOD Club
Author: Melanie Schade
October 7th, 2007
Toronto based band Fancy Girls Market took over the stage at the MOD Club last night to give a fun performance presenting their catchy songs which effortlessly cross genres of rock, punk and pop. Lead singer Keith Burkett’s performance was very energetic and he utilized his voice well. Guitarist Justin Jun steered through the melodies with altering between melodic and heavy riffs. The rhythm section was great with Mikey Stecky-Efantis on the bass and Izador Centeno on the drums who did not only stood out through his precise drumming, but also through his extravagant taste in clothing. He showed the audience how to wear only underwear with style by adding a bow tie to his look.
It’s been a very good year for Fancy Girls Market so far. The band was recently featured as band of the day on indieSolo.com; and just last Thursday, Fancy Girls Market were awarded Best Young Songwriters at the Toronto Independent Music Awards. Watch out for these fancy boys and make sure you’ll let them rock your world next time they are around.
That Radio
Radio Appearance (June 6th, 2008)
A radio interview about how Fancy Girls Market was created. Justin and Keith talk about the band's future plans. Listen to Keith and Justin perform live unplugged on That Radio. You can listen to it here
That Radio
Radio Appearance (July 25th, 2008)
A follow up radio interview on Fancy Girls Market's new CD and announcement on current events. Justin and Keith talk about the band's up coming Much Music appearance. Live unplugged perfomance on That Radio. You can listen to it here soon
The Dave and Chuck Show
Radio Interview
Fancy Girls Market made an appearance on the Dave and Chuck Radio Show. A radio station with a cult following hosted by Dave and Chuck who are two of Toronto's funnniest stand up comediens in the underground comedy scene. You can see photos of this appeance here and more photos here. The actual radio interview and live perfomance can be found on YouTube.
Much Music
Television Appearance - Fall 2008 (Prime Time)
Much Music has decided to work with Fancy Girls Market for a new T.V series featuring unsigned bands. The film crew will be apresent at various shows in August. Check back often for more current updates and news regarding this exciting development with Fancy Girls Market
2008 Pride Weekend Toronto Canada
1st annual Pride Fest Party
Fancy Girls Market made an appearance at ROCKSTARS Sundays promotions "ROCKIN PRIDE, 1st annual Pride Fest Party".
Toronto Independent Music Awards 2008
Peter Bremner
All nights have their highlights, and the TIMAs did too: A very spirited ollie off the stage, with cymbals lit on fire in background by (one has to assume aspiring hair model) Keith Burkett, lead faux-screamer of the unclassifiable Toronto band, Fancy Girls Market. Though this random act was a trifle confusing, it brought some funny looks, which in turn, brought smiles, which in turn made it sort of worth it.
Toronto Band Looks for Asian Inspiration
By: Michelle Liao
Published: November 25th, 2008
Amidst the music scene in Toronto, one band is sending a message to other local musicians.
Fancy Girls Market says Western bands are falling behind the Asian scene. Key philosophy: perfect what you do. Practising in a tiny room in The Rehearsal Factory at Queen St. and Bathurst St., Fancy Girls Market reveal their goals of being great at what they do. They formed about four years ago with lead singer Keith Burkett and lead guitarist Justin Jun meeting through the Internet and eventually adding the rest of the members: drummer Izydor (Izzy) Centeno, bassist Steph Croteau, and guitarist and backup vocalist Michael Ha. They describe their music as punk, rock, and pop. “It is unique in that it doesn’t fit into one genre but it’s definitely a mix of a lot of things like that - so like pop, punk. So like the melody sounds poppy. You know, the beats are really punkish and really rockish,” says Ha. He also says there are rap elements. “To be honest with you, it’s unclassifiable,” Burkett adds. He does describe his band in one word though: electric.
Jun was recently in Korea and he says there is still a lot to learn in terms of music and dedication. Both Jun and Ha are Korean. They are also cousins. Ha currently studies music at the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus while Jun is a web designer. “We are two ginormous Korean guys in a band - I think that’s pretty unique,” Ha jokes. But on a more serious note, Jun maintains talking about striving to be better in his music. “I think a lot of Western bands think they’re so good but I just came back from Korea and I listened to a band called Crash - they’re phenomenal. We got a long way to go.”. Croteau says Asians are perfectionists and Western society is a society of “just being good enough”.
Though they may have a long way to go to perfect their music, they say they continue to thoroughly enjoy what they do. Judging from the band’s dynamic and their communication with each other, it’s apparent they are still getting to know each other since they haven’t been together for that long. Their personalities are diverse and they each contribute something unique to the band as a whole. Ha says the union of their melody and their riffs makes it really crazy how it all works out. But he says he feels the pressure of these perfectionists as he says nothing is ever good enough with them. “Even if it’s 98 per cent, they’ll strive to perfect it with that two per cent by saying it could’ve been better,” he says. “We do our best with what we got and that’s the end of it,” says Burkett on their music. As they get ready to practise, every one of them seem like they’re just itching to get on with the music. They practise two to three times a week.
Burkett says he likes the ladies but that has nothing to do with what the band is about. “It’s all about the music, man. It’s all about rocking out and writing good tunes and feeling it. I know that sounds cliche but it’s really, what else but music? If we could make a living off of it, that’d be pretty cool too. But we’re already good having fun,” Burkett says. This is something he always wanted to do since he was a kid. “I like just performing and writing lyrics that people can feel and can understand and that’s it, really, just rockin’ out.”
The drummer, Centeno, remains relatively quiet but he says he also loves performing and showing off on stage. And he should have a lot to show off since he’s been playing the drums since he was seven and he has 13 years of drum school knowledge.
Aside from playing music, Croteau is a hairstylist. “It’s the only thing in the world I love as much as [music]. When I started doing hair is when I realized if I never become a rock star, I’ll still be happy,” Croteau explains. “Through hair I lead - I have - the rock star lifestyle, basically, the whole partying late until the morning. And that’s what I realize, that I don’t have to do music to get towards the goal. “I just have to do it because I enjoy it. I still work hard at it, but really, the only reason I play music now is because I enjoy it.”
As much as they joke and make fun of each other, they still say that music is core to their lives - it is an essential part of enjoying life. “I think we all see ourselves as just being happy and just like having fun at the end of the day, you know what I mean. To be honest with you, no matter where we go, we might end up on tour - we probably will, as far as I’m concerned,” Burkett says. “But you know what, we’re going to have a good time no matter what. And that’s the honest truth of the matter.”
Fancy Girls Market won the Toronto Independent Music Award for Best Young Songwriters last year. They also appeared on the Much Music show disBAND. Croteau says he wants to tour and play in front of a lot of people. Most of the band agrees they would like to go on tour, but Jun pipes up, “I think you speak for everyone except me. I see the band pushing me to be better. I just want to be better.” “I mean, you can talk and plan … but it doesn’t really matter until you really perform.”
