HOAX HUNTERS
2011 - 2018 / Richmond, VA
photo by Melissa Koch
Hoax Hunters were PJ Sykes, Ben Nicastro, and Greg Garner
Drawing comparisons to underground heroes like Minutemen, Hüsker Dü, and Dag Nasty, Hoax Hunters washed Richmond, VA, and the surrounding areas in feedback, drawing crowds for their infectious tunes and their explosive and unhinged live shows.
Read the Hoax Hunters tour history
Read the full list of Hoax Hunters band members and guest collaborators
Stream select songs from the Hoax Hunters catalog
Hoax Hunters music videos and documentaries
Watch more videos on the Cherub Records YouTube channel
Hoax Hunters photo archive
Hoax Hunters flyer archive
Hoax Hunters tour history
———2018———
07/28/2018 - War3House3 - Swarthmore, PA
w/ Second Letter, Aspect Ratio (2nd show), Catriona Sturton (also joined Hoax Hunters on "Teenage Message")
07/21/2018 - Plan 9 Music - Richmond, VA
Last show in Richmond, VA / CD release show
01/28/2018 - The Camel - Richmond, VA [Solo Set]
w/ MyWay, The Mad Children, and Faceship
———2017———
10/21/2017 - WRIR - Richmond, VA
End of the Century's Fall Fund Drive show
Covered “Something I Learned Today” and
“Never Talking To You Again” by Hüsker Dü
08/18/2017 - Coalition Theater - Richmond, VA [solo show]
RVA Dirt 1 year anniversary party / Richmond Famous
w/ Goad Gatsby, Black Liquid, and local comedians
05/19/2017 - Black Swan Books and Music - Staunton, VA
w/ Eternal Summers
02/18/2017 - The Meridian - Williamsburg, VA
w/ Pilot Speaking, Swete Dreams
02/17/2017 - Hardywood - Richmond, VA
w/ Dave Watkins, Grass Panther,
Landis Wine (of Opin / White Laces)
02/12/2017 - Alphaville - Brooklyn, NY
w/ Catriona Sturton (joined Hoax Hunters on "Teenage Message"), Amy Klein, Verdigrls
02/11/2017 - War3House3 - Swarthmore, PA
w/ Catriona Sturton, Full Bush
Birthday cake was brought out for PJ during the last song.
02/10/2017 - Rainbow Records - Newark, DE
w/ Catriona Sturton, Sarah Koon
Everyone had to use Sarah Koon’s “Madonna mic”
02/09/2017 - The Dollhouse - Philadelphia, PA
w/ Catriona Sturton, Joshua Alvarez, Secret Seahorse
———2016———
12/17/2016 - Canal Club - Richmond, VA
w/ VEXINE, J&W Love Redemption, Lowbirds
10/20/2016 - Ashland Coffee & Tea - Ashland, VA
w/ Jon and Kevin (of Horsehead)
10/16/2016 - Bandito’s - Richmond, VA
w/ Get In The Car
10/14/2016 - WRIR - Richmond, VA
Fall Fund Drive
Live performance and interview
10/08/2016 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA [solo show]
w/ Pinkwash, Puff Pieces, The Effects, Basmati
09/18/2016 - The Camel - Richmond, VA
w/ Totally Slow, Teddy Kumpel
08/05/2016 - Gallery 5 - Richmond, VA
w/ Azores, Flashlight Tag, Prabir (solo)
Bands with Gallery 5 board members
07/15/2016 - 25 Watt - Richmond, VA
w/ Charmer, Cut The Architect’s Hand,
Zach Rowden + Gus Caldwell
03/14/2016 - Gallery 5 - Richmond, VA
w/ Filiamotsa (featuring GW Sok of The Ex)
SHOW CANCELED DUE TO VISA ISSUE
01/24/2016 - The Camel - Richmond, VA
w/ The Everymen, Lightfields, Red States (last show!)
SHOW CANCELED DUE TO SNOW
———2015———
11/21/2015 - Slim’s - Raleigh, NC [solo show]
w/ Horizontal Hold, Cucumbers
11/21/2015 - WKNC - Raleigh, NC
interview and picked some songs
11/20/2015 - Hellraiser House - Greensboro, NC [solo show]
w/ Horizontal Hold, Cucumbers
11/11/2015 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA [solo show]
w/ Smoke Break, Josie McQueen, Silent Psychic
10/15/2015 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA [solo show]
w/ Among The Rocks And Roots, Lou Breeders, Antelope King
09/12/2015 - Hopscotch Day Party - Raleigh, NC [solo show]
w/ Catriona Sturton, Patois Counselors, Manatree, Pink Flag,
The Wyrms, Positive No, The White Cascade, Midnight Plus One,
Totally Slow, Alright, Black Market, Museum Mouth, Wailin Storms
08/06/2015 - Sound of Music - Richmond, VA
w/ From Bears, Mad Extras, and Collin Thibodeauxx
07/30/2015 - Gallery 5 - Richmond, VA
w/ Horizontal Hold, New Boss
07/16/2015 - Crozet Pizza at Buddhist Biker Bar - Charlottesville, VA
w/ New Boss
07/01/2015 - The Camel - Richmond, VA
w/ Royal Thunder, Wild Throne, Red States
06/21/2015 - Bandito’s - Richmond, VA
w/ The Milkstains
05/24/2015 - The Camel - Richmond, VA
w/ Lenny, Jimmy Catlett Group
05/22/2015 - Steady Sounds - Richmond, VA [solo show]
w/ GRINDS
05/08/2015 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
w/ Mac McCaughan (of Superchunk), Flesh Wounds
04/03/2015 - MACROCK / Golden Pony - Harrisonburg, VA
w/ Priests, Rozwell Kid, Trophy Wives, Wish List,
New Turks, Grace Vonderkuhn, Skateboard Kyle
03/01/2015 - Gallery 5 - Richmond, VA
w/ Prayer Group, Half Bascule
———2014———
12/18/2014 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
Benefit for Video Fan
w/ Lightfields, Microwaves, Wood Face
Plus, a showing of Everything is Terrible! HOLIDAY SPECIAL
11/01/2014 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA [solo show]
w/ Peace Beast, Heavy Midgets (Fat Spirit),
Girl Choir, The Green Hearts, Grass Panther
09/21/2014 - Bandito’s - Richmond, VA
w/ The Awesome Few
09/06/2014 - Hopscotch - Raleigh, NC
w/ Where The Bufallo Roamed, Family Bike,
Dave Watkins, No Love, Hot Dolphin, No Other,
Pink Flag, Black Market, Totally Slow, Late Bloomer,
Ghostt Bllonde, The Caribbean, Some Army
08/09/2014 - WRIR - Richmond, VA
River City Limits
Covered “New Day Rising” by Hüsker Dü
08/08/2014 - Gallery 5 - Richmond, VA
COMFORT & SAFETY RELEASE SHOW
w/ Dave Watkins, Positive No
08/05/2014 - Radio Rubber Room Podcast - Richmond, VA
Recorded live performance and interview for podcast
06/25/2014 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
w/ Ultrasphinx (ex-Party of Helicopters), Lightfields, Grass Panther
06/07/2014 - Steady Sounds - Richmond, VA
w/ Gold-Bears
05/16/2014 - The Broadberry - Richmond, VA
w/ Those Manic Seas, A Womand Is A Woman
01/09/2014 - West Main Basement - Charlottesville, VA [solo show]
w/ Gina Sobel
———2013———
12/14/2013 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
w/ Swearin’, The Snowy Owls, Little Master
11/01/2013 - Gallery 5 (First Friday Art Walk) - Richmond, VA
w/ The Late Virginia Summers, Glass Twin, Zac Hryciak & The Jungle Beat
10/20/2013 - Emilo’s - Richmond, VA
Radio Rubber Room presents
w/ 6TA
09/07/2013 - Hopscotch Music Fest - Raleigh,NC
Let Feedback Ring Day Party!
w/ Phantom Glue, The Bronzed Chorus, Midnight Plus One,
Hog, Irata, DiNOLA, Drug Yacht, Dripping Slits, Alpha Cop,
The Snowy Owls, Black Market, Architeuthis,
08/17/2013 - Bogarts- Richmond, VA [solo show]
Sounds of RVA showcase
w/ The Dirty Picture Show, The Colloquial Orchestra
07/21/2013 - Bandito’s - Richmond, VA
Commonwealth of Notions 3
w/ Heavy Midgets (aka Fat Spirit), Tyrannosaurus Awesome
06/19/2013 - Bandito’s - Richmond, VA
w/ White Laces
06/12/2013 - Gallery 5 - Richmond, VA
w/ Half Bascule (Dave Watkins + Nathaniel Roseberry), War Party (TX), Sealion (TX)
05/24/2013 - The Camel - Richmond, VA
w/ Murphy’s Kids, Attila and the Huns, Ink & Sweat
05/15/2013 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
w/ Broken Water, Canary oh Canary, Whoa!
05/04/2013 - Horseshoes & Hand Grenades - Fredericksburg, VA
w/ Ceremony, Night Idea
04/20/2013 - Steady Sounds- Richmond, VA
RECORD STORE DAY 7” RELEASE SHOW
w/ The Snowy Owls
03/15/2013 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
w/ Pity Party, Mens Room, Bad Magic
03/10/2013 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
w/ The Snowy Owls, Your 33 Black Angels, The Veldt
03/08/2013 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
w/ Kyle & Brandi (Diamond Center), Sacred Teachers
02/02/2013 - Steady Sounds - Richmond, VA
w/ E.D. Sedgwick (Dischord Records)
01/12/2013 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
w/ The Young Rapscallions (featuring Christopher Mintz-Plasse aka McLovin from the movie Superbad), Crushed Purple, Merrin Karas
01/09/2013 - Gallery 5 - Richmond, VA
w/ Worn In Red, Brief Lives, Sea of Storms
———2012———
12/15/2012 - Southern Blues - Richmond, VA
w/ From Fragile Seeds, Letters As Numbers
11/24/2012 - Nile Ethiopian Restaurant - Richmond, VA
w/ The Milkstains, Hot Dolphin
11/10/2012 - Horseshoes & Handgrenades - Fredericksburg, VA
w/ Rally Vincent, Dakota Martin, Jonez and the ‘Cuz
10/05/2012 - Black Squirrel - Washington DC [solo show]
w/ Woofdog, Christopher MacVittie, Sarah Kinas,
The Duskwhales, Machine Gun Mustache,
Hannah vs. The Many, The Garbers, Whoarfrost,
The Snowy Owls, il abanico, Kid Is Qual, Motor Skills
09/14/2012 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
w/ Tyrannosaurus Awesome, Auto Defiance
03/31/2012 - WRIR - Richmond, VA
Live performance and interview
03/08/2012 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
w/ The Men, Lost Tribe
02/12/2012 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
w/ JEFF The Brotherhood, The Milkstains
———2011———
09/22/2011 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
w/ Catalyst, HotChaCha, Jabroni, Summer People
08/04/2011 - Sprout - Richmond, VA
w/ White Laces, Grandfather, Fossil Eyes,
06/24/2011 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
w/ The Snowy Owls, Canary Oh Canary, Manorlady, Adah
Hoax Hunters were still called The Blood Vowels
05/26/2011 - Sprout - Richmond, VA
w/ The Snowy Owls, Silversmiths, Cinnamon Band
Hoax Hunters debut show, unannounced opener, and were called The Blood Vowels.
Hoax Hunters portrait by Todd Raviotta
Full list of Hoax Hunters band members
PJ Sykes – guitar, vocals, bass 2011 – 2018
Ben Nicastro – bass, vocals 05/16/2014 – 07/28/2018
Dale Nixon – drum machine 07/15/2016 – 05/19/2017
Greg Garner – drums 12/18/2014 – 08/06/2015, 02/17/2017, 10/21/2017 – 07/28/2018
James O’Neill – drums 09/04/2012 – 09/21/2014
Tim Falen – bass 02/12/2012 – 12/13/2014
Noell Alexander – drums 02/12/2012 – 03/31/2012
Jamie Lay – drums 05/26/2011 – 09/22/2011
Duane Lauginiger – bass 05/2026.11 – 08/04/2011
Hoax Hunters guest collaborators
Catriona Sturton, Jeff Roop, PerSisters, Lance Koehler, Dave Watkins, Matt Klimas, Marty Key, Anousheh Khalili, Jon C. Brown
Hoax Hunters related projects
A New Dawn Fades, The Colloquial Orchestra, Cagey Watts, Angels VS Aliens, The Snowy Owls, Timothy Bailey & The Humans, Baby Help Me Forget, Times Ten, The Diamond Center, Flechette, Hot Dolphin