Jason Savio

When they’re not performing in front of a live audience, the members of Dirty Laundry can be found handing out McChickens or donuts to homeless people. That’s because Dirty Laundry isn’t your normal up-and-coming Worcester band. Instead, these four Woo Town natives strive to be something more.

With a little less than a year of local shows to their credit, Dirty Laundry are already making a name for themselves, having played a sold-out gig at Bull Mansion and hitting the stage at other locations around the city with their brand of alternative rock originals. Singer and rhythm guitarist Shane O’Dwyer, lead guitarist Jacob Beaumont, bassist Joshua Ladroga and drummer Garret Moore embody the hungry spirit you expect from young musicians in their early 20s. But what’s unexpected is their charity work with Basement Candy.

Described as an “underground, nonprofit, private organization of all art” on its Instagram page, Basement Candy focuses on helping the community through art and benefit shows. It’s an extension of Dirty Laundry and run by the band.

“I see so much potential in Worcester as a music scene,” said O’Dwyer when explaining the genesis of Basement Candy. “I feel like a lot of people gave up on it in the past 10 years.”

O’Dwyer’s wish to publish his own local arts magazine (also titled Basement Candy) was the initial push that got the nonprofit effort rolling. He needed content to fill its pages, he said, which has led to a growing list of benefit and charity shows with Dirty Laundry on the bill.

The first benefit show was a “wrap up” at Hotel Vernon for underprivileged children around Christmastime, which required guests to bring a wrapped gift to donate in order to enter. The toys were later taken to the Boys and Girls Club along with $260 raised for art supplies.

“We had so many toys,” said O’Dwyer. “A car packed full.”

Their second benefit show raised money for medical expenses for their friend’s father, who had been diagnosed with a brain tumor, and they were able to collect a total of $1,200, according to O’Dwyer. Most recently, they had a benefit show at Ralph’s Diner for their friend Timothy Plouffe, who recently passed away, with proceeds going to his family.

The members of Dirty Laundry aren’t afraid to put in the footwork, either. They also go out doing what they call “homeless hunting,” in which they hand out food to those in need, like snacks from McDonald’s and Dunkin Donuts.

“It’s not always the healthiest thing, but it’s a quick and small little action that puts something in their stomach for the day,” said Moore.

They can’t do it alone, however. There is a list of people who help out with Basement Candy in some form or another, creating a network that has become a reliable source of energy for the band.

Among them is graphic design artist and photographer for Dirty Laundry and Basement Candy, Daniel Marc-Aurele.

“The Basement Candy idea really hit me,” said Marc-Aurele, who also donates his time and talent to other charity organizations like Veterans, Inc. in Worcester. “So, if I can help them out by taking a couple pictures, why not?”

The hard work that others have put in to help make Basement Candy what it is and, in turn, guide Dirty Laundry, isn’t lost on the band.

“Basement Candy would be nothing without the little family community that we’ve got,” said O’Dwyer.

With Basement Candy doing well, the guys in Dirty Laundry are hoping that their music will also gain some recognition. So far, the experience has been “like a movie” they said, following a fateful meeting with Grouplove’s Hannah Hooper, in which she named their band and provided some encouragement.

“The drive that they’ve given us is huge,” O’Dwyer said of Grouplove. “It’s like gasoline to a car.”

“It’s a straight up trip,” added Moore.

They plan to keep that momentum going with a big year planned. First, they have their sights set on getting into a studio and recording an album, something that has been brewing since their first show in July of last year.

“We just started out with two or three songs and a show, and now, we’re up to eight or nine songs,” said Moore.

And all of those songs are originals, except for their cover of Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog.”

As for the magazine, that is still in the works and will be published sometime in the near future, said Basement Candy Vice President Haley Benoit.

There are also plans to expand gigs to not only Boston and Providence, but the entire east coast and potentially the west coast. They expect California-based band Same Girls to partner with them on those extended runs.

“We just want to make music that people believe in like we do,” said O’Dwyer. “We want to inspire people the way our heroes have inspired us.”

For more information, visit instagram.com/dirtylaundrymusic.

Photo by Daniel Marc-Aurele.