Free Week Review – Wednesday night at the Mohawk

Wednesday night at the Mohawk was like riding an emotional roller coaster, with all participants shoved in one tiny box car, spontaneously howling with delight, holding tight to one another for dear life and sweating all over the place while incredible local bands navigated us on our way.

The evening opened up with Dark Water Hymnal, a five-piece that plays orchestral pop music for woodland elves at a dance party. There were definite nods to Frightened Rabbit, and the group peaked at their second-to-last song, “ Wherever We Are.” It was the best blend of their Tolkien folk-meets-modern dance rock, and the lyrics were immediate and affecting. One concert attendee, J.D., approached me with his input: “What a well put-together band. They’re raw and more alive in some songs — just really nice. I’d want to introduce these guys to my friends. I’d take them home to my parents.” They’re sharp on record, and with a little more time, I think their live show has the potential to hit just as hard.

Next up, Little Lo took the stage. The band isn’t even 100% settled on all of their song titles, so I’ll do the best I can here. The tiny inside room at the Mohawk was packed the whole night, and there were a lot of Chatty Cathys up in there (my kind way of saying Austin peoples need to STFU if they’re gonna be hanging out in the room where the music is going on, kthx). Still, when the group broke out with tentatively-titled “SXSW Song,” Sam Houdek’s explosive drum kick-off silenced the room, if only for a few minutes. The group truly sounded like they were at their peak; they filled the room with their songs, and played with so much love and excitement that our little roller coaster boxcar felt like it was imminently on that swooshing downward rush, stuck in the very best moments of the ride. Lead singers Ryan James McGill and Bailey Glover each have completely unique voices; McGill’s is simultaneously achingly honest and quietly smooth, whereas Glover’s soars, with the kind of strong vibrato that is perfectly at home on a stage. It feels like it should be unlikely for these voices to wrap around one another so perfectly, but they are wonderful compliments, and the rest of the group’s backing harmonies are the perfect bed in which they can cozy up. McGill is a masterful wordsmith; phrasing like “Down here I don’t have to lie, I just lay” and “I do look good in green for you” stay with you long after the band has packed up their equipment. They played “Wounded Knee” for our aforementioned pal J.D., who discovered the group at the Oh Snap! Festival. Bassist Josh Mead is delightful to watch during this tune, as he dances around in his own world, and saxophonist/mandolin player Ian Rogers lights up every time he catches his bandmate jamming out. Multi-instrumentalists Stephanie Groudle and George Pappas crowded around a mic with their band members for Little Lo’s interpretation of a William Blake poem, but you could see on Groudle and Houdek’s faces that the crowd was making it impossibly difficult for them to hear their harmonies during the quiet tune. It was the only moment of frustration for the group, and they trudged along, living out the title sentiment during “For Fun.” They closed the night out with “Broken Skin,” which starts slow and bubbles up to an encompassing boil at the end. The main stage lights shut off at the song’s climax, leaving only light from strings of Christmas lights in the background and creating great shadows as the band members tore the roof off. It was a brilliant set, and possibly the best Little Lo performance I’ve seen yet. Bravo.

If Little Lo was the number one highlight of my night at the Mohawk, Danny Malone was a very close second. Malone had more tattoos and more hair than the last time I saw him, but seemed otherwise to be the same incredibly talented oddball troubadour Austin knows, loves and claims. He opened with the devastating “Close Enough,” and since he was performing acoustically, he didn’t have drums to silence the room and opted for a powerful harmonica part instead. A bulk of the audience seemed to be there to support Malone, as calls of “Danny!” echoed around the place. He picked up the pace on his second song, “My Affection.” On the verse, “Maybe you should think of leaving town,” Malone growled the lyrics, emphasizing how much emotion he plays with. He’s the kind of artist who seems to be reliving whatever experiences his songs are about every time he plays them, which has to be a painful thing if it is indeed true — many of Malone’s songs are about broken hearts and dissatisfaction. He addressed the audience after this, quipping, “We’re celebrating poverty! Woo!” The Free Week joke did not go over very well, so Malone mumbled, “…go Wildbats!” and, after a beat, followed up with, “Or ice cats, or whatever,” and then with a chuckle, continued his set with the sweet tune, “Sailing.” Up next was a new track, which Malone described as his “new hit song.” Possibly titled “Sugar Water,” the opening line was, “Face down in the sink/I found you there puking in your sleep.” Malone is a master of cynicism, witty sarcasm and musical and lyrical dichotomies; he coupled the biting verses with a “Bop-shoo-op” breakdown, which was the perfect counter. On a personal note, the next song, “Wait On Me,” definitely got to me, causing some pools to gather in my eyes. It’s a gentle plea with melancholy self-awareness, and Malone hit all the notes just right. To shake things up, he put his signature dance routine into the next setlist slot, and tonight he released balloons into the audience as his own set of lamps flickered in time with his Michael Jackson-esque moves. People seemed fairly unfazed by the display, further indicating a majority were likely fans there to support Malone. Indeed, a sing-along emerged on “Secrets You Know,” and some head banging accompanied Malone’s cries of “Like I was born with it/I’m so bored with it.” Though there were calls for his hit “Baby Bleu” to close out the set, Malone opted to go with a new tune, saying, “Let’s just end this calmly.” Judging by the wild applause that followed the song, I doubt anyone was disappointed.

Marmalakes ended the night at the Mohawk with pretty, catchy pop songs. Drummer Josh Halpern’s parents attended the event, which (let’s be honest) was basically the most awesome and adorable thing ever. Mr. Halpern asked the group of folks I was standing near if his wife could scoot in to get a good look at her son, but Mrs. Halpern insisted we stay near the stage. “I’ve seen them a million times — plus, look how cute he is! And he’s nice, too!” Your mom: the best wingman you could ask for. The band shot through their set, performing old favorites and new tunes to a still-packed and loving room. The bit hit, “Vittoria,” was once again a joyous sing-along, and the room half-accurately clapped along during the second verse. The crowd begged for an encore, but the band waved goodbye and people scattered into the street. It was a wonderful cap to a fabulous Free Week lineup.