The Mohawk on Red River
November 18

Maritime
w/ The One AM Radio
and Loxsly

       Here I am at Mohawk again.
       I am pleasantly surprised to walk in upon Loxsly doing sound check. I laugh when Garrett on the guitar looks at me and goes, “it’s just sound check.” I don’t know why it is just funny.
       I used to be nervous going places by myself, but sitting at the bar by myself before the show gives me the ability to observe things I don’t see while making small talk with friends. For example, I notice the big wigs on road show are hiding upstairs in the green room, but the Austin locals, Loxsly, are outside chillin with the common folk. I like that. But, maybe that’s what happens when bands get big. They have to hide upstairs. Honestly though guys, and I’m referring to the members of Maritime, just because you are the remnants of The Promise Ring and the Dismemberment Plan doesn’t mean you can’t chill with us. The little ol’ hipsters at Mohawk aren’t gonna mow you over like twelve year old school girls.
       Hang out!
       Anyway. Here comes Loxsly. Playing the inside stage at Mohawk. Never heard of them before. But, damn. Damn. Damn. I’m in love. With everyone. The sound is great. I’m hit with poppy melodic overtones that make me want to hear what Cody Ground has to say. The vocals and lyrics are perfectly balanced with the other musicians in the band. I do have to say my favorite player in all of this is probably Justin on steel guitar. He is so into it. It makes me so into it. I can’t take my eyes off him. Loxsly has THE group dynamic; they are right on cue with each other. And, Cody, although singing and synthing, still keeps me there with his head banging abilities. The music takes a backseat when his catchy lyrics start driving, but then jumps right back up in front and steals the show with precisely placed riffs and purely rockin’ drum baselines.
       Even their brightly colored instruments are visually appealing. The cherry on the top of this musical sundae is when they do a cover of Merle Haggard’s Silver Wings.
       Wow.
       I mean really. There aren’t many people who I would allow to take a classic song, much less one by Merle fucking Haggard, and cover it. But, their version was amazing. I want one. Can I have one. Please!
       Loxsly by themselves were totally worth the measly eight bucks I paid to come see Maritime.
        My mind is already made up. They are the real headliners.
        Although, Maritime is the reason I picked this show. I’ve heard a lot of hype about them. They are on tour right now with The One AM Radio promoting their new album Heresy and The Hotel Choir.
       I mean… I listened to The Promise Ring when I was younger. I can’t deny it. I wasn’t some kind of razor blade emo kid or anything but you could usually find me listening to The Anniversary, At the Drive In, and others along those lines my sophomore year of high school. Hey! We all have phases. That was just one of mine.
       But before seeing them I step away from Mohawk, as I usually do, to cleanse my palate, and fill it with a tasty beer!
       Back at Mohawk the crowd is much larger and I slither around them to find a comfy spot in the back to get the whole picture.
       Well first off. Maritime is drunk. That’s right dirty drunk. Not that I expect any musician to be sober during a show but should I really be able to tell how drunk they are at first glance??
       Anyway, I do have to say they have certainly found the often times lost middle ground between the emotional, mellow melodies of old emo and head banging jam favorites. The songs from their most current album I definitely like more. Which is also not surprising since this album has tracks produced by Stuart Sikes; who produces very diverse musicians, but always successfully.
       Maybe I put to much pressure on them. Maybe I expected them to be this amazing all powerful entity that would blow my mind.
       But, they didn’t.
       They aren’t bad. Obviously. They are legendary musicians. Just not my flavor. Didn’t hit me in the right spot. Better luck next time guys.
       When I got home I wasn’t thinking of Maritime, or that I needed to get their CD, I was thinking of Loxsly.
       Seriously.