Show Review: DEHD w/ Hello Mary
By Julia Towne
Going into Afterhours, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had previewed the headliner’s discography, but Hello Mary stood as a wild card. The trio, originating in Brooklyn, describes their sound as an ode to ‘90s alt-rock. Their music is reminiscent of Phoebe Bridgers, combining shoegaze, indie rock, and grunge via their vibrant drummer Stella Wave, who turned 21 the night of their performance, reticent bassist Mikaela Oppenheimer, and compelling guitarist Helena Straight.
While the lyrics were strong and the musical talent was there, their stage presence was unique and somewhat reserved, as the girls admittedly had never played in Boston. There was certainly some awkwardness in their stage presence, but a slight lack of experience did not necessarily translate to a boring or low-quality show. While the music flowed, the venue was full of good energy and dancing which only slowed as songs transitioned. I was disappointed that they didn’t introduce songs as they flowed from one to the next, as it was hard to find my favorites online after the show. Regardless, the setlist was well-designed, and Hello Mary are certainly stars in the making. That being said, my favorites from the group included “Ginger” and their new single “Evicted”.
The merch table, positioned against the wall near the stage, had items to represent both groups, and I noticed that many concert-goers made purchases there at some point in the night. The Starbucks located in Afterhours was also incredibly convenient during intermission, which is a definite benefit of the venue. The location on campus is ideal, and the comparatively small size of the room made for an intimate show, unlike what fans would experience in a stadium tour or large auditorium.
More students seemed to enter the venue during the intermission, The room came back to life with the first amplified strum of a guitar from the second indie-rock trio of the night: headliner Dehd, comprised of Jason Ballas on guitar, bassist Emily Kempf, and drummer Eric McGrady, all of whom contribute to vocals. The garage-rock style of their music was more conducive to the “typical” concert scene, complete with dancing and plenty of hair flips from Kempf. Members were notably more comfortable on the stage, confidently interacting with the audience and requesting audio adjustments. They mentioned that their visit to Northeastern was the last stop on the first leg of their tour with Bnny, as they anticipate opening for Julien Baker next month. In spite of the grueling nature of almost nonstop shows, the group managed to pull together enough energy for an impressive set.
Both groups displayed a passion for their work, which was discernible in the quality of their music. I have great respect for all performers and crew behind the show, and had a generally positive experience, even though there were some technical difficulties along the way.
