On March 1st, The Moss and support Susannah Joffee took the stage at Deep Ellum Art Company giving fans a night they won’t forget.
Utah-Hawaiian band, The Moss, made their way down to Texas, playing for a full crowd in Deep Ellum. They began the set with their newest single, released in September 2023 “The Place That Makes Me Happy.” It only took a few notes for the crowd to erupt as they immediately began moving in sync with the beat of the song. There wasn’t a single second where fans weren’t singing and dancing along to the music.
The band took a few breaks between songs to engage with their audience, speaking about their experiences in Texas. This soon led Tyke James, the lead singer, to describe how the name “The Moss” originated. He told a story about Caiden, the guitarist, climbing a tree when he was in Texas. He said “he fell and hit his head on the rock…but luckily there was moss lodged into the cut,” ultimately saving his life. The band enjoys coming up with a new story every time they are asked about the inspiration behind their name.
The Moss’s stage performance was like no other, notably from Tyke, who spent most songs on the edge of the stage, walking and dancing on the tables in front of the audience. As the show was nearing its end, he grabbed a phone from a fan and took a selfie with the crowd. In the band’s last song “Dog Valley” the energy reached its peak. Tyke took this moment to jump into the crowd, and both the fans and the band actively ignored the “NO moshing” sign plastered on the wall. The night ended with “Dancing Queen” playing in the background as the drummer, Willie Fowler, came back on stage to give out the setlist and his drumsticks.
The Moss wasn’t the only one to get the crowd pumped up that night. Susannah Joffe, originally from Austin Texas was the artist to open for the band. She is now located in New York, but she got a rise from the crowd when she said “I’m from Texas. I went to UT.” Joffe played a mix of old and new songs, and each one was filled with intensity and passion. As she spoke about the emotion behind her song “My Dog Died,” she was met with nodding heads from the audience. The deeper meanings behind her music continued to shine through as she introduced her next song “Deer in Headlights.” She told the crowd “This song is about deer in headlights, but also how women are treated in this country.” The set ended with “Your Mother’s Name,” and before she left the stage a fan in the front row reached out to hand her a bouquet of flowers.
After the show ended, both Susannah Joffe and The Moss came out to talk with fans, take some pictures, and cherish their last night in Dallas before hitting the road again. This Friday night in Deep Ellum Art Company was an unforgettable experience, something everyone in the audience would attest to.
I am a Dallas-based photographer who has an appreciation for both the arts and music! Besides photographing concerts, I also enjoy doing creative portraits and working in Photoshop. I spend my free time either playing the cello, guitar, or piano or collecting CDs and vinyls. I would say my top three favorite artists are Peter McPoland, The Beatles, and Harry Styles! I’m currently a senior in high school, but I plan to major in graphic design and one day turn concert photography into a career.
