Years of brotherhood and backwoods meandering have been the driving forces behind indie/folk/rock band Maitland. Pulling influences from Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, and woodsy expeditions, Maitland has transformed from a minimalist folk duo into a rock quartet.

Alex Hines, bassist and vocalist, found an opportunity to gain recognition for Maitland in NPR’s 2017 Tiny Desk Contest, a competition open to unsigned musicians. The top prize includes a Tiny Desk taping in DC and a tour of the United States with NPR and Lagunitas Brewing. To officially enter, Maitland needed a video of themselves performing an original song at any type of desk. Alex approached me in hopes I could record a last-minute performance and quickly produce a video suitable for Maitland’s submission.

Before becoming two parts of Maitland, I knew Josh and Alex Hines as the two brothers in high school who referred to me as their “sista” and would always be down for a little outdoor ruckus. A huge part of our friendship stemmed from music, so I’m lucky enough to have watched them grow from practicing in parking garages to touring the North East.

Knowing the honest power of their homegrown voices, I wanted to keep the video simple, highlighting only that which needed highlighting: their combined talents. The whitewashed industrial setting of The Clearstory event space provided minimal distraction from the duo’s warm harmonies, while also contributing the acoustics needed to drive home Maitland’s fresh, unprocessed sound.

We managed to pull the video together in an afternoon, despite the busy schedules of all parties involved. Mini projects like this video with Maitland are symbols of what can be achieved by simply asking. Art, if nothing else, opens up a community of groups and individuals always willing to contribute. My history with Maitland began as a friendship and continues to unfold with artistic camaraderie; so cheers to the duo’s success and hoping that this video can somehow contribute to it.

I'd like to thank Lisa Andrus of Andrus Hospitality, LLC for allowing us to use the Clearstory for this project. Please visit www.andrushospitality.com to learn how you can book this space.