Words and photographs by Palina Prasasouk

MAIDS is the love child of Seedlings front man Danny Heggen and Mickey Davis aka Is Home Is. Both reside in Des Moines and both make thoughtful music. In my brief general conversations with these guys I can see in their faces simple subjects are much more complex and their music does not fall short of this same ideal nor did their live debut. Danny Heggen has co-authored three books in support of social causes and Mickey Davis has publicly voiced his former lost days as a male anorexic.

Maids didn’t hit the stage at The Vaudeville Mews until after midnight following three acts, most of the audience were already drunk, some had relocated to the outdoor PBR bar, still leaving the venue with a good amount of listeners. Accompanied on stage by a projection and a smaller screen with Maids’ statically positioned logo they begin with the first track off their EP “Seashell” which has an innocent child-like rhythm. I’ve been listening to this teaser for a month so I was excited to hear Danny’s melodic lyrics paired with Mickey’s ambient beats. A good part of the audience was hypnotized by their anti-climatic presence with projected images of taraxacums and red liquid moving in slow motion.

As their set continued people became curious and the show returned to the full audience again. This is the first time since the finale Cleo’s Apartment show that I’ve seen a band going on so late at The Mews gain some traction. This was a well-produced stage presence. Well, let’s say that Mickey is known for being a talented producer. At one point Danny leaves the stage to return and the show reaches climax with both of them collaboratively pounding on drums on a track called none other than “Playing Along.”

Let’s rewind before the show. I almost didn’t go to this show because I failed to invite anyone to accompany me and was expecting to awkwardly sit at the bar alone, not involved in anyone’s conversations, but maybe just a wave at people I know on a friend’s death anniversary. Coincidentally, Danny played the first Torture Survivors’ Benefit with his band The Seedlings the day after my friend passed away in 2011. Me at this show was as meant to be as Danny+Mickey=MAIDS.

Listen to their E.P. here.