START-TRACK AT SHOW: hey i’m outside & Dogwood Tales rock Medford, MA

Naturally, as one of Start-Track’s valiant New England-based representatives, I often feel compelled to look up when bands we’ve covered are coming to town. That’s why I found myself at Deep Cuts in Medford, Massachusetts on October 15th to see hey i’m outside (whom we’ve recently covered) and Dogwood Tales (whom – surprisingly – we have not!)

First: If you ever find yourself in the Boston area, and you enjoy indie music, you must travel north to Medford to check out Deep Cuts. Sure, it’s a bit off the beaten path, and you’ll have to navigate some gnarly roundabouts to get there, but that’s Massachusetts for you, baby. The bar itself is a dream: Great drinks and some food offerings, with plenty of games to enjoy, old movie clips playing on TVs all around, and a fantastic music selection over the speakers. Plus, directly across from the bar area, Pop’s Pinball Parlor has a variety of classic pinball machines for you to dump your quarters into. Even if there’s no live music happening, Deep Cuts is a great hangout spot or a respite from the trappings of reality, a true neighborhood spot in a time when third places are becoming increasingly precious.

The performance space itself is your average black box, but it makes for a perfect spot for more intimate shows with a more blissful vibe. Both hey i’m outside and Dogwood Tales brought that sound, balancing between a driving (but not too heavy) indie sound and wistful melodies that filled the air in the room. The sound wasn’t the only thing that packed Deep Cuts: The space was wall-to-wall with people there for a night of incredible music.

hey i’m outside took the stage first, playing mostly tracks from Loud Ass Barking Dogs as well as some cuts from their previous self-titled album. The Medford locals know Deep Cuts well: Not only is the venue on their home turf, this is their fourth show there in 2026 alone. Every member of the band felt quite comfortable and in sync on stage; it’s no surprise that they’re one of the greater Boston area’s best live indie acts.

Patrick McPherson’s energy behind the mic is infectious, especially when he steps back to shred a monstrous solo on guitar. Hannah Fletcher on bass and Noah Wilsch on drums keep a steady rhythm, and Tim McPherson (Patrick’s brother) adds the alt-country twang with the Dobro guitar looped around his shoulders. It was great to hear what the band could bring to the stage, not seeming to downplay their energy for the smaller space. I would have loved to have seen what they brought to Levitate or House of Blues earlier this year, though.

In my review of Loud Ass Barking Dogs, I believe I mentioned that this band probably sounds as good live as they do on the record, if not better. I stand by my statement: All the members of hey i’m outside were locked in to give their audience their music as it was meant to be heard. I hope one day they go on another tour outside New England: They haven’t really done so since 2024, and I’d love for folks beyond the greater Boston area to see what these folks can do with a stage.

Then came Dogwood Tales, all the way from Harrisonburg, Virginia to promote their new album Every Star in Rockingham County, which came out in August. These four brought the Southern warmth with them on a particularly chilly Northeastern night. The guitars and vocals of founders Kyle Grim and Ben Ryan contain a lot of buzz and passion, and regardless of the subject matter of their songs, they feel like a hug. Danny Gibney’s bass and Jake Golibart’s drums match the music: They only really come out in full force when necessary, but otherwise they just keep time, remaining understated but incredibly important to tying everything together.

If hey i’m outside is alt-country for the back rooms of bars and basements of friends’ houses, Dogwood Tales is alt-country for the road trip down wide open highways or blasting while marveling at the Blue Ridge Mountains. There’s a Springsteen-esque epic feeling to Dogwood Tales’ music, and while the band were able to rock Deep Cuts without sacrificing anything in their sound, I would have loved to have heard their music through a giant stack of speakers. It would have amplified every nuance in their quieter tunes and made their heavier songs break ribs and hearts.

Like hey i’m outside, Dogwood Tales played mostly songs from their new album, kicking their set off with the opening track and somewhat experimental jam “Soundcheck Infinity”. But from there, it was all pure Southern indie bliss, with Kyle and Ben delivering banter in between songs to introduce their tales of family, growth, love, and loss.

It’s not easy to get a room full of indie music fans to move in anything beyond a sway at a show, but hey I’m outside got the crowd warmed up, and Dogwood Tales had everyone vibing by the end of their set. There was definitely a hesitation at the beginning of the show, but mostly because everyone was hanging out at the bar next to the performance space. Once Patrick called everyone in for the start of their set, the energy only skyrocketed.

In any case, while I always have a good time at Deep Cuts, I was glad to have gone to hear hey i’m outside and Dogwood Tales, especially after hearing their new albums. I suggest you go check out both Loud Ass Barking Dogs and Every Star in Rockingham County if you’re looking for an indie/alt-country fix. And while you’re at it, follow both hey i’m outside and Dogwood Tales on Instagram to follow along with their travels and see when they might hit the stage again, potentially near you. And finally, if you find yourself in Boston, make a stop in Medford and check out Deep Cuts for a nice cocktail, a sandwich, and a few games of pinball.

Written by Will Sisskind