LIVE REVIEW: Dexter and the Moonrocks, High June in Portland, ME (11.20.25)
Texas “Western Space Grunge” four-piece Dexter and The Moonrocks were happy to be at Oxbow Blending & Bottling on a crisp fall Thursday night for their first-ever Maine show. The brewery was lit with twinkling strand lights and an illuminated small corner stage; the floor was densely filled with probably close to 150 people, an impressive count for a never-before-played territory.
Emerging from outside of the brewery doors to Limp Bizkit’s “Break Stuff” over the speakers, they took to the stage and launched into the country-tinged “Where I Steer.“ With a slower melody and guitar riff, they eased into the set with their softer side.
The catchy “la-da-das” of “Space Invader” followed, loosening everyone up and getting the crowd singing and swaying. Lead singer James Tuffs’s unique vocals were well highlighted by lead guitarist Ryan Anderson’s harmonies.
Chasing that with their take on Tyler Childers’s “Messed Up Kid,“ they had the room believing it was their own composition, while providing a cool, alternative spin on something familiar.
“This next song we’re going to play is about being a sad piece of shit,” Tuffs announced before the depressed and desolate “Autopilot.“ A strong contender for the use of nostalgia chords, the track evoked a sense of mid-’90s melancholia throughout the buildup. Continuing in that vein, “Cry” kept up the hooky harmonies amidst a hopeful sadness. A complete dead stop mid song kept everyone on their toes for a few seconds of silence, before picking the chorus back up and jamming out.
Heavy users of crescendos, drummer Ryan Fox and bassist Ty Anderson controlled the dynamics of “Bleach,“ mastering the right moments to slow down and increase the drama before exploding into another catchy chorus.
Taking a quick second to denounce an old favorite snack brand that let them down, they passed out a large variety box of chips to chants of, “Fuck Cheez-its.” A quirky gimmick of sharing snacks with fans, but it has always gone over well, even if it hasn’t led to a sponsorship (yet).
After fans were fed, Tuffs declared, “This next song is about murder,” before starting solo on their “y’allternative“ take on Colter Wall’s “Kate McCannon.“ The twangy, jangling guitar stole the spotlight as the solemn country western rolled on.
Treating the crowd to an unreleased song, the grungy bassline of “All Your Friends Still Scare Me” was a welcome teaser of what’s to come on the band’s next album.
“Do you want to do us a favor and open that pit up?” Tuffs cried out. “And we take care of each other, if someone’s down or hurt, gives us a sign and we’ll sort it out,“ he continued before their high-energy cover of Soft Curse’s “Freaks.“ And a mosh pit of millennials ensued. “Is everybody good? You got your phones and wallets?” they joked.
The gloomy “Say I” further accentuated their strong harmonies over sharp, cutting chords in one of their more emotional songs. Songs don’t need a lot of words to evoke emotions, especially paired with a hard-hitting melody that hits all the right feelings. Following with another slow burner, the unreleased “Flavorless” crooned on, continuing the ’90s sad boy sound.
Continuing the awkward schoolboy giving a presentation schtick, Tuffs declared, “Here’s a song for you guys about premarital sex. Who here is a virgin?!” before the melodic love song, “Birds and the Bees.“ Making everyone crouch down low for the bridge, they gave the count to start jumping, to which the audience obliged.
A quick quip of, “This next one is about lesbians,” teased the party rock anthem “She Likes Girls.“ Very early 2000s in its message and sound, the tune had everyone singing along to the catchy chorus and screaming the “All my homies like shit” line while the band brought it down low.
“This is the part of the set where we play the one song we wrote about a piece of furniture,” Tuffs said before the TikTok trend “Couch.“ A stoner sad boy track that leaves you in a sonic haze, they dropped it to half speed while fans lit up and waved their cell phone lights.
Big breakthrough banger “Sad in Carolina” was brought in with a driving rhythm building up and up until the outburst of “oohs” started another pit. The perfect main set closer, the euphoric energy was carried over to the very quick encore.
“There’s nowhere to go, so pretend we’re not up here and get those encore chants going,” Tuffs said as the band stayed in their places and jumped right into the current alt hit “Ritalin.“ The whole room was singing along and jumping around for their last bit of music therapy.
For having only been a band for four years and proving they have fans across the country, their trajectory can only go up from here. They blend just enough grunge with southern twang to overlap with fan bases and appeal to listeners of every genre. They provide melancholic nostalgia reminiscent of 90s alternative radio hits that call out emotions and make you feel like it’s ok to be sad. At the same time, their stage presence is kind of goofy and down-to-earth in the way they joke around with the crowd and their “Fuck Cheez-its” antics.
Notable Opener: North Carolina quintet High June provided high-octane, driving rock with gravelly vocals and Southern charm. Songs like “The Chase,” “Phenomenon,” and “After Hours,” they turned the amps up and ran away with their riffs. “Heartbeat” showed their softer side, while “Last Cigarette” had them gifting the wildest fan in the room a pack of American Spirit.
