The Mourning After Effect
As the lights dim and the crowd quiets, one final band stands ready to ignite the 101 Bar into a frenzy of spilled beer and headbanging rhythm. A hum echoes through the mic — and with it, the artistic chaos awakens. Energy surges from the band, flowing into the crowd and back in a symbiotic loop of ecstasy. This is Mourning After.
Like many dreams, the grunge rock band Mourning After was born in the Notes App — a name typed into a list with the hope that it would evolve into something great, something known. In love with the local music scene of the Brazos Valley, Zoey Frederick decided she no longer wanted to just be a part of the crowd — she was determined to be a musical force on stage.
In 2023, Zoey sought out band members who weren’t just talented, but also committed to the crazy ride she was promising. Her goal was to unite individual artists to create an intoxicating experience of music turned feeling hypnotizing anyone within earshot — and she succeeded.
A Band Is Born
The desire for the stage burns bright like a steady flame in the hearts of those whose love for music never faded into a ‘phase’ but rather became an undercurrent to their lives.
“I grew up singing in theatre and writing poems and short stories,” Zoey said. “The songwriting came later, but after sharing it with other musicians over the last three years or so, it has really inspired me to take it more seriously as a career option.”
Talent is rarely in short supply, but accepting an opportunity to showcase vulnerability through performance takes courage — or sometimes, just a small push from a friend.
“I never thought I would get over my stage fright enough to pursue music,” said Taydem, the band’s lead singer. “As a kid, I literally used to hide behind a chair and sing when doing karaoke with my family. Music felt like something I would never be able to do. Zoey is the only reason I got over that fear.”
“I heard about the band through a mutual friend,” said Ethan, the band’s lead guitarist. “Zoey and I reached out to each other, and I stopped by the next practice to try out — and the rest is history.”
A butterfly effect of sorts worked seamlessly as band members surfaced organically, through mutuals, or simply directly approached.
“I’ve been interested in music pretty much forever," said the band's bassist Rowan. “Zoey and I went to the School of Rock at the time, and we’d never really talked that much, but one day she just came up to me and told me I was in a band now, and that’s how I got in.”
Zoey had a vision for the people who would make up Mourning After alongside her. Those hand-selected for this passion project would not just be bandmates — they would become a part of an unbreakable bond, strengthened gig by gig, sharing much more than just the stage.
Getting In Tune
Synergy is vital to any group’s success — especially in a creative sphere. Mourning After’s dynamic personalities and styles flow and interact poetically. In this blend is where the magic happens, and the discovery of new tunes is as easy as a last-minute jam sesh.
“We are a mix of personalities, but it all just kind of works,” Zoey said. “The best way I can describe it is a team, and even when we disagree, we know that we have a common goal we’re working towards together.”
According to Syd, the band’s drummer, the typical start of a practice session reflects that of any friend group — briefly catching up, while getting their instruments ready.
“We then normally work on new songs by either putting drums and bass to them or writing lyrics all together,” said Syd. “Afterwards, if we have a show coming up, we run our setlist. If not, then we just work on songs that we think could be better.”
While performing covers is always a way to catch a crowd’s attention, the members of Mourning After understand that original songs are how you hook a crowd’s attention and keep them coming back for more.
“Songwriting, like everything else we do, is collaborative,” Zoey said. “Normally, Ethan and I will come in with some lyrics or guitar parts, and we build off them as a group. But there have been plenty of times we write based on a feeling or a spur-of-the-moment jam session.”
Emma, the band’s digital media manager, describes their process as a rare authenticity.
“They include me in many decisions about their creative direction and are open to collaboration in a way that ensures every artist involved is contributing to projects that are both unique and truly made as a team,” said Emma.
A solid blend of styles weaves together through their songwriting process as everyone writes their parts to the tracks. With this environment, each member of Mourning After is invited to bring any idea to a writing session to be fleshed out as a team.
Electric Atmospheres
Enthralling the audience with their intoxicating presence, the band and its five members adjust their mics, instruments, and expressions to transform into a single, unified force — hungry to entertain.
“It’s contagious,” said Jacki, the band’s photographer. “As someone who didn’t know the words or anything about the band, it was still super lively. Even from my first experience with them — the way they fed off the energy of the crowd — it was truly unreal.”
Reagan, a fan, attests that the crowd's energy is indescribable.
“I was invited to go this past month, and it was nothing short of euphoric,” Reagan said. “They have die-hard groupies who know every word to their songs, which is insane for a local band. They also have wild audience environments due to their crowd work. Everyone’s dancing, moshing, and getting on their knees during guitar solos…truly an insane and energetic vibe. You can’t help but feel the music.”
Finding their flow and specific ‘signature’ on stage was discovered through risks and simply acting on impulse. For Mourning After, spontaneity is where they thrive.
“I went into the crowd and laid down right in the middle of that disgustingly beautiful bar floor,” Taydem said. “Practically making snow angels in the spilled beer and dirt. Everyone crowded around me and cheered as we finished the song. It felt good. Ten year old me would daydream about stuff like this. I love being able to make a fool of myself and have everyone cheer it on.”
A moment where “everything felt right” pushed Taydem to take the mic into the crowd, breaking down the wall between performer and listener — creating a shared experience with fans rather than just an observed one.
The best part of performing a Mourning After show, according to lead guitarist Ethan, is the high each experience brings.
“Energy is almost limitless when others are feeding off of it and pitching it right back at you,” Ethan said. “I love seeing how our songs make people slowly sway to our melodies or start throwing each other in our breakdowns.”
Each set brings something innovative to the stage — a specific flair giving each member a chance to shine.
“We have a song called Lygophobia that has a really fun bass intro and a solo,” said Rowan. “ I get to use a bunch of cool effects. It’s always a blast to play.”
”A Way is my favorite original song to listen to, but Walk of Shame is my favorite to perform,” said Taydem. ”I do this whole moaning-into-people’s-faces bit during it, which is really fun for me. The crowd enjoys it too — It definitely gets a rise out of them.”
“This band brings a rare authenticity that feels increasingly absent these days,” said Emma. “Their sound has an incredible range from electrifying guitar solos and intense screams to moments of mourning and yearning.”
Investing In The Community
Playing thirty-five successful shows is a massive accomplishment, and Mourning After is thankful for each opportunity they’ve had to perform.
“My favorite place that we’ve performed was probably at Frontier Fiesta with Alexia Cerise,” said Syd. “It was such a surreal experience.”
For anyone seeking a liberating musical experience — packed with riveting music and bewitching stage personalities, keep an eye out for Mourning After’s upcoming shows via their socials.
“People should come see them because they offer such an authentic vibe,” said Reagan. “They embody local artists but perform like seasoned professionals. The talent is undeniable and you have to see it for yourself.”
As they subtly build their name throughout Texas and beyond, the band has hopes of continuing their artistry as some members enter the post-graduate chapters of their lives this May.
“We are working on our debut album right now,” Zoey said. “We have put in a ton of hours during practice sessions. Our hearts and souls are in these songs, and we can’t wait to share them.”
Their artistry is at the core of the performances, and the supporters gained and supporters yet to discover this grunge-rock sound are what make the blood, sweat, and tears—literally shed—by these five creatives worth it.
Rather than building toward a specific dream venue, Mourning After strives to continue connecting with the people that support and resonate with their sound – especially within the queer community.
“I love my community and want to show them off any chance I get,” said Taydem. “Being queer in texas is no small feat, and any platform can be influential if you try hard enough. I don’t have a dream venue, just as long as we are surrounded by people who support and love us. Queer attendance is encouraged of course–I think it’d be so fun to play a show at a gay club soon, or play the background music for a drag show.”
Always ready to hit the road for a gig, the band is quite used to piling into a car and making an adventure out of the offered opportunities to make appearances at bars, festivals, and clubs.
“So far, I have traveled with them to Austin, Dallas, and of course the downtown Bryan area to take photos for their Instagram and marketing efforts,” said Jacki. “Shooting a show for them is always really fun because no matter where it is, they always have people who show up and show out at their shows. Everyone is so caring to work with, and I always feel welcomed and a part of the band.”
With a single set to drop by the end of the summer, the hope is to keep the buzz alive, as they couldn’t ask for a better career than doing what they love alongside friends.
“No matter what I end up doing in the future, music will always be a part of my life,” said Zoey.
Living in the moment has turned these strangers into lifelong friends, taking them on a journey that they once could only dream of as music-loving kids.
“Being part of the band has made me meet more people than I ever thought possible,” said Ethan. “There are so many names and faces crammed into my brain — it’s hard to keep up. It also introduced me to a lot of lesser-known and underground music.”
At the end of the day, the magic of Mourning After isn’t just found in the spontaneous mosh pits, the effortlessly cool outfits, or the bass solos — the allure of Mourning After lies in the seamless blend of talent, friendships, and unleashed creativity.
“I have a specific memory of driving down the streets of New Orleans, crammed in the back of Ethan’s car, screaming the words to “Rooster” by Alice in Chains,” said Syd. “And in that moment, I thought, ‘yeah — these are my people.’”
Written by Logan Hansen, Photography: Jacki Burns, Quentin Deming, Natalie Franks