On Saturday, Nov. 9, Cincinnati-based alternative band Mall Witch will bring their powerful and moving music to The Taproom on Ludlow in Cincinnati’s historic Clifton community. Their unique blend of musical genres will give the listener an evening filled with vulnerable and emotional music that’s angst-driven yet filled with hope.
Mall Witch began as a trio in the summer of 2021, with Levi Antoine on vocals, David Morgan on bass and Michael Salyers on guitar. Their first single, Milo’s Lullaby, was born from a bass line Morgan sent to Antoine in the summer of 2020, during the height of the pandemic. From there, the trio began writing their own material. Soon after, with a drum machine in tow, Mall Witch performed their original songs live for the first time.
Originally from the rural, suburban town of Ross, Ohio, the trio dug deep into their surroundings to create music that encapsulated the essence of how the three members were feeling while living there. “We tried to capture that Midwestern bleakness in our music,” Antoine tells CityBeat.
Over the last three years, Mall Witch has blossomed from a trio into a larger ensemble. With musical recruits Dan Spagna on drums and Claire Lefton on keys and backing vocals, Mall Witch has now become a commanding quintet.
In 2024, the band released their first collection of songs, a self-titled EP that was recorded at 3rd Street Music in Hamilton, Ohio, a studio close to their hometown of Ross. With Dravin and The Ravens frontman Dravin Downey recording and mixing the EP, the band capitalized on the nostalgia of their earlier days, which brought a coziness to the overall feel of the songs.
Driven by a passion for community building and positive change, Mall Witch focuses a lot of their energy towards local and international causes. Their latest single, “Home is Hell,” was created as a ceasefire Prayer for Peace for the war in Gaza. All proceeds from the streaming and purchases of the song from their Bandcamp account go directly to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. Locally, Mall Witch (Antoine in particular) partners with the Triiibe Foundation, using their music as a means to build community and give back in the spirit of positive change in Cincinnati.
Mall Witch is a musical and socially conscious powerhouse, and this live performance is one not to be missed.
Mall Witch plays The Taproom on Ludlow in Clifton on Nov. 9 at 9 p.m. More info: taproomludlow.com.
This story is featured in CityBeat’s Oct. 30 print edition.
This article appears in Oct 30 – Nov 12, 2024.
