LIVE REVIEW: Soccer Mommy Enchants at the Princess Theatre

Beloved annual music and arts series Open Season has returned for another year in Brisbane with an absolutely phenomenal line-up of local and international talent playing across the Tivoli and sister venues this winter. We were thrilled to catch the incredible Soccer Mommy at the Princess Theatre last night as part of Open Season and her Australian tour. 

The night began with a set by adored Brisbane-based singer Asha Jefferies. It’s been a while since I’d seen her perform, and it was an absolute treat to catch her live once again. Her introspective lyricism and ethereal vocals were the perfect choice to compliment Soccer Mommy's Evergreen era and showcase one of Australia’s best. While her set only lasted for half an hour, the time was used to its full extent as Asha treated us to a mix of favourites from her 2024 album Ego Ride including ‘Cruise Control’, ‘Stranger’ and queer anthem ‘Tank Tops’, as well as a brand new unreleased track called ‘Walrus’ that has been stuck in my head ever since. 

Photos by Robbie Hume @robihume

After Asha Jefferies, the lights dimmed and the audience hushed, as Soccer Mommy took to the stage to the excitement of the crowd of fans, many who were already sporting her new merch. With an appropriately purple guitar, she began the set with ‘Abigail’.

This is one of the songs I was most excited to hear live. It's written about the purple-haired Stardew Valley character of the same name, and I live for the mix of genuine yearning and emotion and the niche references to the character and events from the game- it makes me simultaneously smile and marvel at just how talented a songwriter Soccer Mommy is.

Evergreen in general is an utterly gorgeous album, and we were super lucky to be treated to most of it during this show. It’s just a bit quieter, a touch more introspective than some of the other offerings in Soccer Mommy's discography. While the songs generally exist in seperate places, they are unified by the vulnerability and emotion that underpins them all as she explores love, loss and grief.

There were several moments of quiet intimacy throughout the night that were particularly memorable, including a gorgeous performance of M, stripped back renditions of 'Still Clean' and 'Lost', and a performance of 'Shotgun' that was a bit slower and softer than the studio version. Soccer Mommy has a yearning, almost mournful tone to her voice throughout these songs. It makes you feel, and it lends itself so well to these really ethereal moments. Throughout these songs, you could hear a pin drop in the crowd. We were all utterly transfixed and silent.

That being said, the more classic indie-rock songs on the setlist didn't feel out of place at all and were equally appreciated by the audience. 'Circle the Drain' was a definite highlight of the night, as was ‘Your Dog’.

Overall the night was a fantastic celebration of both Evergreen and Soccer Mommy's mesmerising artistry as a whole. it's been amazing getting to experience live the ever-evolving sound of her eras and projects, and we can't wait to see what's next.

Check out Open Season here. 

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