Soccer Mommy delivers a tight set in Brisbane for Open Season Festival

While most of Brisbane was settling in for State of Origin on Wednesday night, the line to The Princess Theatre saw Maroon jerseys replaced with corduroy jackets and baggy jeans. Inside, the anticipation was building for Nashville-based indie rock artist Soccer Mommy (the alias of Sophie Allison), who was bringing her signature blend of shoegaze shimmer and indie melancholy to the steadily filling room.

Returning off the back of last year’s album Evergreen, Allison’s Brisbane stop formed part of the city’s Open Season festival. The winter-long program has quietly become one of the city’s most rewarding winter draws, delivering epic shows in spades. By the time I’d arrived, the room was comfortably full and the lights already low, as opener Asha Jefferies delivered her set.

I arrived in time to catch the song “Tank Top” as it unfolded across the Princess Theatre. Dressed simply in a red skirt and white shirt, Jefferies’ demure visual appearance contrasted with the immediate magnetism of her soft but commanding stage presence. Her voice floated over a band that were on point. Unfamiliar with Jefferies catalogue, songs like “Tank Tops”, “Cruise Control” and “Brand New Bitch” offered a stunning wash of chiming indie guitars and infectious bass lines.

The musicianship was tight, with the bass playing a central melodic role and the drummer seizing a rare solo moment to take out the final song. It was a charming and cohesive set, and one that earned her more than a few new Spotify playlist adds. “Have a beautiful night,” she said as she left the stage.

After a brief stage reset, the lights dimmed and a dreamy piano backing track played over a darkened stage, easing the crowd into the melancholy swirl of opener “Abigail.” From there, Soccer Mommy and her band barely let up. “Circle” followed along with “Driver” as shimmering guitars met crunching fuzz while sharp drums carved out many pitch perfect moments. Transitioning between songs with minimal fanfare and bathed in dramatic red lights, the opening went off without a hitch.

Allison kept her crowd interaction minimal throughout, letting the silence between songs hang unbothered while she tuned or swapped guitars. In fairness, that’s not a knock. That distance feels very much part of her artistic DNA. There’s something of a Daria-like persona to her onstage self. Still, for those looking for more of a visceral connection the set may have left something to be desired.

Offering a polite “How are you guys doing?” before introducing material from Evergreen, the band continued to deliver a mixture of chiming indie rock with layers of distortion. Intricate guitar interplay and Allison’s glassy vocals weaved in and out of focus, showing the band was dialled-in. Despite having three guitars on stage, the massive chug of combined guitars never became a burden on the ears. At times, it felt like listening to a band in a studio session.

“Shotgun,” with its groovy bass-led intro, easily earned the biggest reaction of the night, tapping into the head-nodding, bittersweet cool that defines much of Soccer Mommy’s appeal. “Dreaming of Falling” felt light and wistful, while “Cool” built slowly toward one of the night’s most cathartic instrumental peaks. Later, “Some Sunny Day” and “M” kept the mood simmering. All in all, it was very well-executed. The audience lapped it up, with appreciative head nods and synchronised body sways. The music never demanded a rousing mosh, with the crowd happy to sway in contemplative meditation, content smiles all round.

Despite the polish, something didn’t quite click for me. It’s a strange thing when the pieces are all there. Great musicianship, strong songs, a capable lead. The final product somehow never quite hit me in the chest, and found itself going over my head. The crowd were engrossed with slow nods and gentle sways, proving the music connects deeply with many. In contrast to the melancholic touch that Allison’s music produces, it was more a pleasant haze than the gut punch it’s capable of.

The songs are solid and sometimes even great, but as the set wound on with minimal interaction and each song slowly blending together, it never quite clicked.

That said, you can’t fault the focus. The band tore through the set with barely a breath between songs, delivering a show that was tight, tidy, and resolutely no-fuss. “Don’t bore us, get to the chorus,” seemed to be the unwritten motto, and by the time “Your Dog” brought the main set to a close with a thunderous roar, it was clear that for those already invested in Soccer Mommy’s world, this was a night well spent.

The single encore “Don’t Ask Me,” capped things off with a little extra snarl, leaving the crowd buzzing.

All told, Soccer Mommy’s return to Brisbane was well received, as swathes of the crowd lingered on the barrier well after the lights had come up, hoping for one more song. The setlist was generous, the sound pristine, and the band locked in. Even if the emotional resonance didn’t fully land for me, I left with a real appreciation for what Allison does.

As Soccer Mommy left the stage with the same nonchalant, unbothered energy she entered with, one thing was clear: she may be an artist of few words, but her eagerness to tear through a setlist and deliver her own brand of rock and roll shows she’s more than happy to let the music do the talking.