As soon as I found out Mother Mother was performing in Nashville on their tour with special guest Winnetka Bowling League, I knew I had to go. The first song that introduced me to Mother Mother was one of their biggest hits, “Hayloft.” Originally from their 2008 album, it gained new life in 2020 after going viral on TikTok, drawing in a fresh wave of fans. I was introduced to Winnetka Bowling League when my friend created a playlist of new music for me to listen to, which included “Sha La La.” Something about that song is so addictive that it has been on my Spotify “On Repeat” list for a month. Because I had listened to both Mother Mother and Winnetka Bowling League previously, I was very excited to see both of them perform live in Nashville at Brooklyn Bowl.
As I eagerly waited for opener Winnetka Bowling League to walk on stage, the set design caught my eye. There were box TVs of different sizes showing static, plus a gumball machine placed next to them. This was a great choice to set up the band’s vibe, and it gave off a fun retro feel. Once the band appeared, they quickly got the audience moving to their music with their high-energy performance.
Winnetka Bowling League consists of singer and guitarist Matthew Koma, drummer Kris Mazzarisi and keyboardist Sam Beresford. Earlier that night, when I entered the venue, I had thought it was ironic that the band was playing in a bowling alley because of their band name, and Matthew had pointed out during the performance that it was the band’s first time playing in a bowling alley.
This tour was special to the band because they had just released their first album, “Sha La La,” in May. One of my favorite songs from the night was “On the 5,” which Koma explained during the show was the first song they released as a band. The song is about California, where the band members are from.
The crowd’s excitement heightened when the trio performed a cover of Chappell Roan’s “Casual,” and the venue was filled with the audience’s voices singing along. Koma interacted with the crowd several times, throwing in a few jokes and explaining the backstory of the band’s songs. During the performance, he joked that one of the TVs in the set design was playing the movie “Morbius” in case the audience got bored. While introducing their song “CVS,” Matthew jokingly mentioned that the song was about where he obtains his Prozac. The band closed their successful performance with the viral hit “Slow Dances.”
Following Winnetka Bowling League’s performance, my fingers ran to my Spotify app to save all my favorite songs from the show. I can confidently say that all of them are on repeat at the moment, and I am excited to hopefully see them again when they return to Nashville to perform at the Ryman on Nov. 10 with Dawes.
After one incredible performance, I was pumped for another when Mother Mother came to the stage. Their set was everything I expected and more. They truly knew how to take control of the audience and cater a performance to their fans. What surprised me most about the concert was how dedicated the fans were. This was the first concert I attended where most of the audience knew every song by heart. As much as the band contributed to a great show, so did the energy of the crowd. Strong bass solos from Mike Young and powerful slamming of the drums by Ali Siadat set the tone for the rest of the night. Molly Guldemond and Jasmin Parkin’s singing and keyboard performances, along with Ryan Guldemond’s strong vocals, fully immersed me in the concert.
Mother Mother interacted with the audience repeatedly throughout the night. They wore bracelets that fans handed to them, took a selfie on a fan’s phone, wished people well on their birthdays and said hello to a fan’s family. Fostering close relationships and celebrating life was a consistent theme. Vocalist and keyboardist Molly Guldemond is lead vocalist Ryan Guldemond’s older sister, and Ryan Guldemond expressed the gratitude he felt toward his sister during the performance. Molly Guldemond then performed the first song Ryan had ever written for her to sing.
“I hope that y’all have a Molly in your life,” Ryan Guldemond said.
Mother Mother continued to play their hit songs throughout the night. One of the crowd’s favorites was their cover of Lana Del Ray’s “Video Games.” Between performances, Ryan Guldemond continued to provide context about the band’s career. The band had been together for 19 years, and they shared how it takes time to break into the music industry. Their songs had recently achieved widespread popularity, and they were glad to bring their old songs back to life.
“It doesn’t get better than this for us,” Ryan Guldemond said in regards to how the band felt about their career.
They ended their main set with their biggest hit, “Hayloft.” The audience erupted into an uproar as soon as they heard the first few seconds of the song. The band and audience’s mix of energy was contagious, and it was a moment I will never forget. They ended the song with a powerful finale, as the bright white stage lights cast their shadows dramatically across the stage.
Although Mother Mother exited the stage following the song, the audience did not budge. They began cheering for an encore, and, sure enough, the band returned to the stage.
Ryan Guldemond told the audience that it was difficult to properly express the gratitude the band felt toward their fans. He spoke on behalf of the band when he stated that they would remember the special night in Nashville for the rest of their lives. The band had released their ninth album this year, “Grief Chapter.” The lead vocalist explained how they were exploring themes of death, mourning and grief — topics they had found themselves struggling with.
“Please keep being alive for as long as you can,” Ryan Guldemond said.
Mother Mother’s concert will be an experience to remember. From all the energy I absorbed during the performance to learning about some of my new favorite songs, I enjoyed every minute of the night.
