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"MOTHER MOTHER EUREKA
By Angela Espinoza, Arts Editor

inging in 2012 with a bang,
Re now based in Vancouver
band Mother Mother

played three back-to-back shows
between December 29 and 30 at
the Commodore Ballroom, so if
you missed them...what the heck
were you thinking?! I managed to
catch their last concert of the year,
and I’m ecstatic to say they did not
disappoint.

Before we get into them
though, it’d be rude not to discuss
the opening band of the night,

ni

—

ab

»

Ryan Dahle. I spent the night
unfairly judging them based on my
mistaking them for the opening
band of the previous show, Good
for Grapes. Now, both bands are
fine in their own right; in fact, Ryan
Dahle was great. The only reason

We love our
Mother Mother

The Vancouver quintet bring a rocking end to 2011

Now then, onto the big band of
the night: Mother Mother. Playing
a near 90-minute set, MM began
with an epic combination of “Body
of Years” and the Pixies’ “Gouge
Away.” From thereon out, the
sounds of the night were nothing

“No song in particular really summed up the night though. What
gave the show life was the sheer energy both Mother Mother and
the crowd kept feeding each other.’

I don’t regret my decision to judge
them is that—regardless of who
was opening that night—neither
band fit the tone Mother Mother
(MM) carries. Good for Grapes

is, to put it simply, way too chill
for a MM concert. Ryan Dahle on
the other hand sounded like they
should be opening for R.E.M.
(which actually would make for an
awesome show). So, while Ryan
Dahle was unable to pump me up
that night, I do suggest checking
them out; same goes for Good for
Grapes.

less than a healthy balance of

songs from all three of the groups’
albums. “Baby Don’t Dance” and
“Simply Simple” from Eureka (2011)
eventually lead into “Verbatim”
from Touch Up (2007) and “Sleep
Awake” from O My Heart (2008),
and so on and so forth.

No song in particular really
summed up the night though. What
gave the show life was the sheer
energy both MM and the crowd
kept feeding each other. Everyone
was having a great time because
MM were putting their all out there,

and vice versa. Even during what
could be taken as calmer songs, like
“Sleep Awake” or “Angry Sea,”
the excitement pulsing through the
room was intense.

Of course, I'd be lying if I
said things didn’t get a little crazy
near the end. The group chose to
play a slew of high-energy songs
right before a break, including
“Problems” from Eureka, and
“Ghosting” and “Hayloft” from O
My Heart. After the band returned
to the stage, they played a three-
song encore, including an extension
of the last few moments from the
song “Calm Me Down,” which
highlight the title of Eureka. The
night ended with another title track,
“O My Heart,” and finally, not to
mention fittingly, “The Stand.”

While there were one or two
other songs I would’ve liked to hear,
it didn’t take away from the night
by any means. I don’t think anyone
there could’ve asked for a more solid
Mother Mother show, and I’m proud
to say it became my second-last hazy
memory of the year.