Mother Mother took the stage at the National Arts Centre (NAC) and did not disappoint their fans, both old and new. The band struck a great balance between performing their older singles and new hits off their sixth and latest album.
The NAC is gorgeous, with deep crimson seats and balcony seating. But any venue would have been enthusiastically welcomed as the temperature outside dropped to -16 °C. Thankfully, the venue was so packed that fingers and toes warmed up quickly, just in time for the opening act, K. Flay.
She started the night off with a mix of rap, alt-rock and electronic music—a strange combination that worked well, and this is coming from someone who is not a fan of rap. Considering it was K. Flay’s first night on the tour, her performance was smooth, rousing up the crowd and prepping for Mother Mother with her most popular single “Blood In The Cut.”
Mother Mother opened to the howling venue with “Free,” a song from their newest album. The audience erupted in heavy roars, the guitar vibrating so fiercely that fans could probably feel it deep in their chests. Ryan Guldemond, the lead singer, killed it on guitar, feeding off the audience’s energy. The band members kept it fresh by switching up the vocals, keeping the audience on their toes, even throughout fan-favourite classics.
Mother Mother used stage lighting to their utmost advantage, beckoning bright strobes and beam projectors that matched songs’ rhythm and beat change-ups. “Love Stuck,” a song that’s a little less aggressive than most of the others on the album, was met with pink dreamy lights, followed by a burst of red strobes at the much-anticipated chorus. Jasmin Parkin surprised fans with spontaneous riffs and vocals that definitely outshone some of Guldemond’s. Ali Siadat, the drummer, impressed the crowd with his percussion in “Baby Boy,” where fans responded by scrambling out into the aisles of the hall, whipping their heads back and forth.
The indie rock band energized fans by playing their more dated, but most popular singles, and some new ones off the No Culture album. The crowd reaction to “Hayloft,” a nine year-old song, was explosive, met in entirety with outstretched hands. But, I, and many concert-goers around me, were pretty vocal in our disappointment about the band failing to play a particularly crucial song—“No Culture,” the title song for their tour. The incongruity was incredibly strange, and many left the NAC with the same comment.
But the best moment of the entire night was when Guldemond gave a shout-out to a longtime fan, mentioning a letter he had given the band during the VIP meet and greet. Mother Mother dedicated the next song to the fan, ensuing screams from the crowd and making that dream of being recognized by a rock star come true for at least one person out there in the crowd.
Overall, Mother Mother met my expectations. Their original indie rock sound crafted years ago meshed well with their newer, more high-powered, and forceful alternative air. Despite not playing their tour titled song, Mother Mother left the Ottawa venue excited and with an undeniable earworm.
– Photo is provided.
