Soccer Mommy Kicks it into Overtime at Thalia Hall

Singer-songwriter Soccer Mommy kicked off a two-night, sold-out stint at Thalia Hall Feb. 6, luring the audience into her psychedelic forest of indie rock.

Soccer Mommy, whose real name is Sophia Regina Allison, is currently touring her 2024 release “Evergreen,” across North America.

Supported by indie folk artist Tomberlin, both performed in a floral environment, with potted plants scattered around the stage and a circular projection screen surrounded by flowers and vines. Behind the performers stood a painted mural of a luscious green valley, aptly containing evergreen trees. 

Starting the show, Tomberlin performed a batch of acoustic songs accompanied by alice does computer music — the stage name of Chicago native Alice Gerlach — on cello. 

Smoke machine fog, coupled with Tomberlin’s restrained vocals and pastel lighting, brewed a dreamy, hazy experience.

A highlight from their set was “Any Other Way,” during which Tomberlin’s vulnerable and soft — yet sharp — vocals intertwined with the deep, full vibrato of alice’s cello. 

Tomberlin’s quick guitar plucking on “Seventeen” contrasted the long bowing of the cello, yet somehow both worked in harmony. It brought out a meek warmness, like a lit match in the middle of a blizzard.

Soon after Tomberlin’s set, Soccer Mommy and her band took the stage, immediately performing “Abigail,” — an ode to the character from the video game Stardew Valley. 

Behind her, projections of falling flowers and leaves decorated the screen. Flower pots glowed in pink and purple, transporting the stage into a fantasy-tinged wonderland — foliage meeting psychedelia. 

Transitioning to “Circle the Drain,” Soccer Mommy’s higher-pitched vocals whirled around electric guitar and drums to create a sweet sonic vortex. Noises of bubbles popping played from a soundboard, matching the projected bubbles traveling over swirling shades of fuschia, raspberry and violet.  

Interspaced between songs were spacey, sometimes ambient instrumentals which ensured a few moments of silence throughout the concert.

On “Driver,” the loud guitars and drums overpowered and muddled Soccer Mommy’s softer vocals — an unfortunately common problem during the concert. 

The following “Bones” featured a tunneling guitar solo that only seemed to get messier and more erratic as it progressed. The sporadic tune eventually regained its footing, finishing in an oddly polished and orderly manner.

Shoegazey guitars and punchy drums characterized “Shotgun,” but Soccer Mommy’s vocals still managed to shine through. Pulsating pink and purple lights rained from above as rose-pink lava lamp-esque visuals appeared on screen, evoking the single’s cover.

On “Dreaming of Falling,” the light taps of a high hat joined whispery vocals and subdued keyboard and guitar. At points, Soccer Mommy’s voice was left exposed with only faint guitar chords backing her. 

“The next one we’re gonna do is about my truck,” Soccer Mommy said. “I don’t have it anymore, it died.”

The song, “Feel it All the Time,” featured an angsty vocal delivery from Allison. The energy of her performance matched the furor of a revving truck.

“Thinking of You” was a moodier performance, featuring heavier guitars and hard-hitting drums. In the second half, the song cut into half time before slowly building up to its original tempo. A chaotic outro, pounding drums and hypnotic keyboard lick danced around each other.

“How do you guys feel about the devil?” Soccer Mommy asked the audience before starting “Lucy” — an affectionate nickname for Lucifer — which featured an air-slicing guitar solo.

An old, weathered photograph aesthetic accompanied the song “Some Sunny Day,” during which sepia-toned lights and vintage images of valleys overtook the stage. Arpeggiating guitar chords and Soccer Mommy’s alluring voice filled Thalia Hall, inducing nostalgia for an unknown memory.

Members of Soccer Mommy’s band left the stage so she could perform the quaint and spacey ballad “Lost.” Doodles of flowers projected behind her, buried behind heavy TV static. 

Digging deep into her catalog, Soccer Mommy played the understated “Henry,” which elicited an excited roar from the crowd. 

Fast-paced drumming melted into droney keyboard sounds on “Salt in Wound,” climaxing into a hodgepodge of foggy noise. The sonic collage was accented by flashing white and rainbow lights.

As the final song, Soccer Mommy theatrically performed “Your Dog” with frantic guitars and drums. Encouraging the audience to sing with her, the venue exploded in unison, closing out her set.

But the night wasn’t over yet, as she came back to perform the atmospheric “Changes” and the highly energetic “Don’t Ask Me.” The latter included warped videos of bees pollinating orange poppies, with pink and red hues engulfing the venue.

The evening at Thalia Hall was like an acid trip in a nature-rich forest, guided only by the hazy, indie rock of Soccer Mommy.