On this humid, balmy Melbourne Thursday night I was about to enter into a musical domain that isn’t completely in my comfort zone, but I’m keen to step outside in the name of live music. There was such a buzz and it was super exciting seeing so many kids cued up for a live gig. There were all ages, some with their parents and possibly attending their first live show. So many personalities, individuals and characters all joined together with one purpose and that was music and that is the power of music. This is something that just warms my soul and puts faith back into the world that has become so anti-social for generations where social media has overtaken the social aspect of live in many ways. Tonight was all about inclusion and connection. What I was about to witness had a few firsts for even me. The crowd was simply electric. The bands well you just have to read on.
If Electric Six and The Killers had a love child, it would be Melbournes Mid City. This band is so much fun live I was sold within the first song of their set. Frontman Joel Griffith is a ball of charisma, charm and cheek. I use the term frontman because he is just so engaging. For a support act to have worked up a crowd that probably would have never heard of the or would be old enough to see them in a club environment they simply had Festival Hall in the palm of their hands.
The band consisting of Ben Woodmason (guitar), Jimmy Campbell (bass) & Tim Woodmason (drums) are just the perfect, tight band that allows Griffith to shine upfront and in your face effortlessly.
When a band can engage you the way this four-piece band did me there has to be something special there. I walked in not knowing a thing about them, not having heard a note from Mid City before, by the end of the second song I was hooked, they had my attention.
The crowd with was mostly made up of mid-teens and twenty somethings, many from the LGBTQ community I suspect had fallen prey to the band as well. The cheers, screams and applause from those in attendance was loud and strong Griffith had them eating out of the pockets of his red track suit like a horse with its nose buried in a chaff bag. With a following in Europe and millions of streams to their name I feel this band has something that hasn’t been full untapped in Australia.
I’m still speechless about what I saw and heard. Needless to say I’m a fan and keen to see these guys live again. Having said that I think this will be the first of many big stage supports ahead of Mid City and those headline show cannot be too far away.
Setlist : Forget It, No Surrender, Liar Liar, Ride, Happy Ever After, Old Habits, Choc Mint
Mid City Gallery
This was an interesting one for me I’m still not sure of how I feel about this artist/band. Please let me explain …..
Sydneysider Ula is a huge personality in her own right and certainly commands a stage. Ula is Gen Z personified, and her personality simply gleams on stage. Tonight’s crowd were her people, she was home. Her songs are filled with messages to her generation and went over a treat. It’s hard to believe that at the tender ago of sixteen this young human released her debut single ‘Futon’ to the world back in 2020 to amass nearly 37m streams across all platforms (yes you read that right) to date.
Engaging to watch Ula seemed seasoned upon the stage. Her beautiful esoteric, aethereal and abrasive brand of indie pop tips the hat to her peers but has something that is uniquely hers.
Where I guess my feelings became mixed was in the way these songs were delivered. Ula was accompanied by a live drummer and guitarist, but her sound is bass and keyboard lush. Perhaps it was my brains disconnection and confusion to what I was seeing and hearing. By that I mean I would have been completely happy hearing and seeing Ula perform solo with a musical backing track. I would have been even happier to have seen her with a full band, live I think she can add to the magic she has and will benefit from an amazing backing band. Ula is definitely one to watch and has a fan base that I am sure will continue to grow.
Setlist : Scandal, Just A Gimmick, Gold Star, Nose Bleed, TWYT, Teenage Dream (Katy Perry Cover), Futon, Temple, God Complex
Ula Gallery
Mother Mother are another one of those bands that if you know you know, and if you know you love. Tonight, I witness an amazing production from these Canadian indie rockers who returned to our shores to an ever growing fan base. They last toured Australia in 2023 where they did a run of theatre shows to some seriously positive reviews. Hence their rerun this year and played a much bigger room to an audience of parents and children. Many parents were here as chaperones tonight, others as a bond with their kin.
Live the band are dynamic and energetic, their show is polished and tight. Musically they vary in style from that rich feel-good heaviness that band like Skillet have, they possess the same energy and positive vibe about them, and then there is the intricate and more mellow side to the band which heavily leans into that indie rock feel. They have an ability to speak and connect to each and every member of the audience. Tonight, every voice was in full flight. At times the screams and cheers at the end of each song was so loud and almost uncomfortable, I could almost compare it to what I imagine Beatlemania to have been the sing-a-longs were word for word. Mother Mother have their audience and certainly know how to deliver a show.
The brother sister duo of Ryan and Molly Guldemond works well together adding light and shade to the songs with Molly featuring as lead vocalist on a few songs. All five member of Mother Mother work so well together, there is a magic to watching them perform. The between song banter was full of hope, positivity, inclusion, individuality and connectivity. The exact elixir for this generation of music fans. Mother Mother while still a relatively new name have a history, they aren’t a flash in the pan band, in fact they have a near twenty year story to tell. Skyrocketed to the ears and hearts of a generation via fans posting their music to their TikTok clips the bands surge in the last three years has all of the makings of a rock n roll fairytale, one this band continues to embrace, nurture and build on. Their fans are incredibly loyal and are growing each and every day. Mother Mother are more than a fad. They write great songs and know how to deliver them live. I think we have a new benchmark for what fame and fandom look like with this band. I can’t wait to hear and see what they do next.
Setlist : Nobody Escapes, Arms Tonight, Hayloft II, The Matrix/Wheres My Mind?, Problems, Explode, Back To Life, Video Games, Bit By Bit, Body, Sleep Awake, Dirty Town/Neighbour/Wisdom/Ghosting/Little Pistol/It’s Alright, Oh Ana, Wrecking Ball, Verbatim, Hayloft
Encore : Grief Chapter, Burning Pile
Mother Mother Gallery
Photos by Shot By Slaidins Photography
With special thanks to Menard PR for the media accreditation.
