If you enjoy indie rock, singer songwriters, or just a great concert, it’s never a bad idea to go to a Soccer Mommy show.
This is my third time seeing Soccer Mommy in concert, I have previously seen her on her 2021 and 2022 tours, and she has not disappointed yet. Soccer Mommy, real name Sophie Allison, has been releasing music under the moniker since her first EP titled For Young Hearts in 2016, and I, along with many of her other fans, discovered her amid the 2020 pandemic shortly after the release of her sophomore full length album Color Theory that same year. Now, in 2025, she has released four full length albums and is currently touring the US with her most recent album titled Evergreen. Allison’s lyrics have always dealt with issues such as her struggles with mental health, her queerness, and failed relationships, and her newest album continues to discuss her experiences with these struggles. Pairing somber, guitar-driven instrumentals with relatable lyrics and visuals contrasting childhood nostalgia with the current melancholy of existence in our current day, the new album is a great addition to her discography, even if some of the songs blend into her previous works from Sometimes, Forever and Clean.
I saw Allison at McMenamin’s Crystal Ballroom in Portland, OR on March 5, and it was definitely a concert to remember. Before discussing Soccer Mommy’s performance, I would like to shout out her openers, Hana Vu, who were a great band to start off the evening. The band’s music was a great compliment to Soccer Mommy, and I really enjoyed their higher energy numbers where their musical prowess could really shine, especially on guitar and bass. I would recommend giving Hana Vu a listen if you are a Soccer Mommy fan or are just looking for a new alternative or rock band to follow.
When listening to Soccer Mommy, it is apparent that the music is largely driven by Allison’s voice, no matter how great the backing instrumentals are. Stripped down songs like “royal screw up” and “Clean” are great examples of her voice shining on its own with minimal backing guitar. Seeing Allison live, her voice is just as clear and gorgeous as on her recordings, and it is frankly the reason why I have seen her so many times. I find it disappointing how often I see an artist live and they don’t live up to their studio recordings, but Soccer Mommy is not one of them. Allison is a masterful songstress, and her backing band was also immaculate, with all of them switching instruments multiple times throughout the show. The band was just as impressive as Allison, and I was floored by the massive cases of instruments her guitarists had on stage with them as well as their prowess playing each of them.
The band spent about half the show playing songs from Evergreen, but I found myself enjoying hearing Allison’s older music more than the new album. This is most likely due to my connections with her older albums, but all of the songs the band performed sounded great.
The stage presentation was also great and entirely captured the vibe of Evergreen. Fake flowers adorned almost every inch of the stage, and a round screen ringed by these flowers was placed behind Allison and the band showing corresponding visuals for each song they played, creating an immersive atmosphere matching the feeling of her music. The only complaint I do have about the visuals is that some seemed like they could have been generated by AI. I don’t want to accuse Soccer Mommy of something they didn’t do, but I wanted to bring this up because it would be very disappointing if these visuals were indeed AI generated and an indie musician such as Soccer Mommy was using technology for their tour that is controversially used to replace human artists in the workplace.
Overall though, I have to say that this was a great concert, and I would highly recommend seeing her if you are a fan of any of her music and have not had the pleasure of seeing her live yet. If you can, catch Soccer Mommy for another date on her current tour, ending this Saturday, March 15, in Nashville, TN, and check out her newest album Evergreen available on most streaming platforms and for purchase at her website.
