
19 November 2024 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane – words by Cecilia Pattison-Levi – pictures by Bec Harbour
The Canadian indie-rock band Mother Mother electrified the Fortitude Valley Music Hall stage on Tuesday to adoring fans and intrigued music lovers. I was one of the intrigued music lovers and I was glad I had early entry. For the line of Mother Mother fans stretched around a whole city block as they waited for hours in the ‘rain bomb’ hitting the city. Mother Mother had also got reacquainted with a young Australian musician Ūla (from Sydney, not Perth) who had supported them on their last tour of Australia. I was grateful as I have been following this young musician’s music for the last few years and it was my first opportunity to see her perform live.
Ūla opened the night with her dynamic nine song set. Ūla’s band arrived on stage: her amazing drummer, Thalia, kicked in the controlling drumbeat and her great guitarist with the QR code shirt blasted out the guitar riff as the opening chords of ‘Scandal’ were played. Ūla arrived on stage and let her powerful vocals loose. Ūla has a natural way as a song writer with a pop melody. Her songs are narrative stories wrapped in harmony. Ūla songs have a real class to them. Her Lithuanian background gives her music a unique edge as she has family who raised her on traditional folk music. She has fused this sound with the pop-punk and dance-pop she so obviously enjoys playing.



Ūla – Fortitude Music Hall – photos by Bec Harbour
Ūla played her newer songs ‘Just A Gimmick’, ‘Ctrl Alt Delete’ and ‘Gold Star’. She, then, played the crowd her breakout single she released when she was 16-years-old ‘Futon’. For those who do not follow Ūla, she does a lot of busking and posts the new songs she trials and performs on Instagram. Tonight, some of those new songs ‘Nosebleed’ and ‘This Was Your idea’ were debuted live. She gave the crowd a great treat with a sing along to a cover of Katy Perry’s ‘Teenage Dream’. Then, she ended her energetic set with ‘God Complex’.
Ūla established the hyper energetic tone of the night. Her upbeat music set up the crowd for Mother Mother to deliver their indie pop-rock music. I was excited to see Ūla perform and she did not disappoint. She is a young musician to watch.
After a short break to change the stage, lighting and reset the sound arrangements. The sound desk played songs that really got the crowd singing and the noise was so joyful. There were people with rubber ducks, glow sticks and posters ready for the main act when the lights went down. The stage lights flashed a vibrant blue and then a deep red and Mother Mother exploded onto the Fortitude Valley Music Hall stage.



Mother Mother – Fortitude Music Hall – photos by Bec Harbour
The crowd erupted. Mother Mother launched their performance with ‘Nobody Escapes’. The song was a lead track from their ninth studio album released in 2024 Grief Chapter. The song touches on a dystopian vision of society. It contends that no matter who you are, the world will not treat you fairly or kindly. And, as Mother Mother lead singer Ryan stated: “we are here together to remedy that through expressing and releasing the big feelings that live music gives us”.
The opening salvo from this band was breathtaking. Mother Mother brought their game face. Their musicianship is sharp and they work tightly together as a unit. It was astounding! They ran five songs into the opening without drawing breath: ‘Arms Tonite’, ‘Hayloft II’, ‘The Matrix / Where Is My Mind?’, ‘Problems’, and the powerful ‘Explode!’
It was at track six that the band stopped to talk to the crowd. Mother Mother comprises of Ryan Guldemond (vocals, guitar), Molly Guldemond (vocals, keys), Jasmin Parkin (vocals, keys), Ali Siadat (drums), and Mike Young (bass). These five people make the most extraordinary rock music. There is an authentic beating collective heart in this band which is shown in the wonderful interplay between the male and female voices, the beautiful harmonies and the band’s melodies. The opening six songs were the most explosive start to a concert that I have seen and the band stamped their authority on the crowd and the evening.



Mother Mother – Fortitude Music Hall – photos by Bec Harbour
Mother Mother’s engagement with the audience was authentic and special for fans. Lead vocalist Ryan shared personal anecdotes between songs once the band hit the middle of the set and he nurtured a sense of intimacy. The pride flag was taken around the stage and a fan gave the band a letter which was appreciated. The band was genuinely thankful for their fans support. This grateful attitude was turned into fan energy which created a memorable and inclusive atmosphere. Ryan told the crowd; “We are here to serve you tonight with our music. So be free to enjoy however you do that”.
This band knows how to work the stage and the crowd. The noise and the singing from the audience was loud and tunefully. Ryan stated a few times how good the crowd sounded. The energy drove Mother Mother to play harder, dance and belt out big numbers such as: ‘Bit by Bit’, the huge crowd favourite ‘Body’, ‘Sleep Awake’, the very funny ‘Dirty Town / Neighbour / Wisdom’, ‘Ghosting / Little Pistol / It’s Alright’, ‘Oh Ana’, ‘Wrecking Ball’, ‘Verbatim’, and ‘Hayloft’.



Mother Mother – Fortitude Music Hall – photos by Bec Harbour
The performance game to an end. It seemed like things had just started, but a whole 75 minutes had just gone. The Fortitude Valley Music Hall crowd wanted more. The chant went up loud and clear: “One more song”. And, Mother Mother responded. Ryan returned to the stage very quickly and said: “How about two more songs?” The crowd was like a ball of screaming energy, as Ryan took an acoustic guitar and soothed the crowd down, and he played an acoustic version of ‘Grief Chapter’ while the band took a few minutes respite, then, re-joined him on stage to deliver the last song of the evening: ‘Burning Pile’.
I want to give a special mention to the sound and lighting guys. The lighting was truly impressive – terrible for taking photos – but just amazing. The sound was great as well. It was excellent work whoever was in charge of the desk.
Mother Mother delivered on all fronts. The musicality was fantastic and their ability to connect with their audience was impressive. Mother Mother’s thoughtfully curated setlist and accomplished stagecraft made for an unforgettable evening of music. Fans left with a renewed appreciation for the band’s musical journey and eagerly anticipate their next visit to Brisbane.