By Riley Nowlan (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: January 14, 2015
First of all, if you have never been to the Orpheum, you need to go. Go soon and go often. It is beautiful. Chandeliers perfectly placed and glistening, works of art painted on the ceiling and walls, a staircase leading up to our seats — all of it gives the feeling of going to see a very expensive and prestigious play.
Mother Mother played at the Orpheum in December, and I made sure I was there — after their summer concert at Stanley Park, I wouldn’t miss it.
The opening band was USS. They delighted the crowd with their hit “Yin Yang,” but it was their cover of Outkast’s “Hey Ya,” the lead singer’s ability to do handstands and backflips multiple times in each song, and the guitarist’s habit of ending every song madly playing his instrument while lying on the floor, that really made an impression. A band I had previously overlooked managed to gain my respect.
As impressed as I was with their performance, I was still a little overjoyed when they were finished, because it meant that we were that much closer to Mother Mother taking the stage. The first time I saw them in concert, I wasn’t a huge fan. I liked their music, and I knew the songs that got radio play and a few others my sister had enthusiastically shown me, but it was only after their concert that I (instantly) adopted super-fan status. I listened to all their music and longed to see them again in concert.
So as the lights dimmed and the band took the stage, excitement ran through me, causing me to stand and clap before anything at all had really happened. And I’m thrilled to share with you that my excitement was not in vain.
Just like before, Mother Mother put on an amazing show. The kind that makes you feel like time outside has stopped and this, this one song in this one moment, is the only thing that matters. They played old favourites as well as new tracks, making me relieved and joyful that I had asked for their new album for Christmas. However, one of my favourite parts of the entire night was when they did a cover of Lana Del Rey’s “Videogames.” It gives me chills even now remembering this rendition. It was done perfectly and commanded the full attention of everyone in that theatre. We all hung on every single note. When the song came to its expertly crafted end, the crowd erupted in applause and I revelled in the knowledge that I had been witness to, and a part of, a genuinely awesome moment.
Mother Mother went on to play new songs, one forgotten oldie, and all of my favourites. I practically lost my voice from cheering and my hands were numb from clapping when I recognized the first key notes of “Ghosting.” Through it all, lead man Ryan Guldemond thanked the crowd for being there, but more than that he congratulated us on taking a night for ourselves.
He talked about what a cool thing it was that, in such a busy world, we can to take some time to do something enjoyable for ourselves. He also reminded us that we can’t always do this — “We still have to change the world,” he said — but it should be done on occasion. And I for one am grateful that I chose Mother Mother’s concert at the Orpheum as my “just for me” occasion.
