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Soccer Mommy Live in Philadelphia: Finding Life’s Light in the Dark

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MusicLive CoverageSoccer Mommy Live in Philadelphia: Finding Life's Light in the Dark

Soccer Mommy Live in Philadelphia: Finding Life’s Light in the Dark

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Close your eyes and picture a lush field, its soft blades of grass complimenting the pinks and yellows of the flowers flourishing from it. In the distance, a wall of evergreen trees paints the horizon. You squint, noticing the gray heftiness of storm clouds headed your way. Suddenly the landscape begins to feel overwhelmingly endless and enclosed all at the same time. You wince as the downpour hits your shoulders, but something beckons you to take it all in. You look up, step forward slowly, and breathe in the immensity of the beauty that lies ahead. You’re reminded that, even in life’s darkness, there’s always a ray of light ready to console you. Now open your eyes. What you’ve just experienced is the magic of Soccer Mommy.

Soccer Mommy live in Philadelphia: finding life's light in the dark with help from the singer-songwriter's new album, "Evergreen."

Sophie Allison, also known as Soccer Mommy, recently embarked on a nationwide tour in honor of her fourth studio album, Evergreen. Portraying themes of loss, grief, and grappling with making space to appreciate the ones you love through it all, the record inspired a performance that felt intimate even in the company of a sold out crowd at Philadelphia’s Union Transfer — and we have Sophie’s brave ability to wear her heart on her sleeve to thank for that.

Soccer Mommy live in Philadelphia: finding life's light in the dark with help from the singer-songwriter's new album, "Evergreen."
Soccer Mommy live in Philadelphia: finding life's light in the dark with help from the singer-songwriter's new album, "Evergreen."

Fans eager to experience new Soccer Mommy live were rewarded immediately with “Abigail,” a whimsical ode to Sophie’s Stardew Valley wife. Equipped with her sparkly guitar and endearing sincerity, she let her sweet and effortless voice flow with adoration for the purple-haired, chocolate-cake loving character. This not only opened up and invited us into the virtual world, but made the connections within it feel real — and it didn’t feel so far away. A circular screen embellished by a halo of pink and yellow flowers acted like a portal. It was easy to follow Sophie’s lead into this enchanting place she created.

The power of the new record is its ability to balance moments of sweet appreciation like these with heavy reflection and experiencing “Dreaming of Falling” live left a poignant example of this. The echo of Sophie’s voice carried its melancholy as it drifted and meandered throughout the room with painstaking visions of someone no longer here: “All I have are bits and pieces / Fading еvery day / And I can feel the memory taintеd / By the way I’ve changed.” It was like she unlocked the door to her mind and encouraged us to wander through the vastness of its downpours, its aches from fleeting memories. Losing a loved one is something we’re all forced to face and this song normalized the hurt evoked from time passing in a beautifully candid way.

Soccer Mommy live in Philadelphia: finding life's light in the dark with help from the singer-songwriter's new album, "Evergreen."
Soccer Mommy live in Philadelphia: finding life's light in the dark with help from the singer-songwriter's new album, "Evergreen."
Soccer Mommy live in Philadelphia: finding life's light in the dark with help from the singer-songwriter's new album, "Evergreen."
Soccer Mommy live in Philadelphia: finding life's light in the dark with help from the singer-songwriter's new album, "Evergreen."
Soccer Mommy live in Philadelphia: finding life's light in the dark with help from the singer-songwriter's new album, "Evergreen."

Sophie’s voice continued to fall upon the crowd with the sorrowfully comforting lyrics of “Thinking of You.” As she sang about her deep longing for someone she once knew, a lush field with a wall of evergreen trees painting the horizon appeared on the screen behind her. This breathtaking landscape reminded us just how beautiful missing someone can be because it means you had the privilege to know their greatness in the first place. And in that moment, Sophie transcended the pain and made the heavy feel weightless. 

This made absorbing the warmth of “Some Sunny Day” a rewarding experience. Its hopeful lyrics and mesmerizing guitars melted into the haze of loss and transported us to a place of solace: “I know some sunny day, babe / I’ll see your face / Painted in a summertime that won’t fade.” Flowers adorned the stage floor and Sophie stood behind them as if she were growing out of the soil herself, taking the complexities of healing one ray of light at a time. 

Having conquered the bittersweetness of coping with loss through Evergreen, fans were ready  to dive into Soccer Mommy’s previous releases. With the help of guitarist Julian Powell, guitarist and keyboardist Rodrigo Avendano, bassist Nickolas Widener and drummer Rollum Haas, “crawling in my skin” and “Your Dog” felt larger than the room that tried to contain them. Energetic and easygoing all at the same time, Sophie’s voice carried the beloved songs and end of the evening out as everyone danced the weight of their worries away — that is, until the crowd demanded an encore.

“Hi again,” Sophie greeted as she and the band returned to the stage. “I guess you guys are still here so we might as well play a couple more songs.” As the words of “Changes” and “Don’t Ask Me” rolled over the room, the audience revealed gestures of appreciation for the singer and her trust in them to accept the unashamed vulnerability she displayed. In one corner, a group of friends held their hands to their hearts and sang in unison. In another, hands-turned-hearts rose from the crowd and expressed how grateful they were that life felt a little lighter.

Witnessing Soccer Mommy live was a healing experience thanks to Sophie’s masterful dissection of grief’s subtleties and tsunamis on Evergreen. She personally opened my mind up to a perspective of loss that I’ll carry around for a lifetime, a way to find the beauty in the bad that I’ll forever be grateful for. Remember, even in life’s darkness, there’s always a ray of light ready to console you—and that ray of light is Soccer Mommy.

Show Date: 1.25.25 // Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer // Soccer Mommy Live in Philadelphia: Finding Life’s Light in the Dark
Photos & words by Suzanne Leszczynski

Suzanne Leszczynski
Suzanne Leszczynski
Hi! My name’s Suzanne and I like to capture the world of live music in Philadelphia; immortalizing moments between music lovers is what motivates me. I'll catch you at a show soon!

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Suzanne Leszczynski
Suzanne Leszczynski
Hi! My name’s Suzanne and I like to capture the world of live music in Philadelphia; immortalizing moments between music lovers is what motivates me. I'll catch you at a show soon!

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