Photos by Chloe Gonzales
Oh, how I’ve missed this feeling—the rush of getting my ticket scanned, stepping into a venue, the pure thrill of a concert I’ve been waiting for all week. After spending a few months away from Los Angeles, returning to the city’s live music scene felt like coming home.
That night, I found myself at the historic Wiltern Theatre for none other than Soccer Mommy. Sophia Regina Allison, better known as Soccer Mommy, headlined the evening, with indie rock singer Hana Vu as the opener. Back on the road for the Evergreen tour, Soccer Mommy made a memorable stop in LA, just days after performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
As I made my way through the crowd, I arrived just in time for Hana Vu’s set, and she wasted no time delivering an unforgettable performance. With her newly released EP Movies (just two days old) she treated the audience to a dynamic mix of songs spanning her entire discography. “I’ve never been to the Wiltern before, and it’s pretty cool,” Hana Vu announced on stage that night—a sentiment I shared as a fellow LA native experiencing the venue for the first time. As she moved through her eight-song set, each track pulled the crowd in deeper, intensifying the electric energy that filled the room.
As Hana Vu’s set came to a close, I overheard someone in the crowd whisper to her friend, “I’m adding these songs to my playlist,” and I couldn’t have agreed more. On the car ride over, I had just been telling Chloe how much I love discovering new artists through live performances—since then, Hana Vu has become a staple on my February playlist. She had set the perfect tone for the night.
Then, the lights dimmed. Anticipation hung thick in the air. For a brief moment, the crowd fell silent and erupted into cheers.
Soccer Mommy took the stage beneath what I can only describe as one of the most breathtaking stage setups I’ve ever seen. Against a backdrop of a blue sky, rolling green hills, and vibrant yellow and orange flowers, a flower-covered circle projected ethereal visuals throughout the night. It felt like a window into Soccer Mommy’s aesthetic—perfectly complementing the dreamy, immersive quality of her music.
Accompanied by her band—guitarist Julian Powell, keyboardist Rodrigo Avendano, bassist Nickolas Widener, and drummer Rollum Haas—Soccer Mommy kicked off the show with a mesmerizing performance of “Abigail” from her latest Album Evergreen. Her setlist spanned seventeen songs, blending tracks from her latest album with deep cuts from her college days, offering a journey through her evolution as an artist.
Her rendition of “driver” was raw, electrifying, and undeniably hardcore. Later, she paid tribute to her old truck with a heartfelt performance of “Feel It All the Time,” capturing the wistful, road-worn spirit that defines much of her music.
She bid farewell to her band as they exited the stage—the lights dim, leaving Soccer Mommy standing alone, every eye fixed on her. Before beginning “Still Clean,” she shared a nostalgic anecdote about performing this song during college.
Her band returned for four more songs, including “royal screw up” and “Salt in Wound.” For the final track, she invited the audience to sing along, playfully pretending to forget the lyrics as she performs my personal favorite, “Your Dog.” In true concert fashion, she exited the stage, but the crowd refuses to budge, screaming for one more song in a passionate encore.
“What are you guys still doing here?”
Soccer Mommy joked as she returns to the stage for two final songs: “Changes” and “Don’t Ask Me.”
“See you next time in LA,” she called out as she waved the crowd goodbye. As I walked out of the venue, I was filled with the feeling I had been yearning for—creatively inspired and completely at ease.
Photo Gallery by Chloe Gonzales
