On June 15, 2024, Vancouver’s own indie-pop trailblazers Mother Mother shared the bill with England’s bedroom-pop auteur Cavetown for a sell-out stop of their Grief Chapter Tour at Rogers Arena.
Meet Me at the Altar Kicks Things Off
On short notice—after punk outfit Destroy Boys had to cancel—pop-punk trio Meet Me at the Altar (MMATA) stepped in and immediately proved why they’re one of the scene’s most exciting queer-fronted acts. Their six-song opener crackled with high-energy flair and hype, from the fist-pumping “Say It (To My Face)” to the anthemic “Kool.” MMATA’s queer identity and unapologetic stage presence set the tone for an inclusive, electric evening.
Cavetown’s Intimate Fandom Moment
As a prominent trans icon, Cavetown (Robert Skinner) drew a large contingent of LGBTQ+ youth, many of whom overlapped with Mother Mother’s fanbase. His whimsical mushroom-themed staging—complete with oversized toadstools—and his humble, excited stage banter created a warm, communal vibe. Opening with “let them know they’re on your mind” Cavetown treated fans to 16 heartfelt tracks, closing on a soaring “Devil Town.” A noticeable number of attendees arrived just for this set—and quietly slipped out afterward, their hearts full.
Mother Mother Brings the Fire
When Mother Mother took the stage, they delivered cinematic grandeur: kaleidoscopic lighting, a confetti cannon, and bursts of smoke framed their performance perfectly. They launched into “Nobody Escapes” and “Arms Tonite,” then surprised the crowd with a mash-up of “Hayloft” and Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games.” Between songs, Ryan and Molly Guldemond shared personal anecdotes about writing tracks in Vancouver and how the city’s history inspired the “Grief Chapter” theme. Over the course of 16 songs, they balanced deep cuts and fan favorites before returning for an encore of the title track “Grief Chapter” and the ferocious “Burning Pile.”