3 days ago

Momma Dominates London’s George Tavern - Live Review

Write-Up by Michelle McCracken

It takes a lot to admit that you’re a hot shot, but that’s a rightful claim for New York’s ascendant Momma. Fronted by Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten, Momma has been steadily building indie hype and an eager following, most recently with 2022’s Household Name. The Brooklynites came to the UK via Beabadoobee’s This is How Tomorrow Moves tour, for which they were opening, with November’s show marking Momma’s first headline London gig since 2022 when they took over the famed Windmill Brixton stage.

Announced in October, November’s gig sold out almost immediately. Seeing the venue was the George Tavern, a beloved pub in east London and a staple to the city’s independent music scene, I immediately set an alarm for when tickets went on sale. A chance to see these rising stars at a 180-cap venue? Say less. Even in the week leading up to the gig, the fervor felt confirmed when I met 3 people on separate occasions who were all on the waitlist for tickets, thus establishing this show as the place to be that Friday night.

The George was already packed for the opener Bloody Death, a London group self-described as "loser rock for winners." Around 9pm, Momma waded from the back through the crowd to get to the 1-foot high stage, ready as ever to cap off a supporting tour with a rowdy headline show and full setlist. Eye to eye with the front row, Friedman started a gentle strum before launching into "No Stage," off of Household Name. As if breezing through warmups, they moved on swiftly to "Bang Bang" though were sure to passively introduce it as being “about really good sex.”

The crowd really came alive during the next song, "Medicine." The full band was cracking smiles hearing the crowd calling back “uh huh, uh huh”, drowning out their own voices. After a quick break to discuss English slang they had learned on tour (“that’s beans,” anyone?), Weingarten disclosed new material to come in the new year, much to the audience’s pleasure and affirming a secret we all suspected. Next up, appropriately, was the new single "Ohio All The Time," which the crowd already knew the words to despite only being released a month earlier. Doubling down on the buzzing energy, the band surprised us with a new song called "I Want You - Fever." Many Momma-heads have seen this song circulating on YouTube, and I’m happy to confirm it’s even better live than on iPhone footage.

The set was briefly paused to sing happy birthday to the tour manager, Danny, before returning with "Tall Home" and another new one named "Last Kiss," introduced as the live debut. Weingarten added that, since it was new, the crowd “won’t know if we mess it up” before kicking off. Quickly rounding out the set was "Motorbike," "Speeding 72," and the final new one for the night, "Rodeo," to be released in the new year.

At this point, it only felt natural to end the night on fan-favorite "Rockstar," in which a titular star chews over the debaucherous hustle and high of rockstardom. After building the finale tension, this felt like a deep cathartic breath from the crowd, not necessarily the moment we all came for but the moment we’re all going to remember the most looking back on this random Friday night. With the riff blasting off, a group of men in front of me (friends? strangers?) were unable to contain their excitement and started moshing amongst themselves, singing the riff to each other in “do do dos.” By the end everyone at the pub was jumping, giving Momma a British send off with hopes that they will return soon.

Shortly after the band announced their next UK shows at Outbreak Fest in 2025, both the London and Manchester arm. However, with the new material and the warm crowd reception it’d be safe to bet there has to be a larger solo tour in the works. If November’s show is any indication, it’s clear (though it takes a lot to admit it) that Momma are indeed real rockstars.