LIVE REVIEW: Mom Jeans @ O2 Institute2, Birmingham

Digbeth’s O2 Institute might be hosting pop royalty in the form of CARLY RAE JEPSEN, who occupies the venue’s main room, but there is a sense that just as much fun will be found in tonight’s alternative offering from MOM JEANS. 

First up is Bristol three-piece IDESTROY. The punk rockers are a ball of explosive energy, bringing the vibe of a celebratory headline set to their opening slot. While their cheeky indie bops might not win over the plaid-wearing emo enthusiasts in the crowd, it certainly gets the vast majority of tonight’s attendees well-and-truly warmed up. 

Rating: 8/10

Long Beach’s OSO OSO sit more comfortably in MOM JEANS’ wheelhouse, whose jangly indie rock tunes uplift as much as they tug on the heartstrings. Jade Lilitri (formerly of STATE LINES) is the band’s only permanent member, and it’s easy to see why the songwriter has some very dedicated fans in tonight’s audience. 

The band’s serenely wistful take on a genre that can often be bogged down in angst and melancholy is certainly refreshing, and it resonates strongly with those in attendance tonight. While not as immediately engaging as the openers, OSO OSO have no doubt piqued the interest of many potential new fans. Reindeer Games is the highlight of the set, with Lillitri’s lilting vocals on the refrain “if you want we can just stay here” evoking a hazy afternoon in the arms of a lover.

Rating: 7/10

Targeting an early finish to make way for an overnight jaunt to mainland Europe, tonight’s headliners take to the stage just after 8:30pm to a packed house. Perhaps in part due to a snippet of one of their songs going viral on TikTok during the pandemic, there’s a good spread of demographics in attendance tonight, and all of them go crazy for opener Crybaby (On The Phone). In fact, all of the tracks from their 2022 record Sweet Tooth – aptly named for its sugary pop-punk tunes – go down a treat.

What’s Up gets the crowd jumping, as frontman Eric ButlerR lets the audience scream the song’s self-aware, self-loathing bridge “I’m such a fucking piece of shit/and you hate me for it!”. Things slow down a little for *Sobs Quietly*, a delightfully self-aware track from their 2016 debut Best Buds. Between their on-stage banter and show-stopping dance moves, MOM JEANS’ good humour comes across consistently, endearing further an already adoring audience.

There are precious few lulls in the set – one could nitpick and say that White Trash Millionaire doesn’t hit as hard without the rousing horn section of the album recording – but generally speaking MOM JEANS’ charmingly unpolished sound comes across wonderfully in the live setting. Like the cannabis strain that the song is named after, Girl Scout Cookies casts an uplifting haze over the listener, with its twinkling lead guitar lines on the backend gently inducing a sense of melancholy bliss. Tie Die Acid Trip delights with its psychedelic and pensive riffs, while the bouncy Edward 40hands sees bassist Sam Kless exposing his glorious belly tattoos, to whoops and hollers from the audience.

Not wishing to disappoint, Butler returns to the stage for a single song encore. “We weren’t gonna come all this way and not play this,” says the frontman, as he breaks into Scott Pilgrim vs. My GPA. The post-breakup anthem is unexpectedly moving, with Butler’s bandmates joining him onstage and handing him a trumpet for the song’s famous horn section. As tonight’s attendees begin to sing along with that crescendo, this reviewer was surprised to find his cheeks wet with tears, and we’re willing to bet he wasn’t the only one.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Birmingham from Sarah Maiden Photography here: 

Like MOM JEANS on Facebook.