Motherfolk explodes with energy in Missouri, as they always do

Motherfolk is a band that holds a weird place in my heart. Prior to 2022, I had never heard of them. A magazine I was shooting for at the time asked me if I’d be willing to shoot their show at The Duck Room in St. Louis and take some portraits for an interview they were doing for the magazine. I agreed, because I had never sat in on an interview or taken portraits of a band before. Little did I know that they would become one of my favorite indie bands over the last couple of years; it also led me to shooting their shows on several other occasions, including once at Lollapalooza, and most recently again at home in St. Louis.

The night wasn’t all nostalgia though.

It started with a breath of fresh air known as the band Horse Bitch. You could tell the seven-person band loved each other by the way that they were constantly fighting and knocking each other over onstage. Raucous sounds that were hard to pin down (the band is self-described as cowpunk / celtic / emo / folk rock) washed out over the crowd as the band tussled with each other. Despite tripping and falling over each other on the tiny stage at The Old Rock House, the music came through without interruption.

Now, Motherfolk is a band that is inherently nostalgic in their sound; I think that is why I liked them so much right away. Their lyrics instantly make me homesick and/or missing people from my past. Combine that with the history I’ve had with them as a photographer over the years and the nostalgia is even stronger. Having seen them several times now and taking their photos each time, I have to say that the band’s performances started out strong and have only gotten stronger.

Despite missing two members of their original quintet, Motherfolk soldiers on.

Original members Nathan and Karlie Dickerson (on guitar, vocals, and keys) as well as Ethan Wescott (drums) still hold it down, alongside new guitar and bass players… whose names I didn’t catch. Although a change in roster, the band felt like it was firing on all cylinders this night, bringing their signature explosive, emotional performance to songs dripping in the same adjectives. I also find that a lot of indie bands struggle to sound as crisp live as they do in their recordings; Motherfolk does not suffer from this affliction either. The folky rockers from Cincinnati came through loud and clear as ever, proving worthy of getting everyone’s heads rocking at The Old Rock House. Till next time!

Photography by Sean Rider

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