Mother Feather at the Knitting Factory - photo by Sandi Atkinson
Mother Feather at the Knitting Factory - photo by Sandi Atkinson

Mother Feather The Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY December 13, 2017

Story by Josh Braska
Photos by Sandi Atkinson

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From the YouTube channel of wisptubeify:

I was first introduced to Mother Feather earlier this year at Rock on the Range in Columbus, OH. They were the very first band to play on Sunday, the third day of the festival. It was not the ideal slot, but I was sure to make it. They did not disappoint.

Ann is the lead singer, and she is a powerhouse on stage. Writhing on the ground, high kicks, sticking the microphone in her mouth: she is reminiscent of the destructive antics of the Who. She has the look of Joan Jett. Her eye make-up has an Egyptian feel, but as she dumps water on her head and sweats, the black smears transforming her into Alice Cooper. Liz is on keyboards and back up vocals. The chemistry between them is so powerful. Their choreography is simple and timely with plenty of time for them to freely embody the music. 

That was in May, and I was eager to see them again. As soon as tickets went on sale for this, I knew I had to go. Driving from Mass to Brooklyn on a Wednesday night was not a trip I take lightly, but I knew this show would be special. Their stage presence is magical. The sequins and huge shoulder pads with long black fringe mimicked Ann’s face paint

Mother Feather are our space goddesses and they have come to rock our world.  Mother Feather are our space goddesses and they have come to rock our world. Their opening song “Shake Your Magic 8 Ball” did not appear on their EP, so this was my first time hearing it live. It has an almost Arabian, voodoo feel to it, a great way for the band to cast their spell on the crowd.

Ann is always addressing the crowd, pointing and shaking. The next three songs “Man, I Wish You Were Here,” “Red Hot Metal,” and “I See You” will all be appearing on their upcoming full length album. These songs are so new, that you can’t even find them on You Tube. Believe me. I tried.

Once the band started the intro for “747,” the crowd erupted. This girl power song is all about making the most of a private plane experience. Ann and Liz give air traffic control signals during the chorus. This song just soars with sexy, but still has a subtle message about consent.

“Living, Breathing” is the first song on their EP, and the video for it was filmed at the Knitting Factory. It is a gritty little ditty about surviving a terrible, wonderful feeling. Ann writhed on the ground and walked the rail on the front of the stage. Ann and Liz embraced for a long hug in a beautiful moment between two close friends.

As the show rolled on, Ann became more enthralling. She poured a bottle of water across the crowd then poured one over her head, streaking her makeup down her cheeks. She had the look of “Natural Disaster.” “She’s going to have the whole world for dinner.” I spoke to a few people at the show who lived locally. Apparently, Mother Feather had been playing regularly for five years before taking some time off for the last few months. Later I would learn that they lost their bass player, and it was their first night with the new guy.

They are moving forward with their album with Metal Blade Records. Mother Feather makes me think of the old days of grunge and punk when a musician could unleash raw destructive forces through music. Unfortunately, it wasn’t economical, so the practice has been frowned upon, but Mother Feather can be hard with a velvet glove. Their self-titled closer “Mother Feather” is melodically punk. They really brought it home.

Mother Feather takes all of the things we love about rock and cranks it up. Beautiful women, a little mayhem, melodies, harmonies, and a dark, violent side that releases the strange and unusual parts of ourselves. We are confronted with powerful female figures that own and celebrate their sexuality in a classy way.

Mother Feather isn’t a band that looks like they just walked off the street and started playing. They are a show that you can’t take your eyes off because you don’t see this kind of thing every day. The music moves you, and the band captivates you. At the end of the show, Ann came down and hugged me and almost everyone else there. It was a special moment that we don’t get to see very often, when you can tell the performance connected audience and performer, and we all felt something great.

After the show, I got to hang out with the band. Gunner, the drummer, filled me in on the new bass player, and I got to talk to Liz and Ann about the new album. Everyone was feeling that post show high. It was really cool to spend time with the staff and the band. For me, the tourist, it was a great way to cap off the evening. We did one last shot of whiskey, and it was in the books.

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