“It Just Feels Like The Same Party Every Weekend, Doesn’t It?” SNAIL MAIL AND SOCCER MOMMY CO-HEADLINE DEKALB’S EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Oct 21

Dekalb, IL |October 11th, 2026

Photographed and Written by River Epperson

In an ever-changing industry landscape where profitability has become a top priority but increasingly hard to achieve, many musicians have turned to touring as their main way to make money. The idea is simple: travel the country and spread your music to as many ears as possible while grossing revenue from ticket and merchandise sales. In practice, it's getting harder to execute as an economic crisis drives up interstate travel costs. One solution is to go on the road with another band to split the cost. And if you have to go on an extended road trip with someone, why not one of your closest friends? A hypothesis tested by me when I went on the road with my longtime friend and collaborator ktwheels, then again by the likes of Villagerrr and Dari Bay, and again by bubblegrungers Snail Mail and Soccer Mommy.

Opener: Brennan Wedl

Lindsay Jordan (Snail Mail) and Sophie Alison (Soccer Mommy) first crossed paths over a decade ago in 2015, when their respective projects began taking shape in a burgeoning indie rock scene. The pair quickly figured out they got along, and it’s easy to see why: both women were pioneering a sound called “bubblegrunge,” a subgenre of indie rock characterized by juxtaposing the hook-like melodies of pop music with the fuzzy growl and DIY stylings of ‘90s alternative rock, while also facing the reality of navigating a music scene dominated by men as female-fronted rock acts. The duo is no stranger to sharing the stage, having played many local DIY shows together early in their career and co-headlining Snail Mail’s 2023 Valentine Fest. The all-women lineup at DeKalb’s Egyptian Theatre featured support from Brennan Wedl and concluded with a fiery (and fitting) cover of Liz Phair’s “Fuck and Run” by Alison and Jordan.

Jordan, already familiar with the nature of a co-headlining tour after last year’s run with slacker rock legends Dinosaur Jr., highlighted fan-favorite nostalgia tracks like “Heat Wave” and “Speaking Terms,” while also taking the chance to play her recent record Ricochet. Ricochet marks Snail Mail’s first record in five years, a hiatus caused partially by an extensive vocal surgery Jordan underwent in 2021. Tracks like “Tractor Beam” and “Dead End” highlighted her newfound falsetto before closing the set with a fiery rendition of the track “Pristine.” While last year’s co-headline run brought countless mosh pits and crowd surfers, this year’s crowd was a tad more subdued due to the limitations of an auditorium show instead of the freedom of a standing-room-only venue.

Alison brought the night to a close with a set from Soccer Mommy, poking fun at the laid-back nature of the DeKalb locals. “I feel like I’m at a school talent show…” she joked, “you guys are all sitting down.” Alison showed off her recent single “Rings of Saturn,” before playing through her extensive discography. Known for her poetic and creative lyricism, Soccer Mommy played many of her high-concept songs, including “Feel It All The Time,” an alternative country ode to Alison’s beloved-yet-deceased truck; “Abigail,” a song dedicated to her digital wife in the video game Stardew Valley; and “Driver,” a song inspired by the central romance in the 2017 film Phantom Thread. Alison also took the chance to exhibit the distinctive range of her sound, from the brooding shoegaze of records Color Theory and Sometimes, Forever, to flirtations with folk and acoustic arrangements from Evergreen, and the iconic and stripped-back bubblegrunge of Clean.

The “SM & SM” tour exemplifies a seemingly successful way to adapt to an increasingly unpredictable music industry while still leaving room to make some kick-ass memories with one of your best friends. While it may not come with the same adrenaline-fueled mosh pits of Snail Mail and Soccer Mommy tours past, the stripped-back production value of a calm auditorium show gave Alison and Jordan the unique chance to showcase their skills as musicians and vocalists, as the finer details often get buried by the chase of the mosh, while also showing that music, friendship, and community go hand in hand.