Soccer Mommy performed at City Recital Hall, on Gadigal land, on Thursday 12 June.

About five years ago, I was doing a radio show on 774 ABC Melbourne when a text came in from a mysterious listener who called themselves Panama Red. “There’s no such thing as good or bad music,” it said. “There’s just different kinds.”

Let’s think about that for a second. Your initial response is probably like mine: “Um, no, bullshit.” But as much as I vehemently disagreed at first, it ate away at my insides like a tapeworm. Why?

Because sometimes I’m at a concert and it’s not landing with me and yet I see nearly everyone else enjoying the show and I must acknowledge that maybe this artist just isn’t for me. Why should I shit on someone else’s experience if they’re having a good time?

You can see where this is going. I listened to a lot of Soccer Mommy in the build-up to the Nashville musician’s Australian tour. I kept going back to find “the song”; I’d be lying if I told you I found it.

And so I arrived at Soccer Mommy’s Sydney show with hope in my heart that Sophie Allison was about to prove me wrong, that this would be a sick show showcasing four albums of consistent improvement and growth.

I left the show wondering, Am I the problem? Why don’t any of those songs move me?

A caveat: Allison was unwell. She apologised for being chair-bound the whole show (until the encore), saying, “I’m sorry I’m sitting down. I’m not feeling so well. I know it’s weird. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

The show was one part meh, one part magic. Here are all the things I felt:

• Daria energy.
• Gigs remind us who we are. 
• It reminded me of Buffy’s house band Nerf Herder at The Bronze.
• Altogether very ‘90s coded.
• The guitars in “Circle The Drain” were reminiscent of James Iha of the Smashing Pumpkins.
• During a song called “Abigail,” a girl held up a sign saying, “My name’s Abigail.”
• “Shotgun” elicited knowing looks during the late breakdown.
• Someone in the crowd said, “I played that song 50 times!” Allison responded, “You’re exaggerating. Thank you for the 20 cents.”
• Soccer Mommy is swaying couples’ music. I saw examples of that at least.
• Soccer Mommy is simultaneously nothing and everything.

Mikey Cahill travelled as a guest of Destination NSW and stayed at Spicers Potts Point.

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