Motherpunker Lauren Larson of Ume: The Hand That Rocks the Cradle

Guest article by Audrey René Rodriguez

With a career that began with her 15-year old self riffing a guitar at a skatepark in a band named Twelve Blades, Lauren Langer Larson has fashioned more guitar licks on her belt than most. Whether or not she joined Twelve Blades to impress the skater boys is yet to be determined (and the one joke of this article).

Something tells me that someone who has been mother to Austin’s Girls’ Rock Camp for some time now does not tread lightly when it comes to girls in bands. In fact, Larson of Austin’s long adored Ume (pronounced “oooh-may”) would be one of the first to step up to add more stars and stripes to a still underrepresented population of women in rock and roll.

As a generational child influenced by Kim Gordon, founding member of Sonic Youth and author of the recent Girl in a Band, Lauren Langer Larson has led a parallel lifestyle on the “route from girl to womanhood in unchartered territory, [in] music.” As a soon to be mother, Larson has expressed her hope for the kind of female strength her predecessors exhibited, in the cradle of a career in the spotlight.

Baby Larson and SXSW 2015

After an unprecedented number of shows on the road, four albums (Monuments released last year in March featuring single “Black Stone”) and a romance with bass player Eric Larson that begs storybook status, Larson and her band have reached a level of notoriety that has promoters and members of the press, namely Rolling Stone, knocking on the door.

The baby bump that has become increasingly obvious to fans is the very reason why Larson and her band (husband/bassist Eric Larson and drummer Aaron Perez) have been slowing down. With respect to her music, Larson is a formidable presence not only in the Austin scene, but also in the reincarnation of what has been likened to Mastodon meets PJ Harvey. Nevertheless, in Larson’s words, “my superpower the last few weeks needs to be focused on bringing this amazing baby into the world.”

With SXSW just around the corner, Baby Larson is already 8 months along, a factor that will cause Ume’s shows to be more “stripped down” and acoustic. Many changes have already taken place, including turning down the noise level at rehearsal for the baby’s already developed ears and Larson playing the guitar on the side of her stomach. As far as the splits, which many of Ume’s showgoers know is Larson’s signature move beneath her radial blond hair, those will sadly be put on hold as well. #pregnantguitaristproblems

Don’t cry now. The band will be punting a still impressive lineup of shows during SXSW, including the Dangerbird Records Showcase at Red 7 on Thursday, March 19th at 8 PM. More shows are listed on their Facebook page.

Although nervous about her level of endurance, Larson says she “just wants to make it through” in the hopes that her support team–her band–will shatter expectations with her. Let’s all hope there’s an OBGYN or at least a midwife on call. A baby born on stage would be the first in SXSW history.

Post-SXSW and Beyond

On the topic of challenging expectations, neither the band nor Lauren plan to slow way down because they are slated to play the X-Games in Austin on June 5th. Adjusting to this “major transformation,” the birth of Larson’s baby, will be the number one priority post-SXSW.

But we’re all asking about future touring. Decisions like shortening long tour drives and schedules as well as bringing on a touring nanny are already in the works, or at least on the table for discussion. The question of whether the Ume family will expand is inevitable, especially considering the already non-traditional working habits of mom and dad (i.e. touring 100+ days while working full-time jobs from the van).

What remains to be decided is when they will be going back on the road and who will be joining them.

 

@theAustinot wants to know:

Do you plan to catch one of Ume’s shows during SXSW?

 

Audrey René Rodriguez is an Austin music reviewer who has written for Austin Fusion Magazine, Ovrld.com and The Austinot. You can follow her music commentary and other tweets @audriguez.