About this Event

The Matriarch is a queer, indie rock/folk pop duo based in Chicago, IL, made up of Mal Babcock and Mal Benoit- two best friends who share a name, a home, and a creative codependency that works too well. What started as a pandemic-era accident (shoutout to an unexpected knee injury) turned into a full-blown band fueled by cosmic timing and emotional honesty. Their determination to grow together musically and to create a safe, inclusive space for the LGBTQIA+ community made them darlings of the local music scene. Four years later, the band has played over 100 shows across the Midwest, opening for contemporaries including Kid Sistr, Okey Dokey, Busman’s Holiday and Glad Rags. Their songs are a celebration of shared human experience and a testament to the transformative nature of art. Whether they’re writing about personal regret and climate dread (‘The End’), or the constraints of capitalism and a longing for change (‘K!’), themes of community, love, and growth remain at the heart of everything they do.