The Pretty Reckless

There really shouldn’t be any doubt after this concert that The Pretty Reckless are a serious bone-fide hard rock band. At the moment, they are not the most dynamic band you are ever going to see; but they have a clutch of songs that are as good, if not better, than anyone elses currently playing this sort of music.

Nothing More are first up. It would be unfair to say that they have nothing to offer but they really need to have a think about what they are up as there was a lot of faffing that got in the way of what are some pretty good songs. Heavens Basement don’t disappoint the crowd with their legs-spread wide and Ramones leathers presence and bubblegum light alloy.

AC/DC’s Hell Bells toll the intro for The Pretty Reckless and they tear into Follow Me Down, not one of their strongest songs but does the job of setting the band up for concert. Taylor Momsen has the audience on her side pretty quickly and while not the most natural of performer’s works hard around the stage. She has to, as there’s precious little support from her sidekicks on guitar and bass, so the songs, so sparkling and dynamic on the album, just lose a little of their edge.

Nevertheless when they do kick out, the ball is out of the stadium, Since Your Gone is punishingly heavy, Absolution has as certain eerie gothiness about it and the soon to be party anthem Why’d You Bring a Shotgun to the Party are highlights.

The closing brace of Heaven Knows and Going to Hell sets the audience up for what was a vicious F**cked Up World until the extended drum solo f**cked up the song. They just about saved themselves but patience was tried. There’s a place from drum solos and that’s the 1970’s or Rush concerts. They have the songs, just some tweaks on the live front, and who knows where they can go.