Some gigs are fun. Some gigs are memorable. Then there are the ones you know you’ll still be talking about years later. The Pretty Reckless at The Underworld in London on June 01 was one of those nights.
We have followed this band for a long time, from the ‘Light Me Up’ era right through to today, so getting the chance to see them in a venue as small as The Underworld felt almost unreal. Bands at this level don’t play rooms like this very often, and from the moment we walked down those stairs into a packed basement full of die-hard fans, you could feel that everyone knew they were witnessing something special. When the lights dropped, and the band kicked off into ‘Death By Rock and Roll’, the place erupted. The crowd barely stopped singing for the next hour and a half. Taylor Momsen was on fantastic form. Her voice sounded powerful throughout the night, but what really stood out was how relaxed and genuinely happy she seemed. The smaller setting suited the band perfectly. Without the distance of a festival stage, every lyric and every interaction seemed more personal.
The setlist was packed with fan favourites. ‘Follow Me Down’, ‘Miss Nothing’, ‘Just Tonight’, ‘Make Me Wanna Die’, ‘Going to Hell’, ‘Heaven Knows’ and ‘Take Me Down’ all landed exactly as you’d hope, with the audience screaming every word back at the band. Hearing songs that have soundtracked so many years in a room this intimate was completely unique.
What made the night particularly special, though, was the number of surprises. The band treated fans to several live debuts, making the show feel genuinely unique. ‘Life Evermore Pt. 2’ made its first appearance on stage and received an almost stunned reaction from the crowd. Later came the live debuts of ‘Love Me’ and ‘When I Wake Up’, both of which slotted naturally into the set despite being played live for the first time. Then there was the encore, after a huge singalong for ‘My Medicine’, the band returned with another first. ‘About You’ received its live debut and, as Taylor explained, was being filmed for an upcoming music video. You could feel the excitement spread around the room as fans realised they were becoming part of the band’s history. It turned an already special evening into something even more memorable.
Musically, the band were absolutely locked in. Ben Phillips’ guitar work sounded huge in such a small space, while the rhythm section gave every song the weight it needed. The Pretty Reckless have always been a strong live band, but there was an extra spark in the room that night. As the closing notes rang out and the lights came up, nobody looked ready to leave. People lingered, talking excitedly about the debuts, the setlist and the sheer luck of getting to see a band of this size in a venue that resembled more a sweatbox than a concert hall.
We have been privileged to see The Pretty Reckless many times over the years, but this might be the most special performance we have witnessed. Not because it was the biggest show. Quite the opposite. It served as a celebration of where the band has been, where they’re going, and a reminder that even after all these years, they can still surprise us.
Review & Photos By Rebecca Bush – https://www.instagram.com/beckybphoto/
Subscribe to DeVlog – The Video Home Of Devolution Magazine https://www.youtube.com/@devolutionmagazine
