Taylor Momsen and The Pretty Reckless are on tour supporting their fourth studio album, 2021’s Death By Rock And Roll and tonight in Baltimore, along with The Warning and Lilith Czar, they added top quality to a Halestorm headlined evening of wild entertainment.
The Pretty Reckless, The Warning, and Lilith Czar
MECU Pavilion, Baltimore Md
Sunday 17 July 2022
Words and Photography: Mick Sprouse
The Pretty Reckless
The Pretty Reckless opened with a cover of Soundgarden’s Loud Love, a frequent addition to their concert playlist, which then segued into the biting kiss-off of Since You’re Gone.
Only Love Can Save Me Now was followed by Death By Rock And Roll, the title track of their latest album. The latter is a litany of various ways to die, with Taylor’s preferred method being Death By Rock And Roll, but the pair of songs were class and highlighted that their new album is their best to date.
Next song up, and also from their latest album, was And So It Went, which found Taylor chanting the world does not belong to you, it belongs to me, and tonight no one wanted to argue. Make Me Wanna Die was another standout and an ode to a bad boyfriend (or girlfriend).
Taylor Momsen is a mesmerizing and compelling frontwoman that is clearly in charge. She commands the stage so well, in almost catwalk style and an eager crowd lapped up the energy that the band exuded.
Check out The Pretty Reckless whenever they come to your local dive bar or arena – you won’t regret it.
The Warning
The Warning are three Metalhead sisters from Mexico that have grown up playing hard rock songs and should definitely be on your radar.
Lead singer/guitarist Daniela “Dany”, drummer Paulina “Pau” and bassist Alejandra “Ale” Villarreal Velez are touring to support their latest offering, 2022s Error.
The song Choke reminds you strongly, in a very good way, of their tourmates, Halestorm, especially the vocals. If you close your eyes, you might even think it was Lzzy Hale singing.
One of the highlights of their set was a cover of Metallica’s Enter Sandman at an almost dirge-like pace, unlike the original’s galloping, propulsive rave-up. It was a heavy, doom-laden beast.
Making waves in the live Heavy Metal world with their high-energy sets, The Warning have a strong setlist of fabulously solid songs. Set closer, Evolve finds Dany singing the chorus, “I’m not in danger, I’m the danger.”
These ladies are going places and are not to be missed.
Lilith Czar
Formerly the frontwoman and guitarist for the band Automatic Loveletter, Lilith Czar has gone solo and, after rebranding from Juliet Simms, released her latest album, Created From Filth And Dust, in 2021.
This night’s set was all about empowered and empowering women. In fact, with all the acts playing having at least one woman in the band, the whole night could really be seen as about empowering women. Women who rock!
Encouraging the ladies in the audience, Lilith played a short set of six songs, including a nice cover of Stevie Nicks Edge Of Seventeen, to a rousing ovation.
The penultimate song was Created from Filth and Dust’s lead-off single, King, a song where Lilith sings, “It’s a man’s world, and I want to be king!” and you believe she really could do it and be better at it than most men!
The sets closer, Anarchy, found Lilith telling the fans, “Fuck your authority” and “I make no apologies if you push me too far – who the hell do you think you are?” for she was definitely having none of it!
Lilith Czar is definitely one to watch out for in the future.
Looking forward to seeing Halestorm etc in Okc August 9th