Christmas is just over eight weeks away, and so I’ll be thinking about which festive films to stream on Netflix pretty soon. Right up there on the top of my list is the 2000 movie How The Grinch Stole Christmas, starring Jim Carey opposite a seven-year-old Taylor Momsen.
Now twenty-two years on, Cindy Lou Who isn’t so little anymore - and instead of saving Christmas, she’s saving rock and roll as the powerful female lead of The Pretty Reckless.
Heading into their sold out show at Manchester Academy, a queue snaked all the way down Oxford Road for as far as I could see - inside was packed already, with a number of fans having already made a trip to the merch table and swapped out their shirts.
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The New York City band have enjoyed 12 years of success, having launched when Taylor was playing Jenny Humphrey’s in the hit series Gossip Girl - which I watched in its entirety one summer break at university. There was a marked difference in Taylor’s appearance in the show, which coincided with her forming the rock quartet.
Supporting Momsen and co was The Cruel Knives, who have crafted an energetic set with impressive stamina. The band - their name a reference to George Orwell’s Animal Farm - formed in 2016, consisting of Tom Harris, Al Junior, Sid Glover and Rob Ellershaw.
They did a cracking job of warming up the room for the night, both figuratively and literally, as bodies moved in the packed out venue to the sound of Black Eye Friday, Hollow People and Crawl.
Their stage presence was solid, and despite a few sound issues technically, they trooped on and gave their all for this heavy opening act.
Taylor Momsen quit her acting career to pursue music with The Pretty Reckless - a move that was criticised at the time by fans who loved her as the middle-class Brooklyn character. But as she stepped on stage in a slinky silver slip and leather jacket, it was evident that this was her true, authentic self. Though her acting certainly helps with her theatrical stage presence - she knows exactly how to get all eyes on her. In fact, had Gossip Girl been in the room, they’d probably send out something like: “Spotted at Manchester Academy, mic in hand. Taylor Momsen. Our It girl certainly knows how to pull in a crowd. xoxo”
The rockers opened with their latest single Death by Rock and Roll and in the words of the other Taylor (Miss Swift, that is) “the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now, why? Oh, cos’ she’s dead.”
No, really, Cindy Lou WHO? This woman on stage was a world away from her debut character as she rocked out on stage.
Taylor is an expert in performance, utilising the stage to swirl, twirl, kick and flick her hair, standing on top of platform boxes to belt out Since You’re Gone and Only Love Can Save Me Now in her raspy tone. I made a comment to my partner that her vocal qualities were similar to some of Miley Cyrus’ newer stuff, which is funny, as Taylor actually auditioned for the role of Hannah Montana, back in the day.
They performed their first ever single You Make Me Wanna Die, much to the audience's approval, and a far cry from the melancholic holiday number “Where Are You Christmas”.
Feminine, sultry and oozing with effortless sass, Taylor commands the stage. Wordlessly, she waves the mic over the audience who roar in appreciation.
Witches Burn was followed by My Bones and My Medicine, while Going To Hell saw a see of rock and roll signs thrust into the air. Heaven Knows might not have been the track Mancunians typically think of when they hear that phrase, but it was well received by the fishnet and leather clad crowd, complete with a mind blowing guitar solo and ending on Take Me Down.
The encore saw the band return to finish with F***ed Up World, which let drummer Jamie Perkins really show off with a near 10-minute drum solo, being rejoined by Mark Damon, Ben Phillips and the phenomenal Taylor Momsen to bid their army of fans farewell for the night.
Acting may not have been the career path for Taylor - though The Grinch will remain my favourite Christmas film, and Gossip Girl, the best series to have ever aired - but it’s clear that The Pretty Reckless is where she’s most at home. Her performance was faultless, she looked drop dead gorgeous, and she had the audience hanging on her every word.
In an industry and, particularly, a genre dominated by men, The Pretty Reckless show them how modern female fronted rock is done.
Setlist for The Pretty Reckless at Manchester Academy, October 27
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Death by Rock and Roll
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Since You’re Gone
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Only Love Can Save Me Now
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And So It Went
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Make Me Wanna Die
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Goin Down
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Sweet Things
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Witches Burn
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My Bones
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My Medicine
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Going to Hell
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Heaven Knows
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Take Me Down
Encore
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F***ed Up World
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