By Georgie Fleming
The Bowery Ballroom has never been more alive on a Monday night. Pretty Sick appeared on their stage November 21st on the last leg of their worldwide tour, where opener Mitsubishi Suicide’s hardcore sound brought the show to a roaring start. Lead singer Sabrina Fuentes gushed over the honor of playing at the well-known venue; New York City being a centerpiece of their discography. Accompanied by drummer Eva Kaufman and bassist Orazio Argentero, Fuentes shredded on bass playing tracks from their first full-length album released this year, Makes Me Sick, Makes Me Smile. Fuentes is a full-on Courtney Love, coming on-stage in a long, sheer black dress with matching black lipstick and a champagne bottle in hand. The band has a casual air about them, from Fuentes’ drunkenness to nonchalant mess ups and miscommunications – the audience was in on their lively chaos. With Fuentes and Argentero both on bass, transitions through the varying styles of their releases are effortless, often making you forget how different EP Comedown is from Deep Divine and Makes Me Sick, Makes Me Smile.
Their imperfect, raw display was both refreshing and enthralling, transitioning from the indie rock “Allen Street” into punky, riot grrrl-esque “Yeah You.” The concert’s hour and a half run included plenty of head-banging, moshing and interactions with the audience. Fuentes’ gritty vocals flowed through varying intensities of their moody post-punk sound. In one of my favorite moments, they transitioned from “She” to “Telephone,” the darkness of Deep Divine contrasting with the indie-rock sound of their first EP. Integrating songs from all three of their releases, their time on the road showed to curate a perfect setlist showcasing some of their best. Ending with “PCP” and “Human Condition,” two highlights from their album, the show came to a lull, leaving room for a blaring encore of “Dumb” and “Bet My Blood.” Swandiving into the audience, Fuentes crowd surfed, jumping back on stage before pouring champagne over her head. Pretty Sick are New York City rock stars.
