Pulp keeps heavy rock flying

Rock music, hard, heavy, metal, punk or whatever owes a big chunk of its local popularity to Pulp. And I do not mean only because of the always well-put together monthly magazine, also called Pulp, but also because a lot of exciting rock artists would never have been able to perform for Pinoy fans had it not been for Pulp. If I remember right, it was Pulp that brought in Aerosmith. So too, The Pretty Reckless, plus many others. And Pulp is still at it after many years. In fact, this summer is again going to be extra memorable for rockers because of Pulp.

The first reason is the biggest heavy metal jam of them all which will be held on April 26 at the Amoranto Stadium in Quezon City. This is the Pulp Summer Slam 14 titled Children of the Damned concert which features an international line-up of rockers. Topbilling the concert are Bullet For My Valentine and Asking Alexandria from the UK, Hatebreed, Death Angel and The Black Dahlia Murder from the US, Kreator from Germany and Crossfaith from Japan.

Not to be outdone, our homegrown bands are also ready to strut their stuff on that same show. Brace yourselves for the music of Queso, formerly known as Cheese, Valley of Chrome, Galaw Tao, Slapshock, Painscale, Urbandub, Sucketseven, Voice of Tranquility, Greyhoundz and Sickpig. Tickets are priced at only P400 for all these goodies in a single show. Score now while you still can. Tickets are available at www.smtickets.com or call 470-2222.

Next on Pulp’s agenda is the comebacking The Pretty Reckless. The band will be performing its hits like My Medicine, Make Me Wanna Die, Since You’re Gone, Going To Hell, Heaven Knows and others at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura on April 30. Ticket price is P3,000 for VIP Floor. Aside from the big sounds, the audience will also get to see the beautiful Taylor Momsen lead The Pretty Reckless where she is frontman, lead vocalist, songwriter and also the rhythm guitarist.

Now just in case, you are among those hearing about this Taylor and of The Pretty Reckless for the first time, here is a brief backgrounder. If you think that Miley Cyrus was the first American TV star to bare almost all in a music video, then you have another think coming. About a year before Wrecking Ball happened, Taylor, who is the Jenny Humphrey of the high-rating series Gossip Girl appeared nude in a video titled The Words – Under the Water. And she had no wrecking ball to cover herself with, just some bit of airbrushing in strategic places. 

The film was one of Taylor’s frequent forays into the field of rock. As rock music fans already know by now and judging from her now you see her, now you don’t appearances in the series, Gossip Girl was merely an interesting and I must say, lucrative detour in the career path of the lovely Taylor. She has been very open in her interviews about her passion for rock and has shown utmost dedication to the band. Of course, Taylor is not alone in the group. The other members are Ben Phillips on lead guitar; Mark Damon, bass; and Jamie Perkins, drums.

The Pretty Reckless was formed five years ago. Its big breakthrough came about when one of its early recordings, Make Me Wanna Die landed in the soundtrack of the hit film Kick-Ass. The first album Light Me Up was also well-received and cuts like My Medicine, Miss Nothing, You and Just Tonight firmly established The Pretty Reckless as a good, solid band with much to offer.

The band has a new album titled Going To Hell with the same raging, bluesy, classic rock sound of Light Me Up. Alternately fast and slow, punked throughout but always melodic, the CD has already yielded a few hit singles, Follow Me Down, Going To Hell and Heaven Knows. Best cuts though are Why’d You Bring A Shotgun To The Party, Absolution and Waiting For A Friend. Going To Hell is now available at selected Astroplus outlets and at the Pulp Live World office. Go to www.pulpliveworld.com/shop or call 722-92622 to get your copies.

Watch out, too, for other Pulp live events like the Children of Bodom, scheduled for May 12 at the SM Skydome. Presale tickets VIP P2,500; general admission P1,500 are now available. Get yours now for the door price goes up a lot at VIP P3,000 and general admission, P1,800.

And the big one for K-Pop buffs, All Or Nothing the choreographic, mindblowing and eye-popping show starring the dynamic 2NE1 on May 17 at the Mall of Asia Arena. The group is made up of K-pop princesses CL, Bom Park, Mimzy Gong and the locally discovered Sandara Park. The show will also feature the performance of some cuts from the girls’ latest album, Crush.