by Andi Hubbell ‘11

Dim, dingy and rundown, the Ottobar in Baltimore hardly seems like an ideal venue for a performance by a 17-year-old actress turned songstress. However, Taylor Momsen, frontwoman of alternative rock band The Pretty Reckless (TPR), is no Miley Cyrus or Demi Lovato. The headstrong, outspoken “Gossip Girl” star refuses to conform to the cookie-cutter mold followed by her peers. Instead, she has adopted an outrageously scandalous style of dress and equally age-inappropriate brand of music, both of which she confidently flaunted during a show at the Ottobar on March 16. Whereas other teen idols skirt media claims that they are engaging in unruly behavior, Momsen openly embraces her rebellious image, confidently vocalizing her indecent habits. Although Momsen exhibited promising talent and a mesmerizing stage presence, the singer’s overwhelming raunchiness ultimately inhibited her from reaching her full potential to inspire.

An appropriately dark, mature atmosphere was already present in the Ottobar several hours before Momsen graced the stage. A handful of raccoon-eyed twenty-something-year-olds arrived early to huddle around the bar area, where they sipped drinks and struggled to chat over the thrashing, guitar-heavy music reverberating throughout the dimly lit club. Save a few comically out-of-place gumball dispensers and pinball machines, the Ottobar epitomized edginess.

Needless to say, it came as a surprise when the first band in the lineup, Face the Sun, exhibited a conventional, light-hearted pop punk sound. Although the following band, 1000 Horses, retained a significantly edgier look and sound, neither band managed to rival TPR’s dark persona.

However, this was clearly to Momsen’s advantage, because the moment The Pretty Reckless appeared onstage, the audience was captivated. The starlet sported a tight, short black leather dress, heavy makeup and sinister attitude to match. Momsen exuded sex appeal, shimmying seductively as she belted out the first number in a slew of angst-ridden songs. At age 17, she easily produced a stage presence that several much-older musicians in the evening’s lineup (including her unremarkable bandmates, who instantly faded into the background) could not muster. Her deep, soulful vocals coupled with her ability to work a stage as small as that at the Ottobar altogether captivated the sparse crowd.

Unfortunately, a few songs into TPR’s set, Momsen felt compelled to demonstrate her notorious tendency to create a shock factor. Between the first couple of songs, Momsen had deviated from her sexy stage antics long enough to express to the audience what seemed like genuine gratitude for their presence. A few songs later, however, Momsen indicated that she needed the audience to “do her a huge favor.” She then proceeded to request that three female audience members remove their shirts and brave the stage in simply their bras.

“Come on, I already did it!” she drily joked, alluding to her revealing outfit.

Momsen eventually got the three volunteers she had requested, but girls were hardly clamoring to approach the stage. The three girls who did eagerly obey Momsen, however, appeared to be instilled with a sense of empowerment as they danced onstage to “Goin’ Down,” a raging number that Momsen described as being (surprise), “about sex.”

A mere matter of minutes after “Goin’ Down”, Momsen made a second half-baked attempt at instigating controversy.

“How many of us are drinking tonight?” she cheered, eliciting a favorable response from the audience, which seemed to consist largely of individuals in their twenties. “This song’s called ‘My Medicine.’”

Although Momsen likely intended for her racy comments to seem alluringly daring and rebellious, they simply sounded immature and altogether unconvincing.

Because of her striking confidence and highly developed sense of individuality, not to mention her raw talent, Momsen demonstrates the potential to serve as a role model for girls of all ages. Unfortunately, until she makes the distinction between not caring what others think and acting immaturely to violate others’ expectations, Momsen may be altogether unable to tap into this potential.