Phyoe Thaung
Aug 5, 2026
The "Dear God" tour made its Phoenix stop at The Van Buren, where The Pretty Reckless brought one of the tour's most ambitious productions back to Arizona.
There are some bands that become part of a playlist, and then there are bands that stay there for years. For many inside The Van Buren on August 2, 2026, The Pretty Reckless fell into the latter category. Touring behind their latest record, Dear God, the New York rock band brought their latest headlining run to Phoenix, delivering a set that balanced songs from across their catalog while giving newer material its place alongside longtime fan favorites.
The evening opened with Paris Jackson, whose set introduced many in the room to a different side of her artistry. While some audience members may have recognized her from earlier acoustic releases, her live performance leaned confidently into alternative rock.
Songs including "stitched (on & on)" and "Happiest Day of My Life," from her forthcoming sophomore album, showcased a voice that shifted effortlessly between softer moments and heavier arrangements. Her understated stage presence let the music take center stage, gradually winning over a crowd that responded with growing enthusiasm as the set progressed.
By the time The Pretty Reckless walked onstage, The Van Buren was packed shoulder to shoulder. The band wasted little time, opening with several songs from their earlier releases before gradually working material from Dear God into the set.
Rather than separating the new songs into one section, they moved naturally between different eras of the band's career, giving the performance a steady rhythm that never felt locked to one album.
One of the night's defining moments came with the live debut of "Dark Days." Hearing the song for the first time in front of an audience gave it a different weight than its studio counterpart, and the crowd responded with the kind of curiosity usually reserved for moments they'll remember long after the tour moves on.
The newer material fit comfortably alongside songs that have become staples of The Pretty Reckless' live shows, reflecting how the band's sound has expanded without abandoning the hard rock foundation that first drew listeners in.
Midway through the set, Taylor Momsen climbed down from the stage to meet fans gathered along the barricade, moving from one side of the room to the other while singing directly with the audience. It was one of the few moments where the separation between stage and crowd briefly disappeared, adding another layer of intimacy to a performance that otherwise leaned heavily on the band's commanding stage presence.
The final stretch of the evening delivered exactly what much of the audience had been waiting for. "Make Me Wanna Die," "Heaven Knows," "Going to Hell," and "About You" closed the night to some of the loudest reactions inside The Van Buren, with nearly every chorus echoed back toward the stage.