Our culture could benefit from a little more 100% Rock �N� Roll. With the poor quality of "hit" songs being written these days, its tough to find a new act with the drive to be successful and the integrity to stay creative. As if on a mission to conquer everything it can, the Baltimore band Mary Prankster rode into the Boston area. They currently have released two records; both on their own label called Palace Coup Records and have been touring Eastern Unites States and Canada.

Mary Prankster hit all the bases in their show upstairs at the Middle East on Saturday July 14, 2001. The band presented an exhibition of strength and good, clean fun onstage, lead by a fiery young musician named Mary. Mary and her band are dearly loved in their home scene and got a fantastic opportunity to share their songs and energy with a town that is not entirely familiar with their music. The evening was heated up with a kick-ass female rock trio who call themselves Tootsie and use their good looks and sick guitar riffs to warm the crowd for Mary and her boys. Mary Prankster took the stage sounding full of inspiration and showing her excitement of being in town by creating a small limerick celebrating the Irish background that Boston as well as herself share to kick off her Celtic-rock ballad "The World is Full of Bastards". Most of the people in the crowd seemed to be there as friends or fans of the other bands yet before long the entire room was caught up in the music. I had never heard the band play live upon getting there that evening so I didn�t know what to expect from them. I was pleased that they sounded great live and they visually help place the energy that is heard on the recordings with Mary�s sweet grins and cutesy stares from behind the hair that falls in her face.

If you missed this show you will still have two more chances to catch them live very soon as she will be back in Boston on September 22 at Harpers Ferry with Mudhens and then once more on October 5 at Bill�s Bar on Landsdowne St. with Missing Joe. Take every opportunity you get to see this act because soon enough this 100% Rock 'N� Roll show will be growing out of these intimate venues. For more information: www.maryprankster.com