It is a common belief that social media is not real. Sure, someone did go to that sporting event and another person did meal prep 14 vegetable burritos but its curated. As James Blake recently shared on said social media, everything in the music world is manufactured. The sales, the YouTube views, the social media followers or now through the scourge of society (AI), music itself. For a second, avoid the doom and gloom and focus on Blake’s positive message to bands “you’re probably doing better than you think.” I do not know for sure, but Blake was thinking about Prewn.
Attendance at Rumba Cafe can be hit or miss. Despite the tens of concerts I go to a year, guessing the crowd size seemingly never works. Take in point Case Oats. A few weeks back, I expected a near sellout for a breakout 2025 LP release and the connection to music royalty. There were 30 people in attendance. For Prewn, that thought carried over. The band’s latest LP “System” from last year was a revelation. Throw it in the breakout category with Case Oats’ “Last Missouri Exit.” Fortunately, my pessimism lost out again and the Massachusetts band that really calls both coasts home played in front of a nearly sold out crowd on Monday.
When Rumba sells out, the Summit Ave. venue feels like a sardine can. The low ceilings, windowless walls and pitch black general admission floor fit the definition of stuffed into a small space, and a little salty and moist with the increasing temperatures brought on by the body heat of a crowd hyped for the lone Ohio stop for the indie rock group.
Normally at an indie rock show such as Monday’s, the crowd diversity is basically all different obscure band shirts for a sea of guys that look like me. That was not the case with Prewn. The crowd that hit 175 before any walkup ticket sales had representation across gender, age and race. Stop for a quick second on the age piece and the amount of younger concertgoers made me question if Prewn got popular from a TikTok video. There was even a baby there before the show (I am not sure if the baby is on TikTok).
Maybe it was in part all the parking spaces taken on Summit from the concertgoers but the sound person missed the 8 o’clock start time memo. From the start, or more accurately multiple starts, opening act Pearl Sugar had to wait to play their 12-song set. When lead singer Chris Bugnacki stepped onto stage, the venue manager stopped them from playing because of a traffic jam for the sound person. At 8:13, when the band returned, the manager returned and the band left the stage for a second time.
Once Pearl Sugar got to play, the trio performed tracks from their new 2026 EP “Xtra Xtra.” The band combines an alternative rock sound with gazey vocals. Both guitarists played with sequined baseball caps, one with a pink skull and the other bedazzled cap with “JOHN DEERE” across the front. Those caps were pulled down, nearly covering their eyes. That wardrobe decision added to the auditory haze of their music.
It made sense then that the band played “DVD” off their new EP, a track that Bugacki dedicated to the late David Lynch. Fans knew the late actor, director, artist, musician, producer, etc for the eerie aesthetics, without the horror movie vibe. Pearl Sugar’s music fit that kind of environment well.
Bugnacki stood behind the mic only when singing. Otherwise, the lead singer and guitar player explored the empty half of the cozy and quaint stage. A few times, Bugnacki lifted the guitar and shook it abruptly but methodically. Pearl Sugar was a fitting opener for Prewn’s set, especially after the sound person made it so the crowd could hear the vocals after a few songs.
The speed bumps did not stop for the headliners. To Prewn’s credit, a lot of touring bands would not adjust as fluidly as they did through a couple quality-sized problems.
Right away, Prewn had to shift. The project/band led by Izzy Hagerup started the night with “Easy” off the 2025 “System” record. The East Coast edition of Prewn was four members Monday night. Partway through the song, Hagerup hits a whaling guitar note that sets the entire album up for the rough around the edges, and extremely catchy, LP. Instead of that note, the amp behind Hagerup let out a high pitched screech when she stepped on the pedal. Prewn didn’t stop. While still strumming, Hagerup tried to fix the amp and when that didn’t work Bugnecki ran out from the green room to switch out a cable.
I missed that guitar part but what followed more than made up for its absence. Prewn played all but two tracks from the nine-song “System” release, an album that Hagerup wrote and played on her own. Each vocal, backup vocal, guitar, drum, bass and cello part came from the lead singer. On tour that is not so feasible. All of the songs carried the same edge and when played next to tracks from their 2023 LP “Through the Window,” it showed how different it sounded when Hagerup wrote with other people and when she flew solo.
Hagerup added “Through the Window” tracks like “Alive” and my personal favorite “I’m Gonna Fry All the Fish in the Sea.” Then there were unreleased tracks “Carbon,” “Pot Holes” and “Ticks.” The last one came with a not so fun story about getting bit by a tick and anxiety making Hagerup believe she had Lyme Disease, which she fortunately did not.
No matter where the songs came from, Hagerup’s singing has to be heard live to fully enjoy. The recorded versions are great, don’t get me wrong. Hagerup’s distinct voice that sets Prewn apart from others in their genre but Hagerup is able to do what many bands struggle to do – sound better on stage.
It is not only Hagerup’s vocal range and emotion that the live setup unleashed. Hagerup’s eyes add to the performance.
That is not meant to be creepy. I promise. Hear me out. Many singers sing with their eyes closed, which is completely fine. It does not take away from those performances. Hagerup too sang moments with her eyes shut, it is just what humans do. However, the singer carries the edge that her songs possess and sharpens them with a scrunched brow or perfectly timed scowl. Some people are not expressive with their faces. Hagerup is not one of those people.
With a handful of songs left, the second hiccup hit Prewn when their bassist left the stage, and did not return for the remainder of the show. Before it happened, the bassist walked over to the other guitarist to share something and soon afterwards she was gone. Without a key piece of the rhythm, especially with all but one song from the darker and more brooding “System” release to close out the set, Hagerup and company adapted.
For a couple songs, the band played as usual, like the title track “System” and “Dirty Dog.” For “Dirty Dog” though, Hagerup ditched the guitar for the first half of the track. Instead, Hagerup went from mostly stationary guitar player who sometimes moved towards a bandmate during a song to completely unpredictable. The musician, with microphone in hand, ran from one corner of the stage into the crowd. As one concertgoer filmed the moment, Hagerup went right up to the camera’s lens and sang directly to the device. A moment later Hagerup was on stage, on her hands and knees. Then it was time to run to the far end of the stage.
Take a listen to the song and it is clearly the perfect track to bring out that side of Hagerup. A couple times during the moment of the show, Hagerup looked more like a rapper with her shoulders bowed and slightly slumped over as she sang into the microphone.
Due to the loss of a band member, everyone got an extra song. Hagerup added “Perfect World,” a track with lines such as:
“It’s a perfect world,
and I’m murdering my children.It’s a perfect world,
and I just surpassed a billion.”
The show ended with “Machine,” which opens up “Through the Window.” Hagerup played it alone and left without an encore. Prewn played through a bad cable and missing band member, so there was no way they would stop for an encore.
After the concert, nearly half of the concertgoers got in line for Prewn’s merch, a welcome sight for a touring musician and honestly for someone who wants to see this band succeed. It is clear that they do not need anyone’s help exploding in the world of indie rock, which feels inevitable after seeing them play live.
