“Claudi is a colorful and original amalgam of her loves and influences: ’20s jazz… “obviously, Billie Holiday… doo-wop… punk...” Put that together in the body of a gender-bending Latinx artist obsessed with children’s books and possessed of unfettered, unrestrained creativity and you get Pinc Louds.”
Pinc Louds’ lead singer, Claudi (all pronouns accepted), moved from Puerto Rico to NYC in 2015 to fulfill her dream of playing in the subway. Through the “litteral” underground, Claudi met the musicians (drummer Rai Mundo and bassist Marc Mosteirin) and artists that would turn Pinc Louds into the full-blown spectacle they are today. The subway also opened many doors for the band, who would soon end up playing in such NYC venues as (le) Poisson Rouge, Joe’s Pub and Lincoln Center, as well as tours throughout the US, Puerto Rico, Europe and Chile.
Musically, Pinc Louds draws influences from such diverse artists as Pixies, Billie Holiday, Daniel Johnston and Ismael Rivera. Is it tropical punk? Garage doowop? Crooner pop? It’s all and none of the above. The best course of action is to let go of all preconceptions and enjoy the band’s unique sound and explosive performances, described as “absolutely epic” by Paul Banks of the band Interpol.
Self-proclaimed as an “imaginary band”, Pinc Louds adds to the live music experience by making their shows a participatory adventure. Traveling inside giant subway puppets, reviving atomic mutants, chanting spells to a Watermelon God, and competing in a roach-dance-contest are all things you might expect at one of their immersive concerts.
The puppets, created by Jamie McGann, Madison Berg and Jamie Emerson, can best be described as “magical garbage”. Exquisitely made out of found and recycled materials, mattress foam, cardboard, pvc pipes, and other rejected wonders of the modern world.
With venues closed during the Coronavirus pandemic, Pinc Louds returned to the streets where they played free shows twice a week at NYC parks such as Tompkins Sq Park. These physically-distanced shows gained popularity and brought together a community hungry for music, joy and human (even if not actually physical) connection. Pinc Louds’ outdoor concerts have continued into 2021, for the most part in the East Village, where the band is having the time of their lives making people dance and constantly being inspired by the wonderful city creatures that surround them.