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Thursday, June 13, 2013
Music / Live Reviews Live review: Purity Ring (06/12/13)
Posted By Chelsea Rutledge on Thu, Jun 13, 2013 at 3:06 PM
Purity Ring
Amos' Southend
June 12, 2013
I wanted to like it - I really did. Visually it was great. But when electronic Canadian duo Purity Ring took the stage at Amos' Southend last night, I found myself strangely disappointed. Maybe it was the bizarre ambiance created by opening rap act Mr. Invisible. Or maybe I should have ordered another rum and coke if I really wanted to "feel" the music. But for whatever reason, I wasn't feeling the music - and the crowd seemed fairly non-receptive as well.
Comprised of Corin Roddick (instrumentals) and Megan James (vocals), both in their early 20s, the band has recently been performing material off their full-length album, Shrines, on their first U.S tour. The album features an eerie synthesis of dream-pop and dark ambiance, paired with the lightness of James' vocals. Debuting last year, Shrines received considerable recognition and largely rave reviews, helping Purity Ring earn a spot at this year's Coachella and Bonnaroo, as well as a full U.S tour, followed by a few international festival dates.
Beginning around 8:45 p.m., two-man opening act Mr. Invisible made its way to the stage. After a quick introduction, in which the two-rappers/DJs are identified then linked to the single persona Mr. Invisible, the duo begins their set. Using a multitude of synthetic effects, most notably a mastery of the Maschine production system, Mr. Invisible attempted to hype the crowd for Purity Ring with an aggressive hip-hop-driven performance. Though there was nothing entirely off-putting about the set of electro-hip-hop and live rapping - as the energy and enthusiasm of good showmanship was present - the songs felt mismatched as openers for the electro-dream-pop of Purity Ring.
After an hour or so of Mr. Invisible and some finishing touches on lighting, it was time for the main act. Large metal rods with cocoon-shaped light fixtures adorned the stage, under a coolness of purple and blue overhead lighting. Then began the haunting, glittering sounds of "Crawlersout," as the rod lights began to illuminate, gradually changing colors. James appeared center stage, with Roddick taking his position behind a custom-built tree-shaped instrument, from which he delivered the electronic pulses driving the live performance.
Like I said, spot-on with the visuals.
But then James started singing. And for a while, it's good. But the chilling falsettos we hear on Shrines seem difficult for her to deliver. Following "Crawlersout," Purity Ring's set continued with other tracks from Shrines, as well as a cover of Soulja Boy's "Grammy." Though the lights and instrumentals kept the show afloat, it lacked the effulgence of studio-recordings, and subsequently was a letdown to those expecting the pureness of Shrines.
Some of the crowd moved with the tunes, but most of us found tables or spots on the balcony to observe. Moral of the story: listen to Shrines at home, dance if you want, but save your money on the live show.
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