Earlier this year, NBHAP sat down with Canadian duo PURITY RING following the release of their sophomore album. Now, nearly a year later, they made their way over to Berlin to play a live show at Berghain. Megan James, who makes up one half of the duo, came to the stage wearing what looked like a two piece wetsuit, equipped with mesh arms, while the other half, Corin Roddick stayed on the simpler side and stood out with the lights that encased his booth.
Where are we?
Berghain: the Berlin club, housed in a former power plant and applauded for having one of the best sound systems in the world. At one point, James congratulated the audience on successfully making it to the show, referring to the tight door policy.
Best moment of the show:
Although their performance was captivating, what really stood out was their lighting setup. Hanging strings of bulbs surrounded the pair on both sides, and James spent the show weaving between them as they alternated between darkness and lights of every color. Roddick, on the other hand, played a series of lanterns that were linked to his synth pads, making the electronic sounds become visual. The pair manipulated the lighting to at times transform James into a backlit silhouette, while at others fully illuminating or blotting her out. Also, at one point, James used simple gloves lined with pieces of mirror to send light beams spewing playfully into the audience.
Worst moment of the show:
They warned the crowd before the set was done: they don’t really do encores. Unfortunately that meant that once the pair finished Begin Again, the show was actually over. Another downside was that the lyrics were almost impossible to understand in a live set.
How was the audience?
Nice variety of people, and enough enthusiasm to reciprocate the duo’s intensity and energy.
Can we recommend future live shows by the artist?
Yes, definitely. James has a certain intensity and focus on the audience, as her body pulses and her voice soars, while Roddick captivates the crowd with his instrumentals.
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