Critically acclaimed Canadian electronic pop duo, Purity Ring, brought their tour de womb to New York City’s Webster Hall for a transcendental sold-out performance. The tour, which supported their 2020 album, and first album after a five-year hiatus, WOMB, was postponed three times because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alas, the tour had finally arrived and fans poured into the venue in anticipation for the show to begin.
The stage was empty, aside from a pedestal with two lights on each side, which stood in front of a white curtain that hung from the ceiling. Ethereal, eerie music echoed throughout the venue, and two cloth signs were draped from both sides of the balcony. On the left read “Trans Rights” and on the right read “Abortion Now”, echoing the SCOTUS decision to strike down the monumental Roe v. Wade case, as well as hinting at what the SCOTUS plans to attack in the near future.
The performance, which began just over 24 hours after the ruling, provided a much-needed escape for everyone inside the venue. Purity Ring opened their set with “pink lightning” and proceeded through a 21-song set list that captivated the audience. Purity Ring, who have been cementing their creative vision and sound in the music industry for over a decade, gave fans a wide variety of songs throughout the course of their setlist including favorites like “Lofticries”, “Bodyache” and “Begin Again” as well as covers of Deftones “Knife Prty” and Alice DeeJay’s “Better Off Alone”.
As a Purity Ring fan who has been along for the journey since their early days, when I was in high school, I was amazed to see the duo live. With a very basic setup and minimal stage banter, Purity Ring put on a show that will leave a mental mark for many moons to come. The three-year wait for the tour de womb was well worth it!
