Equipped with the scattered information of a Facebook event page and a vague post on Last.fm, I made my way to the Northeastern campus and through the labyrinth it presents to any outsider. I was searching for what I hoped to be the free Purity Ring concert I had heard about via Twitter. With the help of several friendly students roaming around campus that Saturday evening, I eventually located the Centennial Plaza right as dusk was settling around 6pm. The scene was nonchalant, with students lounging on a grassy hill and even sitting on some of the lawn furniture. No one was standing but rather sitting patiently and enjoying the company of those around them. I was immediately struck with surprise by how few people were in attendance. Nonetheless, the stage setup was amazing. Security guards in the pit, though-out lighting, decorative womb-like ornaments that framed the stage, and a ‘Tastemakers presents’ sign accrediting the Northeastern student-run music magazine for coordinating the show. I was perplexed by how professional had been executed for a free concert organized by a college organization.
When the opener band, Penguin Prison, stepped on stage, it was like the crowd was a middle school dance. Everyone shyly remained seated, enjoying the open view of the stage. However, slowly, one-by-one people jumped to their feet and rushed to secure a place near the front. It was as though the upbeat pop-funk Penguin Prison enthusiastically belted was beckoning us to finally become an audience at this concert. Penguin Prison set this mood, playing off our encouraging reaction to their upfront stage presence and playful banter. Their lively performance got us going and, after their husky cover of Lana Del Rey’s “Blue Jeans,” the crowd was in full swing.
Finally, after set changes and mounting anticipation amidst the growing crowd, the lights dimmed and Corin Roddick of Purity Ring stepped out into the darkness. He approached his makeshift controls stand surrounded by what appeared to be tiny lanterns. With a pair of drumsticks, Roddick began to create the beat by hitting the lanterns that, in turn, illuminated in response to touch. A magical way to begin the show and transition into “Belispeak” as Megan James gracefully entered the stage with a light torch in hand. The entire show went on in the dark spare Roddick’s lamps, James’s handheld torch, and the womb stage décor that lit up in varying colors, synced to the beat. The visual component of the concert was so spectacularly powerful and complemented the futuristic dark-electronica sound of Purity Ring. The crowd loved every moment of it—cheering, crowd surfing, and just giving the duo all their appreciative lovin’.
I left with a newfound appreciation for Purity Ring. The two seemed to put their heart and essence into playing a free show that I would have easily coughed up $30 to see. It was a beautifully executed show that congregated their fans across the borders of universities. Mad props to Northeastern and the university’s Tastemakers Magazine for connecting us penniless music lovers with the real thing.
By: Ariel Bernberg