Another Friday night at the Concorde.

I think I haven't told the story of how I started listening to Pvris, because
a) I hadn't seen Pvris live since starting this blog and
b) there is not much of a story. It was the winter of 2015 and I wanted to see what the hype was all about, listened to My House on YouTube and was hooked. Simple.

Okay, there is a little bit of a story. Of two stories.

a) During the winter of 2015 I realised I was over my sort of ex boyfriend. I saw a picture of him with his new, real life, not sort of girlfriend, and I felt nothing. I thought she was cute, mentally wished him the best and there was that. But still, there was how much he'd hurt me and I am one of these people who need to feel like they're winning some sort of battle when someone hurts them. Not an American TV show battle, an inside battle, I suppose. The bottom line is, it felt nice to listen to My House because I could relate to "Haven't you heard, I'm not yours anymore, I'm not yours anymore? It's my house, and I think it's time to get out". It was appropriate.

b)  I saw Pvris in Paris shortly after and I spent the evening with some friends I hadn't seen in ages, and we reconnected that night. I realised how much I missed them, had one too many beers and danced in the middle of the crowd and it felt liberating. It felt like coming home.

So, yeah.

Obviously, as always when it comes to gigs it seems, Pvris had sold out in ten minutes and I didn't get a ticket. I got one at 8:15pm on gig day, and I missed the supports. I seem to be walking closer to the "I'm totally going to miss out on the band" line these days, but oh well, so far, so good.

What I love the most about Pvris in general is their universe, like the cool kids say, their general aesthetic. I love the whole black theme, the design of absolutely everything they do, and the way the lyrics are written. There is some seriously good songwriting here. I like it when songs have little phrases I can stop on and think "damn, I wish I'd thought of something like that". When it comes to Pvris, I think of "Cause you're a glimpse of bliss, another taste of heaven" in St Patrick or "I feel a fire in the back of my throat, so let's get covered in flames and play some games with the smoke" in Smoke. Those are the kind of lyrics that make me go "Woah".

And, in general, everything about Pvris makes me go "Woah".

Their live show, too.

I know that the first times I saw them (in Paris, as previously mentioned, and at Slam Dunk Midlands - the ending of My House at Slam Dunk North doesn't exactly count), they had some flaws. Which is perfectly understandable. They were just a band getting started and who had just exploded to the eyes (and the ears) of the world. They were "the next big thing".

Now they're playing in the big leagues and it shows on stage. It really does.

Imagine being a band on your first sold out headliner in a different country. Those are not small venues we're talking about - we're talking about a nine hundred capacity room in Brighton, we're talking about the Forum in London, we're talking about fairly big places for a band who has only released one single album.
But we're talking about a band who's up to the challenge and whose live performance doesn't show the fact that they have only released one album in 2014. Pvris well and truly sounds like a band who has a ten year career under their belt, they sound like a band with experience. And it is really, really impressive to watch.
And to listen to.
And to have fun to.


Because the thing is, yes, I do love the aesthetic, and yes, as a music fan, I can appreciate how they have improved over the past year or so. I'll tell you every day that they deserve the success they are getting and I hope they are set for the arenas and the big leagues. Yes.
But to me, Pvris was never about just the music fan who can appreciate the qualities. They were the band who made me feel like I was winning, I was doing something right, who made me feel like everything I felt was valid and who helped restoring my self-confidence. When I watch Pvris live, I'm not just there to appreciate the performance. I'm there to sing along, and to dance, and to feel good and empowered. And that's what I want you all to know. And that's what I hope you all find.

Music to empower you.