Live Review: Purity Ring, Majical Cloudz

A more than welcome treat comes in the form of fellow Laneway performers Majical Cloudz in the supporting role. With the band's music having a level of intimacy, we suspect this will be hard to convey within the big room we're in. But the band have no troubles as they make their way through tracks from their latest release Are You Alone?. Vocalist Devon Welsh seems slightly unnerved while performing, but his voice is in fine form and when older tracks such as Childhood's End and Bugs Don't Buzz get an airing it's hard not to get a shiver down your spine. The only downside from the set comes from the relatively unengaged and scattered crowd who are clearly unfamiliar with the band's work and only here for the headliners, which ruins the atmosphere a little. Ultimately this set well and truly stands on its own two feet as an experience.

The room certainly fills up by the time Purity Ring take the stage. Live, the band constantly have a mixed reception and, from looking at the stage set-up alone, it seems that little has changed since their last visit to our shores. The most striking thing on show from the very start is the visuals. Dozens of draped rope LEDs hang from either side of stage while the trademark orb lights/midi triggers around Corin Roddick act as the centrepiece, all of which are perfectly heightened by the beautiful surroundings inside Forum Theatre.

Unfortunately, the letdown here is the music; there appears to be very little. Backing tracks are relied heavily upon and very little is done live. Megan James' vocals are also a point of issue as frequently she sings off-key or delivers a middle-of-the-road performance in comparison to what is shown on record (see: breakout single Lofticries, which comes across as monotone and lifeless). Sound issues also mar the night with some tracks sounding too quiet, namely older tracks such as Obedear and Belispeak. The band's material from latest album Another Eternity in the live arena (though gaining a more positive crowd response) also lacks immersion and comes across as overcompensating for an electronic show (notably on the sugary/cheesy Push Pull and the middle of the road Heartsigh). At the tail end, Fireshrine attempts to deliver a wake-up slap in the face, but this is again sullied by the anticlimactic closer Begin Again, which could have easily been played by the band's iPod. Ultimately, Purity Ring could have delivered more and it's a bit of a shame.