story by editor-in-chief: Ashly Nicole

Purity Ring just finished up their “Place of My Own” tour, landing at the Novo in downtown Los Angeles as their final stop of the month long U.S. tour. Whether you’ve been listening since the beginning, drift in and out of their discography, or only recently stumbled into their world, this was the kind of tour that reminded you why their sound hits in a way no one else quite replicates. After more than a decade of following their music, I still haven’t found another band or artist that captures the same mix of intimacy, comfort, and almost dreamlike sound, and that uniqueness carries straight into their live performance.
While Purity Ring’s sound might lean niche, their visual language expands it into something almost cinematic. I’ve been longing to see this duo live for as long as I’ve been listening to their music, and this show finally saw it to finally come to fruition. Going in, I made sure to avoid any spoilers, including set list and visuals, so I had no idea what to expect, but I was genuinely blown away that this show was far more beautiful, intentional, and transportive than anything I could have imagined.

One thing that stood out just as strongly as the music itself was how genuinely thoughtful Purity Ring are when it comes to caring for their fans and every human around them. Before the show even started, every guest was handed a mask and kindly asked to wear it for the duration of the performance, an intentional gesture to protect the people around us and make the night safer for those who might be immunocompromised or more vulnerable to illness. It set the tone immediately; this was a space where community mattered, where the well-being of every person in the room was part of the experience.
It’s something I deeply admire about them. Not every artist is willing to take that extra step or stand firmly in what they believe is right, even when it requires effort or invites criticism, but Purity Ring have always carried themselves with a sense of responsibility, empathy, and moral clarity, and this show was no exception, they continue to show up for their people in ways that feel real and intentional. A little into the set, Megan paused to speak directly to the crowd, reinforcing that sense of collective care with a simple but powerful reminder that, “we care for each other, we keep each other safe…” and as she closed her brief address with a clear, resonant “free Palestine!” it felt like another example of the duo refusing to separate their art from their values. It was a moment that underscored the heart behind their work, an insistence on looking out for one another, inside and outside the bubble of just this concert.

Their commitment to creating a thoughtful, safe space set the emotional tone for the rest of the night, it made everything that followed land with even more weight. That sense of care extended beyond their words and into the performance itself, shaping the atmosphere in a way that made the music feel even more intimate and alive. So when the lights shifted and the show continued, it wasn’t just the continuation of a concert; it felt like being invited into a world they had built with intention, clarity, and heart.

With their newly released self-titled album, I expected the set to more heavy on newer tracks, but they struck the perfect balance, threading the newer material through the songs that first pulled me into their orbit from the very beginning. It created this seamless wave of nostalgia and discovery, like paging through old memories while stumbling on new ones being written in real time. The giant rotating fans projecting 3D images pulled everyone into the world of each song, enveloping the entire room in a kind of surreal glow. The visuals didn’t just complement the music, they deepened it, turning each song into an experience that felt almost meditative, as if every new moment opened a doorway into its own tiny universe. It was the kind of staging that made you forget you were in a venue at all and instead drifting through the dreamlike spaces their music has always hinted at. Leaving the venue felt like being gently pulled out of a long, vivid dream.
Even when playing newer music I wasn’t as familiar with, the entire set really felt like a warm hug from an old friend. Their sound has remained what we all know and love, but still evolving and growing with them as they grow as artists and people. There was such a huge wave of nostalgia and comfort throughout the whole show, and it’s something I think a lot of us seek when listening to music, especially when we witness it live for the first time. This show was the kind of immersive, quietly overwhelming moment that reminds you why live music matters in the first place; how a single show can pull you so deeply into its world that it becomes a marker in your life. Standing there, wrapped in sound and light, it felt impossible not to recognize the rare power an artist has when they can turn a room of strangers into witnesses to something that feels both personal and transformative. For me, this show wasn’t just a long-awaited experience, it was a reminder of how music can feel like home, no matter where it’s created or where you first hear it; it’s something that will always be able to transport you back to a time and place, and even a specific feeling.

Leaving the venue, it was clear that this show was more than a tour stop, it was a reminder of everything Purity Ring does best. They craft experiences that are sonically rich, visually immersive, and emotionally intentional, without ever losing the sense of care that defines them. As the final notes of “Begin Again” were sang and Los Angeles closed out the “Place of My Own” tour, it felt less like an ending and more like a moment suspended in time, one that will quietly stay with anyone who was there. It was a beautiful close to a chapter, and the kind of night that makes you grateful to have stepped into the world of Purity Ring, no matter what point you entered.

If you have the chance to ever attend a Purity Ring show, I couldn’t recommend it more, it will honestly probably change your life and alter your brain chemistry a bit. And since this was unfortunately the final stop on the “Place of My Own” tour (for now?), you’ll have to make sure to jump on those streaming platforms and fall into their beautiful discography, maybe yesterday.