About seven years ago, I embarked on my never-ending quest to diversify my music tastes more than ever before, and Purity Ring was one of the first bands I stumbled upon in my journey. Having not dabbled too deeply into the electronic sphere, I was immediately drawn to how different their sound was from what I usually listened to, and I’m happy to say that it still holds to this day—especially during their live shows, such as the one at Brooklyn Steel on Thursday night in support of their self-titled fourth studio album.

The most obvious thing that sets a Purity Ring show apart is the visuals. When I first saw them perform live a few years ago in 2022 during their last tour, I was blown away by how captivating the entire show was visually, and was eager to see how they’d step it up this time. And… wow. That’s really the best way to describe it. As we waited for the show to start, a good chunk of the crowd was confused as to why there were what looked like eight giant pedestal fans on stage. This confusion quickly turned into eagerness and excitement as they spun up to full speed as the stage filled with fog.

There still wasn’t a clear answer as to what these spinning things were when producer Corin Roddick took the stage behind his setup and began playing the opening notes to “part ii” on his electric, light-up, projection-mapped hand percussion instrument—the newest in a line of custom-built setups he’s used throughout the band’s career. In a big glow of pink light, vocalist Megan James appeared center stage on a raised platform behind Roddick and immediately treated us to her signature smooth, and calming vocals to introduce the song. As the beat picked up during the first verse, we finally learned what those spinning fans did… they were hologram projectors! Set up in two rows, with one row being in front of Roddick and the other in front of James’ platform, the holograms combined with the projected background to transform the stage into a mind-bending 3D visual landscape.Various graphics danced with the music, pulling us into the world of Purity Ring through a myriad of visuals that surrounded Roddick and James in their own digital universe. My favorite moment came when the entire stage transformed into a starscape for “stardew.” To get an idea of what this whole setup looked like, I’ve since learned that it matches their recent music video for “the long night.”

Throughout the night, the duo led us through a mix of their four records that have defined Purity Ring as one of the most influential and recognizable electronic pop acts of my lifetime. I really don’t know what it is, but there’s something so calm and warming about listening to them, almost as if I were in a constant embrace of a warm hug throughout the entire show. This is probably why I keep going back to their newest album, which many reviewers have described as a toned-down, nostalgia-driven evolution of their sound. As is the mark of any good show, this feeling lingered with me for a bit afterward. I was having a pretty bad day the next morning, but as I edited the photos from the show and began to write this review, I felt a sense of calm inside that made me know that everything is fine.

It’ll probably be another couple of years before we see where Purity Ring goes next, as hinted by Megan James playing us a song from her upcoming solo project over the house speakers once the lights came up after the band left the stage. It wasn’t easy to hear over the crowd, but from what I could gather, it sounds like an easy transition for Purity Ring fans, and I can’t wait to hear more. Until then, treat your eyes and ears to one of their shows if you get the chance.

Photos and words by Bobby Nicholas III

Purity Ring at Brooklyn Steel Brooklyn NY October 30 2025 with words and photos by Bobby Nicholas lll

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