PVRIS, Lights, and Party Nails
by: Nicole Juliette Hetlyn
Nashville was in for a night of pure rock this past Friday. Three stellar bands took the stage of Marathon Music Works by storm. With powerful lyrics, catchy melodies, and stellar vocals, these bands blew us out of the water. All three bands were female fronted and were a force to be reckoned with. Each vocalist also played guitar (as well as Lynn on piano and drums). This was a night of pure talent, emotion, energy, and love.
Party Nails got the crowd going! This Los Angeles based electropop artist radiated so much energy. The songs were very catchy and the melodies were infectious. Joined by Jordan on bass, these two made a fierce duo rocking out on stage. Their cover of “Jolene” also showed Elana’s vocal range. Party Nails may be new, but they are definitely one to watch! You’ll want to catch them early! Be sure to check out their debut EP, Come Again!
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Lights always puts on an amazing show. I have seen her quite a few times, and her performance never disappoints. Originally from Canada, Lights’ music is a blend of synth-pop with a twist of rock. These songs will have you singing along at the top of your lungs, as well as dancing. Lights released a concept album last month, Skin & Earth. This album coincides with a comic book that Lights created based around an alter ego of Enaia. This comic book has been a really cool way for fans to see another side of the album and to show a whole new dimension of Lights. Also, the full band that plays with Lights and the incredible light show made this set even more enjoyable!
PVRIS. Where do I begin? I first saw PVRIS several years ago at a tiny venue while I was in college near Massachusetts. I’ve been watching PVRIS grow for years in awe of how talented they are and how passionate their music is. The lyrics are so raw and genuine, Lynn wears her heart on her sleeve as she lets out the most honest lyrics. However, Lynn is also quite the badass. She gets up on stage with stellar vocals and also plays piano, guitar, and drums. Lynn dominates the stage, alongside Alex and Brian. There is no denying that this entire band is incredibly talented.
PVRIS released their sophomore album, All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell earlier this year. It is by far one of the best albums of this year (one of my favorites of all time). They started the show off with “Heaven” and played several other songs from this album - such as “Winter,” “What’s Wrong” and “No Mercy.” Hearing these songs live was such an incredible feeling. This album happened to come out shortly after my worst heartbreak took place. I’ve played these songs 100 times at full volume truly resonating with the lyrics. Hearing Lynn sing “Anyone Else” live brought me to absolute tears. This album has been so therapeutic for me and being able to hear these lyrics live along with the energy PVRIS played them with was surreal.
A truly memorable part of the set was when Lynn and Alex took the stage to do stripped down versions of “Same Soul” and “White Noise.” For the next 10 minutes my whole body was covered in goosebumps. It was such a dauntingly beautiful moment. Everyone was singing along in a beautiful harmony. It was Lynn, Alex, and 1000 people who were united by music. The fans even ad-libbed the ba da ba ba’s in “Same Soul” which made Lynn smile. Some other favorite songs of the night were “St. Patrick,” “You and I,” and “My House”. Every song was full of energy, and the crowd knew every single lyric.
I could honestly go on for hours, but bottom line is that this show was incredible. There were moments where I sang, danced, laughed, and cried. All of the bands were incredibly talented and used their art to radiate love and life. Savvage Media is an all-female media company, so it was empowering to see a bunch of women run a powerful concert. Also, PVRIS took the initiative to make sure that a percentage of ticket sales will go towards supporting LGBTQ youth, via The Ally Coalition. It’s incredible to see artists that I admire making a difference in the world, and I respect them so much for this. If you are able to catch this tour, please check it out! If not, you can still make a donation to the Ally Coalition - and check out Party Nails, LIGHTS, and PVRIS.
