Review: PVRIS at Warped

By Emily Racanelli

PVRIS At Warped: The Rise To Main Stage

As the morning sun increases its pressure on the pavement, thousands of people line up in preparation for the Vans Warped Tour. Despite the near 90 degree weather, there are a few brave (or crazy?) individuals who disregard the heat and cover their bodies in black sun-absorbing t-shirts, beanies, and even the occasional pair of pants! While these select few are an example of what to do if you want heat stroke, most others are a walking advertisement for the various bands that grace the stages of Warped each day. Covering a wide array of genres, I catch a glimpse of some Atilla, a plethora of Bearooth, The Wonder Years, and the occasional PVRIS tee. For me, the latter is most exciting.

In 2013, the Boston natives won Battle of the Bands and earned their spot on the MA and CT dates of the tour, playing the Ernie Ball Stage. As the trio progressed, growing in popularity--and switching their name from “Paris” to “PVRIS”--they returned for a second round the year after, this time playing two weeks worth of East Coast dates on the same stage. According to the pattern, it would make sense that PVRIS has secured a place on the entirety of the Vans Warped Tour this summer. However, the tremendous success they are currently experiencing was something that nobody saw coming. Originally, the group was bumped from their prior slots on the Ernie Ball and said to be on the Journey’s Left Foot Stage. After only a couple of dates, they were pulling crowds so massive that it only made sense for the newcomers to dominate the main stage alongside veterans such as Pierce The Veil and Simple Plan.

To even categorize PVRIS with bands that have been playing music since lead singer Lynn Gunn was in elementary school is absolutely insane in the best way possible. The electro-pop music combined with Gunn’s vocal range makes for a sound far poppier than what you might expect to hear on Warped. Even though their debut full length White Noise (released by Rise Records) is more on the mellow side, it doesn’t stop the 1,000+ people who show up to their set everyday from going wild.

I attended the Long Island, NY and Cleveland, OH dates of Warped, being sure to catch PVRIS at both. Each time, I was astounded at the amount of people; these weren’t passerby just looking to catch a new act, but dedicated CVLT members who had no problem soaking in sweat for hours just to get a spot near the barricade.

As one of these overtly committed and nearly dehydrated fans, I can say it was worth the wait. Never did I think I’d see people crowd surfing to the anger-ridden ballad “Holy,” but I guess there’s a first for everything! In fact, the audience may have been just as captivating as show happening on stage! When the set drew to a close, things would begin to escalate even further. As per usual, Gunn introduced hit single “My House” by repeatedly asking the crowd “Whose house is this?!” After building the anticipation, people were so rowdy you would think it were Atilla playing, not a band that uses synthesizers and frequents the head voice. By the time the bridge came around, total chaos ensued, as I turned my body to the side to stay alert for crowd surfers. 25 minutes simply just isn’t enough; hopefully the immense attendance--which wrapped around to both sides of the stage--is enough of an indication that a headlining tour should most definitely happen!

If you missed PVRIS on Warped, catch them at whatever other small venues they stop by in the near future, because I can guarantee that in only a few years they’ll be selling out stadiums. With a unique style, powerhouse vocals, and swooning synths, PVRIS is set to be the next big thing.