Steve Madden Music Presents: PVRIS

In case you’re unaware Steve Madden is an awesome shoe brand with a strong connection to the music scene. Last week I attended the Steve Madden Music Presents: PVRIS show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. In the past, I’ve also been lucky enough to see The Pretty Reckless, Broods, and Iggy Azalea all courtesy of Steve Madden.

Some other awesome acts that have been a part of this showcase are The Kills, Tove Lo, Charli XCX, July Talk, Metric, Zella Day and much more. They really have a great eye for talent and an appreciation for acts both established and on the verge. Not to mention the killer shoes they always have their artists wear. I bought the shoes from the Broods show immediately. This time Lynn wore bejeweled black loafers – loved them!

Neaux Opens

Seeing Neaux perform was quite the experience. If I’m being honest some openers just take up space and make you even more eager for the headliner to appear. It’s a highlight when an opener not only outperforms your expectation but also truly grabs your attention. To paraphrase Lynn, the lead singer of PVRIS, Neaux’s frontwoman, Sierra Kay, was the “embodiment of lewd creativity.”

There really is no other way to put it. Sierra was like a tornado. Ripping and roaring all over the stage. Flashing the crowd, thrashing around and pretty much having the best time of her life. The band’s sound is a hazy slow drip take on alternative and is way more chill than you’d expect after seeing them live. Check out their song “Make Me Stay” and let me know what you think below!

This Year vs. Last Year

In order to not be repetitive, I’ll get straight to the point. Last year I saw PVRIS at Webster Hall. If you want to check out that concert then feel free to see those details for yourself.

Before the PVRIS (pronounced Paris) show started I saw band members Brian and Alex just walking around outside the venue. I didn’t know what to do my eyes got so wide. I just kept walking and proceeded to gush about it to my friend as we waited in line.

Steve Madden Music Presents: PVRIS was different in that it was a slightly shorter set. There were also fewer openers and a few teasers about their upcoming sophomore record. Previously they played a stripped back version of “Holy” and this time around “Ghost” and “White Noise” got the simple treatment.

At both shows, PVRIS maintained their high energy reputation. (Click to Tweet) The crowd loved every minute and I left the venue with a hoarse voice. In other words, it was an awesome night that got me 100% ready for their next album release!

Ownership, Artistry & Celebrity

On a final note, I have to address the entangled concepts of ownership, artistry, and celebrity. I’ve gone to quite a few shows in my time and you can trust me when I say I’ve seen a lot of ridiculous things. There are smaller nuisances and pet peeves, that one time that someone tried to fight me, another time when a combat boot hit me in the forehead and several other instances.

A fair amount of the scenarios are strictly issues within the crowd but sometimes the crowd crosses a line with the artist. During the show, I witnessed several instances where the crowd felt like it was their right to lay their hands on Lynn, the lead singer.

In the middle of the show, a fan crowd surfed her way towards the front. She landed on the stage and then awkwardly stood by Lynn. This same fan did the exact same thing later on in the show. Then, during the band’s encore song (“My House”) at least six different fans tried the same move. They hurled themselves onto the stage and threw themselves at her feet. Some attempted to touch Lynn and others just tried to be near her. It was scary for me and I was just a bystander. Can you imagine how it must have felt for the band?

Thankfully the security team was on point! Major kudos go out to them. I just wish we weren’t at a point where fans view artists are commodities. Something they have the right to own and not just something they should admire and appreciate.

Going Too Far

In my opinion, fans have gotten out of hand. I don’t know if it’s because of social media and the increased access they have to some celebrities or if it’s rooted in something else. Either way, I don’t think that a singer shouldn’t have to exchange their personal safety in order to do what they love and for us to be able to enjoy it. (Click to Tweet)

Yes, there are some things that go hand in hand with celebrity and if someone chooses to become one they have to understand that. Still, I think we, as fans, should also understand that celebrities are people who work. They have a right to privacy when they aren’t working and when they are at work they also have a right to safety.

Unfortunately, some of the PVRIS fans forgot that.