After the success of their first release “White Noise“, PVRIS hit the UK for their first headline shows and are looking to conquer and make a name for themselves with their unique, alternative, dark, electronic, pop-punk sound. We caught up with them mid-way through their tour.
“We were expecting [the tour] to sell out in a week or a couple days, not minutes… I remember because my girlfriend kept nudging me and she was like ‘your phone keeps buzzing!'”
Welcome to the UK! How does it feel to be performing here for the first time?
Lynn: Crazy.
Brian: Amazing.
Alex: Too much to think about.
You’re currently on tour with Lower Than Atlantis, and you have two headline shows in London and Birmingham. How was it when you found out that they pretty much sold out instantaneously?
Alex: Nuts. It was like 2/3am where we were and we were sleeping and we had calls saying “you guys are sold out”
Lynn: I don’t think it was that early…
Brian: It was early in the morning, I remember because my girlfriend kept nudging me and she was like “your phone keeps buzzing” and our manager texted us and told us the shows had sold out instantly and I was like, wow.
L: We were expecting [the tour] to sell out in a week or a couple days, not minutes.
B: We got tweets asking us to upgrade the venue rooms.
It must be nice to play small shows. You did your first in-store acoustic show in Kingston, I was lucky enough to catch that, how did you guys feel before that? Obviously first show here, and it was just Lynn & Alex…
B: I felt fine.
L: We never really do acoustic sets a lot, I was pretty stoked for it.
A: It was our first in-store, I think it went pretty well.
How does it compare to full band shows? Getting Brian involved and Justin too.
L: Not as much energy. It’s still kind of equal sound.
Which do you prefer?
A: I like full band performances, I miss Brian a lot.
L: I like them both, they each have their own purpose. Acoustic is more intimate and it’s less stressful in a way.
A: In acoustic sets, you can connect with each person. Everyone is involved in full band and it’s more fun.
You have your record “White Noise” out, what do you think your main influences were musically? What were you listening to at the time?
L: Everything. We always have different playlists and mixes.
I like the playlist you have before you go on-stage.
B: This guy shows us great music [points], he is the one who has opened up our brain cells.
A: He means Connor, our sound guy.
I hear a little Bad Suns, K Flay…
L: Actually, I think I made that playlist…
Taking credit for that one then! For “White Noise” you worked with Blake Harnage; how was it working with him and how did that come about?
L: He’s my favourite human ever. I met him a couple years ago at a Versa show and I went up to him after the show and I was like “Yo!”, because I knew he was into programming and all electronic stuff and was kind of the mastermind behind the band. So I was like “Yo, can you give me some programs, tips and pointers and make me electronic music?”
He gave me a bunch of programs to look up and his email and we kept touch and he was kind of like, our mentor for a while. I would send him stuff and vice versa [laughs]. So when he found out we signed to Rise and we were doing a record, he hit me up and was like “Yo, we should do a record together” and we had to do it ’cause he’s the best. It was kind of scary because it was the first record he’d ever done and same with us obviously, but I think we trusted in each other and it worked out perfectly.
Faith in each other. Yeah, I can hear some Versa-vibes in it and the record sounds great. What’s your writing process like?
L: It’s different every time.
A: She’s always in the van, creating things.
L: Usually I’ll get the music first, when I’m working on it, I’ll hear a melody or a song line off of that and I’ll usually build around that. But it happens differently every time, most cases it’s that.
You also did a couple of “Empty Room Sessions” that have been released, are there any more coming out, do you have others that were filmed within that session?
L: We still need to do more. We plan on doing a bunch, we plan on doing one for every track.
A: We’ve been busy.
L: We haven’t been home to do them.
“It was awesome being in a room where amazing artists got to record. I stood right where Jack White stood. The Beatles have been in there, Nirvana and The Rolling Stones.”
This week you went down to Maida Vale, describe that!
All: Yeah!
L: It was scary!
A: There were too many legends that have been here, I shouldn’t step foot..
L: Maybe because we’re going to be legends though! No way! [laughs]
B: It was awesome being in a room where amazing artists got to record. I stood right where Jack White stood.
L: Some crazy energy in there too. The Beatles have been in there, Nirvana and The Rolling Stones.
You’ve done some collaborations with Love, Robot and you (Lynn) recently did a session with Alex Gasgarth (All Time Low)… who else would you like to collaborate with?
L: Florence & The Machine.
B: So many people… Justin Timberlake.
A: The Weeknd.
Maybe that could happen in the future, just throwing it out there! You’re off on a European headline tour, where are you looking most forward to visiting?
B: Amsterdam.
A: Amsterdam, Paris.
L: I’m excited to see the whole thing. I don’t know what’s cool and what isn’t. Amsterdam could suck and Germany could be dope. Y’all are being like “Amsterdam!” You guys are hyping up places you’ve never been to…
B: I want to go to every place! Amsterdam I want to the most, because I’ve had friends go and they enjoyed and like it!
You’ve also got some festivals coming up, including Slam Dunk, are you looking forward to it and who are you most looking forward to seeing?
B: Yes, we are looking forward to it. I’m excited to see You Me At Six, I saw them a little bit on Warped Tour. Architects are going to be sick.
L: Me too, I’ve never seen them. I want to see them and Don Broco.
And shortly after, you’ll be on Vans Warped Tour! What’s your favourite thing about being on the road?
B: Playing.
A: It has to be playing. We don’t see much on Warped Tour, just a different parking lot everyday.
L: For Warped Tour, playing and meeting everybody. You can literally make a new friend every single day and still not meet everyone. That’s what I like most.
B: They have these BBQ’s at the end of the night, where you all get to hang out.
L: Yeah you get to mingle, it’s kind of like a school dance.
Like a couple months long, school dance.
B: It’s like summer camp-
L: With alcohol-
B: And burgers and hot-dogs that cost a dollar. That’s genius, it’s the best thing in the world!
What’s your favourite song to play live from the record?
B: My favourite song to play is “Fire”, [Lynn nods] but best reactions come from “My House”.
A: I think we each have our own favourite songs, my favourite song is “My House” to play.
You can check out PVRIS’ answers to some quick-fire questions below:
Be sure to catch PVRIS as they return to the UK to play Slam Dunk Festival and Reading & Leeds.