This past Monday night in San Antonio felt otherworldly as Edmonton's own synth-pop duo, Purity Ring, made their way down south on their "Place of My Own" tour. As I entered St. Mary Strip's hottest venue, Paper Tiger, the air felt thick with anticipation from everyone in attendance. Not even the relentless Texas heat could keep us from stepping into Purity Ring's own realm of light and sound, setting the scene for the evening to come.
Flashback ten years ago, I was first introduced to the ambient electropop group by my best friend, who had their live performance of "Repetition" on Conan playing in the background while we were watercolor painting. I was instantly drawn in and mesmerized by their fantasy-like aura, mystical visuals, and Megan James' delicate yet powerful voice. Little did I know that their music was a gateway into my love for euphoric electronic music for years to come. Leading up to the show, I ran their latest single "lemonlime," their self-titled album, and the "Another Eternity" album — which recently hit its 11-year anniversary — on repeat more times than I could count. At this point, those songs have easily become the soundtrack to my Spring 2026!
Upon arrival, there was a clear emphasis on community as volunteers greeted attendees at the door, handing out black high-filtration masks as an effort organized by the tour to promote shared care within the space. It felt like it was a small, mindful gesture that made the experience much larger than the stage itself. I took advantage of arriving early and jumped in the merch line to pick up a souvenir tour T-shirt, where I noticed flyers for Megan James' new indie folk project, "MMJ," circulating with a scannable QR code offering a short glimpse into her new musical chapter.
To the left of the merch table, fans gathered with their friends and family to take photos at Purity Ring's photobooth in front of an enormous display of their latest album. Cutting through the loud hum of the venue fans working at full speed to beat the heat, an eclectic mix of tracks from popular video game soundtracks like "Phantasy Star Online" and "Dissidia: Final Fantasy" filled the room and had the crowd moving towards the stage before the first act even began. A row of 3D holographic display fans stood like giants on the stage, adding to the curiosity of what the night's lighting production would bring.
As the room began to settle, the night opened with a quiet yet significant moment. Megan James stepped forward with her acoustic guitar to introduce her new project, MMJ. You could hear the excitement in her voice about sharing something fresh and special to her. She set up on the left side of the stage, away from the towering lighting displays, and performed a mix of originals and covers. The crowd responded with cheers between songs, and she cracked a joke about how hot it was inside. Shortly after, she announced that she would be releasing her first song soon and recently signed with the label Captured Tracks. She suggested we pick up a flyer to get a sneak preview of the new track and performed the tune with ease.
MMJ
The house music returned, and an unexpected moment came as Hikaru Utada's "Simple and Clean (Planitb Remix)" bumped through the speakers. The crowd immediately responded, cheering and singing along, turning the space into an all-out dance party before the stage went dark again. The playlist between performances felt very nostalgic and in line with the synth-driven sound of the headlining act. The gamer side of me was definitely pleased, as this song took me back to a memory of unwrapping my PlayStation 2 along with Kingdom Hearts on Christmas morning in 2002.
The venue lights dimmed and the atmosphere transformed instantly. Keyboardist Corin Roddick stepped up to his synth station, which was positioned between two rows of the towering LED fans. Soft, ambient notes began to build as flickers of light cut through the darkness. As the fans powered on and began to spin, they revealed layered, three-dimensional figures that slowly came to life. Moments later, Megan James joined on stage, taking her place on an elevated platform behind him and the rows of LED lights.
Purity Ring
Purity Ring wasted no time matching the crowd's energy by opening their set up with "many lives," a track that builds gradually into a drum and bass frenzy. Megan James' vocals floated effortlessly over the heavy synths, and it didn't take long to realize that the night would move in waves. Crowd favorite songs quickly made their presence known as "obedear" received several shrieks of excitement as the heavy, pulsating bass filled the room, while "lofticries" slowed things down with stunning visuals that were hypnotic. Suprisingly enough, some of my favorite tracks of the night were songs I didn't listen to often. "pink lightning" and "push pull" hit hard live and pulled at my heartstrings. Between you and me, I shed a few tears of happiness, too.
To my surprise, they actually played "Repetition." Finally hearing it live was overwhelming in the best way, and I allowed myself to forget everything else and get lost in the moment. This song will always have a special place in my heart, as it's the first one I've ever heard from them.
One of the night's heaviest moments was when they performed "Fineshrine." Everyone in attendance locked in and sang every word at the top of their lungs. Couples held each other close, friends raised their drinks in the air, and the crowd swayed side to side all together. The light production was out of this world, from futuristic glows and holographic falling leaves to heat waves that mimicked the unforgiving temperature and even humanlike illusions that sang along to the song. The imagery moved in sync with the music, giving each moment its own identity.
As the night began to wind down, Megan let the audience know that they had two songs left. "Place of My Own" carried a nostalgic, dreamlike tone, reminiscent of early '90s electronic music, before they returned one final time to thank the crowd.
Purity Ring - place of my own tour
"You all have been amazing. We love you!" Megan exclaimed. The duo made it clear that there was no encore planned and that this would be the final song for the night. They closed with "Begin Again," and the entire room roared with enthusiasm as soon as the first beat hit. There was a bittersweet feeling as their set came to an end, but more than anything, I was grateful to have finally seen them perform. It felt like a full circle moment I won't forget.
If you're just now discovering this group, I highly recommend taking the time to sit with their lyrics. They really have a way of painting a picture that feels just as vivid as their sound. Purity Ring has created a place of their own and for everyone else, too. From their conceptual artistry, one-of-a-kind light show, and genuine care for their craft and community, it's been incredible to see James and Roddick give themselves to their art.
Check out the tour flyer below and don't hesitate to make it to a show in a city near you! It's an experience you wouldn't want to miss. Also, look out for new music from Megan James' project, MJJ. The band shares details on new releases and tour announcements through their Substack if you're interested in staying updated with their journey.
Purity Ring at the Paper Tiger in San Antonio, TX
