The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Let's Wrestle & Knight School @ the Bell House in Brooklyn - pics

March 17, 2009

DOWNLOAD: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Come Saturday (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Let’s Wrestle – I Won’t Lie to You (MP3)

words by Andrew Frisicano, photos by Chris La Putt

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart played the Bell House in Brooklyn on Friday, March 13th, with Let’s Wrestle and Knight School.

Here the group played most of its album, faithfully rendered and with minimal flash. When not wringing notes out of his guitar, Mr. Berman delivered his words solemnly, helpfully leavened by Ms. Wang, whose high harmonies, even when faintly whispered, added necessary texture. So did her synthesizer, which was smooth and glassy on “Young Adult Friction” and needling and whiny on “The Tenure Itch.” [NY Times]

This week, Pains visits SXSW, playing a bunch of shows including the BV day party on Thursday, Opal Divine’s Freehouse on Thursday night and Emo’s Jr on Friday – before touring at the end of April. The band has scheduled two NYC shows, so far, this summer: May 12th at the Bowery Ballroom (on sale now) and June 18th at Cake Shop with Crystal Stilts.

Let’s Wrestle, whose NYC visit included a MHOW show (3/10) with Black Lips, are also in Austin, playing Thursday at Wave Rooftop, Saturday at Volume, and other places.

More Bell House pics below…