Pvris! & Julia Wolf – Albert Hall, Manchester – 08/07/2025

Pvris returned to Manchester this week, celebrating the tenth anniversary of “White Noise” in a show that felt part overdue, and more intimate than their last outing was supposed to be. This show marks the first Pvris show in nearly two years in the city, as they were scheduled to play in May last year, but the show was cancelled just minutes before doors, due to freak weather conditions that damaged the venue. Their grand return brings more intimate and prestigious settings with it, as the set emanates from Manchester’s Albert Hall, supported by Julia Wolf

Julia Wolf opened gently, yet with a great deal of intrigue. Hot off their new album PRESSURE, as well as a single with MGK, both dropping in May, they draw an immediate crowd and excel in the daylight that still drifts in through Albert Hall’s windows. The set is primarily built off of the latest album, opening with its latest single ‘Loser’, and accompanied by ‘FYP’, ‘Pearl’ & ‘Kill You Off’. The set itself is steady and maxes its minutes. Julia has very little issue filling the stage and playing to the front row, who are among the most enthusiastic, so much so that some even bark at them. It’s certainly a choice. Sandwiched in the mid portion of the set is ‘Wishbone’ from 2023, and ‘Last Summer’ from… well… last summer. As they round out the set, they return to PRESSURE with ‘Sunshine State’, as well as dedicating the growingly popular ‘Jennifer’s Body’ to headliner Pvris. For the finale, they bounce through their hallmark track of the last year, ‘In My Room’, and the reception hammers home the popularity that brought them along with Pvris, as well as for their own UK headliner dates to follow this year. Rarely is an opener rubbing shoulders with names like Julia has been, as well as having the live show to match, and as ‘In My Room’ rings out to finish, fans from front to back have their arms aloft, some of whom are rather unexpectedly holding up printed thongs. “Die hard” takes many shapes, and Julia Wolf’s fanbase has found theirs.

As time ticks round to the headline slot, Pvris arrives with much anticipation, and little mystery. A simple dim of the lights and walk on for Denny Agosto and Brian Macdonald brings its fanfare, but as Lynn Gunn arrives, they immediately begin with ‘Smoke’ to start the first half of a show that is White Noise almost in its entirety. Under strobes that slice through clouds of rising haze, it’s a dramatic opening, and they say very little as they work through ‘St. Patrick’ and ‘My House’. By ‘Holy’, the energy on stage matches that of the already high mood from the crowd, and Macdonald implores the crowd to get off their feet. This literal jump forward in energy is a rush that carries through the rest of the White Noise set as they follow up with the title track. Lynn just stands at the mic, gripping the stand like something dear as they sing “I’m watching, I’m waiting, I’m aching” with visible weight in those words. What follows is a run of fan favourites that never misses, with ‘Fire’, ‘Eyelids’ and ‘Mirrors’ all back to back. 

By comparison, ‘Ghosts’ marks a moment of calm as the track is that bit lighter whilst remaining just as intensely appreciated by the Manchester crowd, with the room clapping gently along to soft strums in the middle of the track. Rounding out the White Noise portion is ‘Let Them In’, where the whole venue screams back “I want to feel something” like a collective howl. Lynn has spoken sparingly through the set so far outside of songs, and they explained they were feeling shy when they came on to start with. They thank everyone for coming out after the events that prevented their last show here, and talk about the whole crop of live events that they’ve seen happen because of their music and because of these shows. They want to make more of those memories for people and encourage everyone to turn to the person next to them and say hello. After letting these new relationships marinate, they kick into the final track of this set with ‘You And I’ for those who are in the know of White Noise’s bonus tracks.

After a brief changeover, about five minutes, the stage begins to come to life again. There’s been a phonograph at the back of the stage for the duration of the set; it has yet to be part of the show, but begins playing lobby-style music. As the track runs out, it slows down. playing warped, haunting melodies as the lights dim, smoke crawls across the room again. Pvris return with a jolt and Lynn lets out an almighty screech as they tear into ‘Burn the Witch’ from last year’s F.I.L.T.H. EP, as well as the 2021 single ‘Snakes’ . The second portion of the night is a darker, heavier side of Pvris that puts them in league with the bands they’ll be sharing the bill with at 2000Trees. ‘GOOD ENEMY’ and ‘ANIMAL’ from their last album hit back to back, as well as ‘Dead Weight’ from 2020’s Use Me. The latter half of the night is very evenly weighted, with just a couple of tracks per other album/era of the band. 

The smoke and high ceilings of Albert Hall lend themselves well to any sound Pvris seem to offer, be that their sharper tracks, or the more melodic ‘Oil and Water’, which is a real moment for the crowd as they and Gunn scream “Pull Me Closer” back at one another. 2021’s ‘Monster’ brings the energy roaring back, with the floor moving in unison, waving and singing. The yoyoing of the set continues to the very end, as they visit 2020 a final time for ‘Hallucinations’, before ending on EVERGREEN’s ‘GODDESS’, which is an apt closer considering the reverence that this Manchester crowd have for Lynn Gunn and the Pvris act. A few mentions have been made of Pvris’s almost was 2024 show here. One glaring fact about that show is the venue, as they had at that time sold out Victoria Warehouse, which is a good half a size bigger than the Albert Hall. Their popularity has persisted and even grown since then. This set was a perfect example as to why, and surely their 2000Trees set will put paid to that even more so. This story is far from over.