[ATTENDED: November 5, 2023] PVA
I had not hear of PVA before this set. I listened to one song before the show and liked it. Then I read this blurb
South London trio PVA’s stunning debut BLUSH consolidates the beating pulse of electronic music with the raw energy of a life-affirming gig and reveals more than they’ve ever shared before. Ella Harris & Josh Baxter (who share vocals, synths, guitars & production) and drummer Louis Satchell, create 11 blistering tracks from a formula of acid, disco, synths, the dancefloor & queer-coded post-punk.
PVA was sitting on the stage when I walked in. They were still doing sound check and looked pretty bored. I think they got their set started a little late because of this. I say this especially because thy played two fewer songs at our show than the previous night’s show and the audience was really responsive to them.
The woman in front of me, who I picked to stand behind because she was fairly short, turned out to be a dancer. Which is fine. Except that she took up about four people’s space when she danced. She moved a lot, so I couldn’t get anywhere close to where I thought I’d be standing. She also did that very irritating thing that young women do of stacking one hand up in the air randomly. So, she was annoying but not terrible.
Later on, James Smith from Yard Act said that they had met PVA a few years ago and they were a lot of fun to hang out with. This was PVA’s first time playing the States and they were very warmly received.
The music is intense. “Sleek Form” sounds like a tension-filled futuristic sci-fi movie. Ella Harris speaks softly devastating lyrics.
Met the mother todayHer chest is boundHer hands grip with such weak form
Josh Baxter played most of the music–he was generating 90% of the sounds I’d say–most on loops and patches. There were even drums in the loops, making Louis Satchell a bit superfluous, although having the live bass drum and cymbals was a nice addition.
But I was mostly digging the sounds that they came up with–the synths of “Untethered” occasionally tripped out of the pattern that they were in and turned manic and wild.
Harris was fun to watch. Her hair was cut really really short and she did these kind of robotic dance moves that were natural but not especially graceful. But it worked perfectly with the angular and sharp music they were playing.
It was funny when Harris asked if we minded if they played a new song since most of us didn’t know any of their songs. Although there were a few people who did know them, it was clear.
The catchy repeated chorus of “Hero Man”
Can’t eatCan’t sleepCan’t go to workI can’t leaveCan’t eatCan’t sleep
made this dancey song darker than it seemed like it should be.
Josh sang “Bunker” nad I have to say I didn’t like his vocals as much as Ella’s. They work a little better on record (they’re mixed down a bit more) but they were too much live.
They ended with “Kim,” another great song with an interestingly spoken refrain
If you love someoneIt should be joyTo just watch them
I really enjoyed their set. There was something so mesmerizing about them. I’m curious to see what they do next.
SETLIST
- Sleek Form ‰
- Untethered ♥
- Hero Man ♥
- Bunker ♥
- Send for Me [new]
- Moon [new]
- Kim ♥
♥ BLUSH (2022)
‰ Toner EP (2020)
I Just Read About That... 
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