Pure Bathing Culture Was Amazing at 2012 PDX Pop Now!

I’ve done little to hide how much I love Pure Bathing Culture’s lush, dreamy pop. They recorded one of my favorite releases of 2013, Moon Tides, and every time I listen to it, it feels as fresh as the first time. Which is likely due to the intricacy at work in the duo’s music, due in large part to Daniel Hindman’s guitar.

Anyway, I really regret missing them when they played in Omaha last year. So this video that I found of their 2012 performance at the 2012 PDX Pop Now! festival is something of a mixed blessing. On the one hand, it’s a solid performance which reveals that the group is quite capable of reproducing their lush sound in a live environment. I mean, just listen to Sarah Versprille’s voice on “Pendulum” or “Golden Girl,” or the shimmering guitar solo that closes out “Silver Shore’s Lake” (and would almost certainly make Vini Reilly glow with pride).

On the other hand, it just reminds me of what I could’ve seen had I just made the 45-minute drive to Omaha that night.

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