The Sorrows of Being Pure at Heart

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart have made a significant announcement: their return to the stage after a five-year hiatus. The band is set to embark on a series of comeback performances in early 2025, celebrating the 15th anniversary of their self-titled debut album.

The announcement, made through their official Instagram account on Aug. 16, has sparked joy and nostalgia among fans who have long awaited this reunion. Frontman Kip Berman, who previously cited personal life changes as the reason for the band’s break up in November 2019, will be reuniting with his former bandmates for these special performances.

“We got some news!” the band posted on social media. “To celebrate the 15 year anniversary of our debut album, we’ll be touring Spain + Portugal in February/March 2025. Yeah, we know it’ll actually be 16 years by then, but… The Pains of Being Bad at Math.” Berman clarified the lineup, saying, “Peggy, Kurt, Christoph, and I will be back on stage together for the first time since 2012.”

The reunion tour will include original members Kip Berman (vocals), Peggy Wang (keyboards), and Kurt Feldman (drums), with touring guitarist Christoph Hochheim. Eddy Marshall will step in on bass, replacing Alex Naidus, who has personal commitments. The setlist promises to be a nostalgic trip for longtime fans, featuring their debut album performed in its entirety, along with “a few other songs from that era too.”

In their announcement, Berman expressed his excitement, saying, “It’s beyond cool that there are people who still care about this record and want to see us play. I don’t know if we’ll be doing more (or less) of this in the future. But for right now, we’re all excited to get this chance to be together and play these songs that, quite literally, changed our lives.”

The tour will kick off on Feb. 19, 2025, in Porto, Portugal, and will traverse several Spanish cities, concluding on March 2, 2025, in San Sebastian. The full tour itinerary is as follows:

• Feb. 19, 2025 – Porto, Portugal at Mouco
• Feb. 20, 2025 – A Coruña, Spain at Garufa Club
• Feb. 21, 2025 – Oviedo, Spain at Almacenes
• Feb. 22, 2025 – Tarragona, Spain at Sala Zero
• Feb. 23, 2025 – Madrid, Spain at Lula Club
• Feb. 24, 2025 – Sevilla, Spain at Sala X
• Feb. 26, 2025 – Murcia, Spain at Sala R.E.M.
• Feb. 27, 2025 – Valància, Spain at 16 Toneladas
• Feb. 28, 2025 – Barcelona, Spain at Razzmatazz
• March 1, 2025 – Zaragoza, Spain at Las Armas
• March 2, 2025 – San Sebastián, Spain at Dabadaba

Tickets for these highly anticipated shows went on sale at 11 am local time on Tuesday, Aug. 20. Fans are encouraged to act quickly, as the demand is expected to be high for this limited run of performances.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s journey began in 2007, with their self-titled debut album released in 2009. The album, which this tour commemorates, was a significant hit in the indie music scene, reaching the ninth position on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. The band continued to make waves with three subsequent albums: Belong (2011), Days of Abandon (2014), and The Echo of Pleasure (2017).

The band left a lasting mark on the indie rock scene of the late 2000s and early 2010s. Their blend of shoegaze, indie pop, and noise rock elements crafted a sound that was both nostalgic and innovative, earning them a dedicated following and critical praise. The original lineup disbanded in 2012, but Berman continued with various collaborators for a few more years. After the official breakup, Berman continued his musical endeavors under the name The Natvral.

The announcement of this reunion tour has led to speculation about the band’s future. While Berman has indicated that there are no concrete plans beyond this anniversary tour, the excitement generated by the announcement has fans hopeful for more music or performances down the line.

Source: PopCulture, NewsBreak