Pixel Grip Brings a Darker Frequency to Vancouver with Their Percepticide Tour
Photo credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder)
Pixel Grip performed at The Pearl in Vancouver to promote their 2025 album Percepticide: The Death of Reality. Over the seventy minute set, the trio dismantled and reconstructed the very idea of control, marking a clear evolution from their previous work on ARENA by embracing darker tones and more deliberate compositions. From the moment frontwoman Rita Lukea stepped onto the stage, clad in her signature Tron-esque sheer bodysuit and bathed in electric blue light, The Pearl became otherworldly.
Photo credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder)
The set opened fittingly with “Crow’s Feast,” the album’s first track. As its simple synth melody provided a hypnotic anchor, Lukea’s voice sliced through the darkness with a haunting refrain: “I opened up my ribcage and let the crows feast.” It was a visceral invocation, part confession, part foreshadowing, setting the tone for an evening that blurred the line between pain and ecstasy.
Photo credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder)
Throughout the performance, Pixel Grip wove the themes of Percepticide into every beat: the death of perception, rebirth through trauma, and the chaos of identity. Each song was performed with a clear understanding of its place in the album’s overarching narrative. “Bet You Do.” pulled the crowd into a trance like rhythm, while “Jealousy Is Lethal” and "Reason to Stay" showcased the band’s skill at blending industrial aggression with danceable beats.
Photo credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder)
The dark yet infectious grooves of “Insignificant” and “Noise" kept the audience moving, even as the lyrics explored betrayal and emotional fracture. Club anthems like “Stamina” and "Split” ignited the crowd, propelling them into a frenzied, ecstatic communion with the music.
And, of course, no Pixel Grip show is complete without “ALPHAPUSSY,” their signature track that flips gendered power dynamics on its head, transforming confrontation and insult into raw empowerment. From start to finish, the set maintained a cinematic flow, with the band’s live energy perfectly complementing the album’s sonic intensity while preserving a sense of intimacy and rawness.
Photo credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder)
Percepticide stands out as a clear turning point for Pixel Grip. The performance revealed a band confidently evolving beyond the defiant energy that first defined them in Chicago’s club scene, moving toward a darker and more introspective sound. Their set at The Pearl showcased not only technical precision and commanding stage presence but also a commitment to exploring complex emotional terrain. If Wednesday’s show is any indication, Percepticide marks Pixel Grip’s most ambitious and cohesive era yet
Photo credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder)