THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART

Claiming their new stuff is about, “feeling, not feelings,” The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are not afraid of coming across as painfully earnest. But the floss-spinning foursome (the band name comes from a children’s book, no less) hailing from the Big Apple somehow manage to avoid tumbling too far into twee, with some fierce melodies and competitive stats (Pitchfork handed out an 8.2 for their 2011 release Belong) to back them up. Here for the Laneway Festival you can catch their sideshow at the Manning Bar with a similarly cute-but-canny Rainbow Chan (co-winner of the FBi Radio Northern Lights competition) and Geoffrey O’Connor. (AB)

Feb 9, Manning Bar, Manning Rd, University of Sydney, $45+BF, 1300 762 545, manningbar.com