“Rain or shine everybody, rain or shine!” yelled Passion Pit lead singer Michael Angelakos. The day had been all rain and no shine up to that point. Gray skies and a muddy fairground made for a dreary setting. Yet amongst the achromatic landscape, Passion Pit provided some color. Their magenta backdrop perfectly encapsulated the sound they produced: sharp, bright, and, for lack of a more perfect word, impassioned. And numerous undeterred and eager fans corralled toward their stage, ready for the co-headliners to perform.
Angelakos’ performance was energizing. At times he seemed almost out of place with the way he paced the stage and awkwardly held the microphone between his two palms. His voice was unconventional and pitchy at times. These unique moments were not flaws – they did not detract from the performance at all. In fact, they contributed to what made it so great.
The minor imperfections were what made the set real. The subtle cracks in Angelako’s voice and the way he buried his face in his hand as he extended the microphone to the audience made the performance so much more intimate. I almost forgot that I was in the middle of a muddied fairground surrounded by a city. The gap between artist and audience was widened by the unfavorable conditions, but Passion Pit’s charismatic presence on stage overcame this chasm.
The music itself was phenomenal. The set opened with one of the band’s most popular songs “Little Secrets.” The audience was immediately engaged as Angelakos’ urged to the crowd to join him in the chorus. “Higher and higher” shouted the audience, matching Passion Pit’s volume. It was obvious that the audnece members’ hearts were beating fast – so many of them lifted their heels and sang from their guts an attempt to match the raw energy coming from the stage.
Passion Pit continued its lively performance with songs from all three of its albums, Manners, Gossamer, and Kindred. During “Carried Away” at least three fans were causalities of the unstable conditions and slipped to the ground, maybe because they wanted to ground themselves in the sheer awesomeness of the performance. It is more likely, however, they could not refrain from dancing to the catchiest of tunes, but also could not refrain from falling when they lost their balance on the mud.
The band closed with hit “Sleepyhead.” As they exited the stage it was obvious that everyone in the crowd wished they had stayed on longer – the applause did not stop. Everything about their performance was captivating beyond just incredible music and flawless execution: the crowd was charmed by the way the performers interacted with the audience and among themselves. I watched as band members smiled at each other, and Angelakos said “We love you DC” like he really meant it. Passion Pit seemed to genuinely enjoy being on stage. Watching the group do something they loved was the perfect compliment to an amazing performance.
Overall, this was a fantastic lead up to headliner Empire of the Sun and an incredible contribution to the star-studded lineup at All Things Go. Be sure to check out Passion Pit’s new album and look out for the group’s upcoming live dates!
Angelakos’ performance was energizing. At times he seemed almost out of place with the way he paced the stage and awkwardly held the microphone between his two palms. His voice was unconventional and pitchy at times. These unique moments were not flaws – they did not detract from the performance at all. In fact, they contributed to what made it so great.
The minor imperfections were what made the set real. The subtle cracks in Angelako’s voice and the way he buried his face in his hand as he extended the microphone to the audience made the performance so much more intimate. I almost forgot that I was in the middle of a muddied fairground surrounded by a city. The gap between artist and audience was widened by the unfavorable conditions, but Passion Pit’s charismatic presence on stage overcame this chasm.
The music itself was phenomenal. The set opened with one of the band’s most popular songs “Little Secrets.” The audience was immediately engaged as Angelakos’ urged to the crowd to join him in the chorus. “Higher and higher” shouted the audience, matching Passion Pit’s volume. It was obvious that the audnece members’ hearts were beating fast – so many of them lifted their heels and sang from their guts an attempt to match the raw energy coming from the stage.
Passion Pit continued its lively performance with songs from all three of its albums, Manners, Gossamer, and Kindred. During “Carried Away” at least three fans were causalities of the unstable conditions and slipped to the ground, maybe because they wanted to ground themselves in the sheer awesomeness of the performance. It is more likely, however, they could not refrain from dancing to the catchiest of tunes, but also could not refrain from falling when they lost their balance on the mud.
The band closed with hit “Sleepyhead.” As they exited the stage it was obvious that everyone in the crowd wished they had stayed on longer – the applause did not stop. Everything about their performance was captivating beyond just incredible music and flawless execution: the crowd was charmed by the way the performers interacted with the audience and among themselves. I watched as band members smiled at each other, and Angelakos said “We love you DC” like he really meant it. Passion Pit seemed to genuinely enjoy being on stage. Watching the group do something they loved was the perfect compliment to an amazing performance.
Overall, this was a fantastic lead up to headliner Empire of the Sun and an incredible contribution to the star-studded lineup at All Things Go. Be sure to check out Passion Pit’s new album and look out for the group’s upcoming live dates!