What an incredible show
by JtothaIzzo on 4/15/13Club Nokia - Los AngelesRating: 5 out of 5Having never seen Passion Pit live before, I found myself going into the show a bit skeptical. Being a band so reliant on electronics, I wasn't sure how their music would translate in a live setting. Furthermore, I've often found myself wondering just exactly how Michael Angelakos is capable of hitting the astonishingly high, pre-pubescent-esque notes that he does. I suspected some amount of computer modulation was involved. With all these reservations, I walked into the concert not knowing what to expect...
And I left absolutely amazed. This was one of the best live shows I've ever seen. I've rarely seen a band play with as much confidence, pizzazz, and razor sharp focus as I saw from these guys. Angelakos talked a little between songs every once in a while expressing heartfelt appreciation for our attendance, but for the most part, the band went right from one song into the next.
In most of my concert experiences, the crowd goes crazy at the beginning and end, and there is a bit of a lull toward the middle as people get tired and the band goes through some of their filler songs. There was no such period with Passion Pit. There was a huge surge of energy filling the arena the entire night.
Passion Pit sounded extremely tight and well-rehearsed. If I had closed my eyes and been able to tune out the audience, it would have sounded nearly identical to their studio recordings. I watched a recent interview with the band, and they talked about how they were purely focused on improving their performances at the moment. They had done the "party" thing, and they were now going to bed earlier, foregoing most of their former drinking and partying, and doing the necessary preparations to put on the best show possible every time they go out. And this really, truly showed.
I cannot recommend seeing them live enough - it's been four days since the concert, and I'm still thinking about it. Their songs are still stuck in my head. This is one talented band, and I can't wait to see where they take their music next.