On Friday, famed electro rockers Passion Pit hit Broomfield’s 1st Bank Center alongside fellow indie darlings Matt and Kim. The set, which lasted a brisk hour and fifteen minutes, was an eclectic mix of cuts new and old, and demonstrated the rather wonderful fact that Passion Pit just doesn’t have a weak track in its catalogue. The group’s lead singer Micheal Angelakos, on the other hand, at times fell a little flat within a stadium setting, though the crowd was dancing so hard and the backing band playing so tight that this failed to be too much of an issue.
The show opened with Brooklyn DIY-ers Matt and Kim, who played a characteristically rabble-rousing set. Even if you loathe the group’s music (note: I do), it’s tough not to be won over by the duo’s hijinks on stage. From Harlem Shakes to crowd surfing and Dr. Dre covers, Matt and Kim make the audience’s enjoyment their sole goal, and they accomplish it in spades.
Passion Pit, on the other hand, focuses far less on these sort of novelties. With two highly critically acclaimed records and a wealth of sell-out tours, Passion Pit has now established itself as a far more serious group than its debut EP, 2008’s Chunk of Change, suggested, and the band’s live show mirrors this—five musicians (four of whom were professionally trained at Berklee College of Music) give the group’s live sound a surprising and satisfying oomph.
The stage production also reflects this more established position, with a couple dozen hanging orbs that moved around and changed color in tandem with the music, along with the more traditional strobes and spotlights. There were moments during the show of such sensory bliss that the audience was all but stunned.
The stage set up and razor-sharp musicianship allowed even lesser-known numbers to be strong contenders amidst the hook-heavy lyrical splendor the group is better known for. “It’s Not My Fault, I’m Happy,” for example, combined Angelakos’ relatable lyricism with an almost Sigur Ros-ian sonic ambition, and even though few were singing along, all were impressed.
That being said, it was still the singles that went down the best. Gossamer-era tunes “Carried Away” and “Take a Walk” both had the audience bouncing and singing euphorically. Pashy classic “Moth’s Wings,” on the other hand, was given a fierce but expansive energy in its live performance, and had fans moving even with its more somber lyrical vibe. And “Little Secrets,” the sole encore, went down splendidly, ‘cause, well, who doesn’t love that song?
As was to be expected, it was when fans were singing along loud and proud (and dancing just as shamelessly) that the show was most enjoyable. During some of the quieter moments, though, it became evident that this was due to Angelakos occasionally needing help doing his job. Though always a charming and energetic frontman, there were numerous moments where his voice either cracked or failed to be audible over the backing instrumentals. Though not an uncommon phenomenon at shows, for a group so characterized by its lead singer’s unconventional falsetto vocals, it was regrettable he sometimes failed to stand out.
In spite of this, Passion Pit still put on a fantastic and extremely solid show, and it’s clear this came as a result of the group’s almost spotless catalogue it had to pick from. Though not the greatest live band, Passion Pit just doesn’t have a weak song, and when you combine this with some faultless backing musicians and a visually fantastic stage set up, longtime fans and newcomers alike are in for a great night indeed.
