Few bands have the ability to let listeners feel pain in the lyrics while simultaneously putting a giant grin on their faces. Passion Pit just so happens to be one of these bands and they returned to the Valley for the first time in almost three years to prove just that. On Tuesday it brought its infectious sounds in front of a sold-out crowd at Tempe's Marquee Theater in support of their sophomore album, “Gossamer.”
In the midst of controversy over the mental health of lead singer Michael Angelakos — the band canceled several shows at the beginning of their current tour — the electro-pop outfit brought plenty of material to please the packed crowd of aspiring hipsters and Passion Pit aficionados.
Los Angeles-based band, The Neighbourhood, took to the stage at 8 p.m. to a small crowd. Although they were obscure to most of the concertgoers, they were well-received after playing catchy singles like, “Female Robbery” and “Sweater Weather” from their debut EP “I'm Sorry...”
Pacific Air, also of southern California, took the stage shortly afterwards playing through a set list of unreleased material. Most notable was the infectious song, “Float,” which the band concluded with after a brief set.
After a lengthy wait, the audience finally got their wish a little after 10 p.m. as the headlining act took to the stage. They began their set with the recent single “Take A Walk” and effectively shook the cobwebs off of the audience. Angelakos and company took time to play an even balance of old and new material, appealing to both the younger high school-aged fans as well as the more seasoned listeners in the crowd.
Angelakos’s ability to add such a positive and fun vibe to his otherwise depressing lyrics gives Passion Pit its unique catchiness. The crowd had no problem singing along to the lyrics from “I'll Be Alright,” even though the song reads, “I’m so self-loathing that it’s hard for me to see / Reality from what I dream / And no one believes me / No, not a single thing.” Regardless of whether or not the crowd felt the emotions that Angelakos’s lyrics convey, they had no problem belting out the lines while dancing their way through the set.
During a stunning rendition of “Moth's Wings,” Angelakos and the audience were so in synch that the lead singer eventually handed the microphone over to the crowd as the lights flashed in time with the beat of the drum. Before playing “Eyes as Candles” the band made sure to send their prayers out to victims of the 9/11 tragedy, inciting a brief yet spirited "U-S-A" chant in the venue.
Passion Pit saved the fan-favorite “Sleepyhead” until the end of their set, heightening the song with the red and white streamers flying across the yellow lighting. The brilliant song left the audience jubilant when the band left the stage, and the players returned after a few minutes of ovation. After waiting for the deafening applause to die down, Passion Pit played “Mirrored Sea” and another fan-favorite “Little Secrets,” in which Angelakos had the entire crowd singing along to the catchy hook, “Higher and higher and higher.”
With the unique mixture of Passion Pit's depressing lyrics and high-energy music, the listener truly dictates what they take out of each track. If Tuesday night's performance was any indication, the crowd at Marquee Theater shuffled out with not a frown in sight.
Reach the reporter at mbobman@asu.edu
