Passion Pit Makes Orlando Fight for the Dance
By Kristin Cerda
Posted June 15, 2010
Boston-based Passion Pit has been turning dorm rooms and living rooms into instant dance parties since Michael Angelakos released a Valentine’s Day gift for his girlfriend as the 2008 EP Chunk of Change. You may know them better as that giddy and infectious song in the new Palm Pixie commercial (“Sleepyhead” off of their 2009 album Manners). This endearing and highly danceable electropop band has been playing sold-out shows on their current tour. Last Saturday in Orlando was no exception. Opening the show were Brahms and Tokyo Police Club.
Walking into Firestone Live was walking into a sauna. Though there are several benefits to this venue (the second floor, easy drink access), it was clear before the first band took the stage that people were going to have a tough time finding space to watch and move.
The set started with “I’ve Got Your Number”. Arms waved and heads flicked back and forth. Finding a spot with a view of the stage was nearly impossible. The design of Firestone Live was obviously not meant to deal with a crowd this size. Avoiding the security guards, who were trying to keep the crowd from turning into a fire hazard, became a kind of game for many.
The lack of dance space was making me a little nuts up against the pop-crack beats: hiccupping keyboard, sounds reminiscent of 1980’s video games, and an addicting use of the clap track all mark these happy layered laptop lullabies. Think The Postal Service meets Hot Chip, with a dash of Faded Paper Figures.
The places where the performance deviated from the album versions were great, but there weren’t enough of them. As lead-singer and keyboardist Michael Angelakos left the stage before the encore, the crowd (without a single voice of dissent) chanted “Sleep-y-head! Sleep-y-head!”
After a great cover of the Cranberries’ “Dreams”, the third and final song of the encore began with a quiet voice repeating,
“And everything is going to the beat.
And everything is going to the beat.
And everything is going.”
The crowd became a rippling, bouncing unit of singing and body shaking as “Sleepyhead” pulsed out of the speakers. Orlando obviously loves Passion Pit, and hopefully next time they’ll have the space to dance it out.
By Kristin Cerda
Posted June 15, 2010
Walking into Firestone Live was walking into a sauna. Though there are several benefits to this venue (the second floor, easy drink access), it was clear before the first band took the stage that people were going to have a tough time finding space to watch and move.
The set started with “I’ve Got Your Number”. Arms waved and heads flicked back and forth. Finding a spot with a view of the stage was nearly impossible. The design of Firestone Live was obviously not meant to deal with a crowd this size. Avoiding the security guards, who were trying to keep the crowd from turning into a fire hazard, became a kind of game for many.
The lack of dance space was making me a little nuts up against the pop-crack beats: hiccupping keyboard, sounds reminiscent of 1980’s video games, and an addicting use of the clap track all mark these happy layered laptop lullabies. Think The Postal Service meets Hot Chip, with a dash of Faded Paper Figures.
The places where the performance deviated from the album versions were great, but there weren’t enough of them. As lead-singer and keyboardist Michael Angelakos left the stage before the encore, the crowd (without a single voice of dissent) chanted “Sleep-y-head! Sleep-y-head!”
After a great cover of the Cranberries’ “Dreams”, the third and final song of the encore began with a quiet voice repeating,
“And everything is going to the beat.
And everything is going to the beat.
And everything is going.”
The crowd became a rippling, bouncing unit of singing and body shaking as “Sleepyhead” pulsed out of the speakers. Orlando obviously loves Passion Pit, and hopefully next time they’ll have the space to dance it out.