Passion Pit Performed at Pier 26 [photos]

Photos by Andrea Vladova

As the final performances at Pier 26 came to a close this weekend, I can’t help but feel a bit upset that Tribeca simply couldn’t handle the rock (concerts won’t be returning due to sound issues). With the water and Jersey’s cityscape glittering in one direction and an incredible view of Manhattan looming in the other, the pier is a pretty epic, magical place to see a concert. In particular, there’s something about the buoyancy and victorious synth lines in Passion Pit’s music that captured that scene perfectly.

Beginning with a set from Best Coast, I was actually pleasantly surprised by the performance given by Bethany Cosentino. This was my first experience with the band’s live show, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. For me, their albums seem to drone on at times, and her vocals have a tendency of sounding a bit too wistful to really break through solid ground. Toting a pretty stellar guitar and good presence to match, though, she managed to remove any traces of stupor and put on a solid rock show. While this band still may not be at the top of my list, I definitely feel I have a better understanding and appreciation of their sound.

Announcing their presence on stage with an apocalyptic, frenetic light show, the members of Passion Pit most definitely nailed their entrance. Directly after, they launched into what would be an incredibly energetic set, rife with moments of deep appreciation towards the crowd and the city, well-placed audience participation and some of the bounciest, most fun synth-pop being produced right now. Pacing back and forth across the stage and doing a tremendous job engaging the crowd, Michael Angelakos continues to prove that he’s a stellar frontman. In fact, he was moving so quickly and so often, snapping a good photo was really challenging.

Though most songs earned a healthy dose of applause, “Little Secrets”, “Take a Walk” and, most of all, “Sleepyhead” were far and away the crowd favorites. With waving hands, yelled lyrics and general merriment, being a part of that crowd was pretty incredible in those moments (minus, of course, the group of tiny, shrill drunk girls who took up residence near me for a time — Passion Pit is amazing, but their demographic has shifted a bit). Though at times Angelakos’ voice seemed a bit too controlled, as though time had removed some of his raw energy, the songs still managed to be emotive, exciting and just damn good. Check out the photos below!

Passion Pit

Best Coast