BRAHMS. Photo by Corey Woodruff. More on Flickr
I guess Passion Pit’s constant touring has caused mild memory loss in lead singer Michael Angelakos. Less than a year ago, Passion Pit played a show down the street at WashU – but that didn’t stop Angelakos from thanking the crowd for such a good turnout (a sold-out show, in fact) for the band’s first time in the Lou. However, his small blunder was far overshadowed by great sets by all three bands on the night’s bill.
Cale Parks’ latest project, BRAHMS, kicked the night off with a brooding yet poppy electro twist. Playing behind a set of light-up podiums, the group embraced their 80s aesthetic in both their sound and wardrobe choices. My personal favorite of the set was the anthemic “Brought It Out.”
Tokyo Police Club. Photo by Corey Woodruff. More on Flickr
Emanating youthful energy, Tokyo Police Club rocked through their set, touching upon many new tracks from recent release Champ. It was refreshing to have the Club’s more traditional, guitar driven rock ‘n’ roll setup to serve as a break between two synth heavy groups. By the time the band cruised through crowd favorite “Breakneck Speed,” the pit was packed to the gills with 90% of St. Louis’ high school students.
Passion Pit. Photo by Corey Woodruff. More on Flickr
And then there was Passion Pit. The group had the whole venue moving – even the crowd in the far reaches of the balcony. Frontman Angelakos flung his signature falsetto and himself all over the stage, feeding off of and amping up the audience’s energy. The band’s layered, electronic sound was mixed perfectly as they blasted through the build-ups in “Folds In Your Hands,” “Let Your Love Grow Tall,” and set closer “Little Secrets.” Passion Pit included a mediocre cover of The Cranberries’ “Dreams” in their encore, but they finished the night strongly with a powerful rendition of “Sleepyhead” and a crowd tired from a night full of dancing.
