Photo by Ben Slowey
Passion Pit - Summerfest (2026)
Passion Pit headlines Summerfest's T-Mobile stage (2026)
Massachusetts-based indie pop act Passion Pit headlined Summerfest’s T Mobile Stage on June 18, filling the bleachers with a jovial crowd that sang, danced and cheered through the night. Thursday’s show marked Passion Pit’s first time in 10 years playing Milwaukee. In fact, their last show here was also Summerfest!
Formed by singer Michael Angelakos in 2007, Passion Pit turned heads in the late 2000s/early 2010s indie music with their fun, bright sound variably described as synthpop, dance pop or “indietronica.” Angelakos’ voice is radiant and effervescent as his lyrics are vulnerable and honest, while the band’s bold, sugary hooks are irresistible to hearts and smiles. Passion Pit has released four studio albums: 2009’s Manners, 2012’s Gossamer, 2015’s Kindred and 2017’s Tremendous Sea of Love.
Thursday’s show with one of Passion Pit’s early hits, “The Reeling.” The band’s setlist contained a balanced mix of tunes from Manners and Gossamer as well as a couple new, unreleased tracks dedicated to Angelakos’ mom and brother. During and between songs, Angelakos frequently shouted to the crowd in excitement, eliciting roars of applause. He expressed how thrilled he was to be playing Milwaukee again and being on tour in general, alluding to a new album Passion Pit is working on. Many in the crowd sang fervently along to hits like “Take a Walk,” “Carried Away” and “Little Secrets,” no doubt reliving lots of high school or college nostalgia. Folks all around me were dancing in all sorts of silly and amusing ways, which is exactly what you would expect from Passion Pit’s whimsically heartful compositions. Glitchy synth interludes preceded many songs before exploding into familiar melodies, creating a keen sense of anticipation between each.
The stage backdrop displayed the band’s name with variably colorful, high-speed animations glossing through it. “Sleepyhead,” arguably Passion Pit’s most well-known song (and one of the most adorably weird indie pop tunes ever), concluded the band’s set. They then played an encore consisting of an unreleased track blended with a “Sleepyhead” reprise.
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