Passion Pit @ The Riverside Theater

Talk about hype. Little more than a year ago, peopleassociated Passion Pit with a little known '80s skin flick. Nowadays, it's themoniker for a critically acclaimed '80s disco, hipster dance outfit selling outvenues across the country. With the group’s overabundance of synthesizers andgiddy, helium-sucking vocals, it's easy to see why some write this electro-popgroup off as daftly euphoricthe groan-worthy falsetto pitches, the multiplechildren's choir samples and songs jam-packed with hooks just scream migraineattack. But their sold out Saturday night performance at the Riverside Theatercatapulted all these gleeful excesses to even higher territory and,surprisingly, the haters couldn't help but have a little fun.

After a calm startMichael Angelakos' vocals quietly carriedthroughout the theater on "I've Got Your Number"the night kickedinto high gear with the lead track of 2009's Manners, "Make Light." That song’s driving bass lineaccented with Angelakos patented teenage girl shriek started a rave-like trancethat held throughout the show. Only a couple times would a falsetto yelp hit acringe-inducing high or a lull in the pace shake the band's momentum.

With only one EP and one album to draw from, scarce crowdinteraction and one cover (The Cranberries’ “Dreams”), Passion Pit's set waslike any great pop song: short, danceable and undeniably catchy. The audienceemanated pure energy and Angelakos took notice, declaring them "one of thebest balconies we've ever played to." Passion Pit closed the night withits biggest hit, "Sleepyhead," an indulgence in the band'sover-the-top pop construction. It was the night’s biggest payoff.

In a likely nod to the dreamy pop duo playing simultaneouslyat the Pabst Theater, bassist Jeff Apruzzese wore a Beach House T-shirt, apersisting reminder to the crowd about the show they were missing. Thetrade-off could have been disappointing, but this was a group on top of theirgame. For all those Beach House apologists, Passion Pit announced they'd beback in town later this year for Summerfestwithout a doubt, a must see show.

Photo by Dale Reince