Show Preview: Brackett & Co., Real Estate
J. Tillman at the Mohawk - Giveaway
"Headlining" kind of loses its emphasis during SXSW, but being given that last slot was an eyebrow raising move regarding the status of this electro-pop outfit led by Michael Angelakos. While the band sounded good, cryptic comments Angelakos made regarding the band's longevity - "We're going to be making music for many years to come" he said apropos of nothing - were set in cold contrast with an amateurish and problematic set. Twice drummer Nate Donmoyer threw down his headphones, unable to hear the click track, and their big single "Sleepyhead" broke into chaos before the chorus and had to be restarted.
Angelakos was concerned about the band being filed away and forgotten, but given the size of the crowd at Emo's on Wednesday and the popular and critical reception to their first full-length Manners, it looks as though the Cambridge boys have passed from internet phenomenon into something hopefully more stable.
Talented multi-instrumentalist Cale Parks opened the show with a combination of samples accompanied by real and electronic drums. On the darker side of dance, Parks is perhaps better known as the drummer for indiemo band Aloha, but here he fared just as well on his own. His newest album Sparklace is his second solo effort, so he isn't exactly new to taking the spotlight. He stood singing at the mic between his electronic and regular kit, which only included toms, a cymbal and jam block. Parks' passion and skill as a drummer easily put his performance over the average iPod-pressing electro hack, and while he was well received, the now-overflowing crowd seemed poised not to dance or really move until Passion Pit took the stage.
This was an obstacle that didn't phase the Brooklyn-based Harlem Shakes. The band were as enthusiastic as (and kind of looked like) a high school honors class on the last day of school before vacation. Relying largely on electronic beats, the band traded in sing-along anthems and employed the occasional percussion outbursts from up its members. Happiness personified, the band played each song like the audience knew all the words (which of course they didn't) and were, like Parks, well-received and not just tolerated. This is a new band, and the fact that their songs weren't immediately distinguishable from any number of Arcade Fire/Vampire Weekend hybrids commingling right now isn't an immediate setback.
Unlike their unusually verbose SXSW show, Passion Pit took the stage and let the music do the talking, which worked just fine. Starting things off with the first cut off Manners, "Make Light," the band brought their synthesizers out full force, much to the delight of the audience. It was an unusually straightforward crowd for a Wednesday night at Emo's, with fewer fashion plates running around, more baseball caps, and a higher-than-normal amount of big purple Xs. It was not a self-conscious one either, with hands in the air and bodies moving. Wisely employing as much live instrumentation as possible, the music was alive and celebratory when it might have sounded canned. Drummer Donmoyer had no occasion to feel frustrated this evening, and his fast-paced, precise playing matched his keyboard-heavy (often three going at once) band members.
Aside from the fact that it's dance music, Passion Pit's newest album has a bevy of singalong moments from the "higher and higher" refrain in "Little Secrets" to last year's big single "Sleepyhead," which the band played mid-set. After running through most of their material, the band exited and were prompted to play one encore before splitting. It felt like a quick show, but this is a band with just an album and EP to their name, so there's that. Their performance was auspicious and exciting, and given all the pressure hyped bands have to deal with these days, that was more than enough.
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All that said, no one will remember Passion Pit in 5 years (or sooner). Every one of their fans will finally be over 21 and not interested in albums #2 (or 3 or 4...). (In this regard, PP is not unique, so it's not a slam on their modest song writing abilities -- they can call Tapes N Tapes, The Strokes, etc for advice on how to make a career after the buzz wears off)
Also, there were plenty of fashion plates if you consider jorts, mullets, rat tails, head bands, the entire American Apparel catalog, and/or high heels with tiny skirts/shorts cutting edge fashion. The number of people dressed "up" vs the number of people dressed comfortably for a sold out show was probably 4-to-1.
wattage, i don't think you're correct and really what difference does it make? first off, doesn't matter who was there, it was sold out! Every show on their tour thus far has been sold out-mullets, baseball caps and cutting edge fashion plates there!! I've been following them since i saw them play pianos in new york - NEW YORK! tough town to start in but it's the music that counts and angelakos has an unbelievable writing talent. look at the musical growth from the ep to manners. the writing has grown and will probably continue to grow with each album. he certainly impressed zane, if you read his interview a while ago. i think we will be listening and remember michael angelakos, if not passion pit for a long time to come and we just can't stop playing that damn album... over and over and over and over ... love it and can't wait for the bowery next week!!
hey alan,
fair enough! i don't think people will be listening to Passion Pit in 5 years, but I'd love to be proven wrong. with plenty of other bands as back reference, the first album is the easiest to make "great" -- the second is always the hardest. you're on tour, you're promoting album #1, you're trying to outdo album #1, and (most importantly) you're scrambling to release #2 while the iron is still hot (album #1, you likely were kicking around songs for a while and discarded SOME garbage riffs along the way).
anyway, i do think their 'singles' are catchy and well written. i just don't hear 'career' in their music. i don't hear 'career' in most bands and (shocker!) most bands don't wind up lasting all that long. (did you also know the sky is blue?) i'm not wishing against them or something, i just don't also hear the next Rolling Stones (or Wilco or My Morning Jacket or Thermals or Bright Eyes or any other less established yet still career-at-this-point type bands) in their music.
as for the fan clothing: i was only referencing it because the show was chock full of people in ridiculously hip outfits and i was surprised to see THAT being called out as a nonentity in the write up. that's all. i enjoyed looking at the youngens in their short skirts as much as the next pervert.
Well I thought that this show, along with the CAKE show at stubbs, was the best show of the season, energy and crowd-participation wise (excluding all SXSW events). And compared to Animal Collective just two days later, I thought these guys came out vivacious and anim coll sunk like a sinking ship and stunk like old fish. The crowd might have been more "mature" there, but they were also more geriatric in action (I'm 27 for reference).
As far as a one-hit wonder goes, Who knows??? Some ignorant people consider Blind Melon a one-hit wonder, but they have a huge cult following.
I think they could find their niche. But one thing is certain, that mother F'r can sing!
wattage
that ignorant blast not directed at you