When Michael Angelakos took the stage for last Thursday night’s performance, the only thing to be seen on the dimly lit stage was the warm glow of the neon letters behind him.
The band’s name lit across the backdrop was enough for the costumed crowd of ghouls and goblins to give him and his band, Passion Pit a warm and spirited welcome of applause. For Halloween night’s performance, DC’s Echostage had the honor of being the place to be on the spookiest night of the year for two beloved bands, Passion Pit and The Joy Formidable.
Passion Pit, the synth-pop band from Cambridge, Massachusetts gave an energetic performance and seemed to really unite the crowd to sing and cheer along as the played their hits. Angelakos really works the stage and kept audience members on their toes through their entire set.
For this leg of their tour, Passion Pit has joined forces with the always-amazing Joy Formidable, the Welsh indie-rockers who never fail to provide a great live show. I do have to admit, this is probably the quickest set I’ve ever seen the Joy Formidable play, wrapping up Ritzy Bryan’s chainsaw style guitar work in just under 40 minutes. Their performance was great and full of life as per usual, but when they tour as the headlining act, their sets are usually marathon style all-nighters.
If you haven’t been to Echostage before, the venue is located just off New York Avenue in the northeast part of our city. It is a simple yet, beautifully designed layout which makes getting around inside the venue extremely easy even when it’s packed with people. The massive dance floor can accommodate large-scale productions and still keep things feeling intimate.
The upper level railing serves up great views of the stage no matter where you are in the place, and the bar and lounge areas are can almost be described as elegant in design. The venue really does feel like an over sized 9:30 Club. The sound and acoustics are top-notch and I couldn’t find a bad spot to stand and see the show. If you haven’t been to a show there, it’s worth a trip.
PASSION PIT
THE JOY FORMIDABLE
