Ellie Goulding and Passion Pit 11/03/10

Review of Ellie Goulding and Passion Pit @ HMV forum 11/03/10

It was an exciting night for all who turned up at the HMV forum, with performances from BBC’s ‘Sound of 2010’, Ellie Goulding, and Massachusetts electro band Passion Pit.
After the successful release of the bands first full-length studio album Manners, it came as no surprise to hear that the night was a total sell out.
Ellie was a fine support act; I can’t say I’m a massive fan of hers if I’m being really honest. I find her music way to overproduced, and if she doesn’t want to be categorized as another indie pop princess, then standing on stage banging a drum with one hand while dressed in skinny jeans really isn’t helping her image.
Her set was at best watchable, and I admit I did sing along slightly when she played Starry Eyed, but apart from that I was bored by the songs I didn’t know, which was unfortunately most of them. She’s a good enough artist in her own right, and her fans absolutely adored her, but putting her on before an incredibly powerful band like Passion Pit is never a good idea.
Passion Pit, taking to the stage was like a breath of fresh air. In a world of overproduced electro-pop, they somehow still manage to sound new and fresh. Their set was visually stunning, the light show, combined with Michael Angelakos’ falsetto-shrieking vocals was simply magical. The band are quite simply a party band, they’re hyperactive, full of energy as they dance around the stage, and what is most important, they look like they’re actually having fun. There are far too many indie bands that look miserable as sin all the time these days, they need to cheer up! As for the audience, there was not a single member who was sitting down, nor was there a single person who wasn’t singing when the band burst into their current single Little Secrets. And when the show was finished every last member of the crowd was left literally begging for more...Quite truly a stunning show.