With the iconic Australian summer music festival the Big Day Out rolling into Melbourne, the offering of side shows on its eve, was plentiful – and those lucky enough to get tickets were treated to fantastic performances. This was no exception for Massachusetts export and latest indie electronic pop sensation, Passion Pit and their sold out show at The Corner Hotel. After their recent success off the back of debut EP Chunk Of Change and their 2009 debut LP release Manners, these five boys offer an eclectic and always interesting treat of a show on their first Australian visit.

Melbourne locals, the experimental pop trio Love Of Diagrams kicked off the show in fine form, with a solid set consisting of offerings from their albums The Target Is You, Mosaic and their most recent offering, Nowhere Forever. Tracks Static Information and Forever gained the audience’s attention despite the fact that so many of the audience members had decided to sit on the ground, reserving their spot for the main act rather than checking out the support.

Once the backing track began and the stage lit up, the crowd knew that they were in for a hell of a gig. The screaming as Passion Pit ascended the stage was more than an indication of the level of crowd participation which was the follow during the set. From the first notes of EP track I’ve Got Your Number, to the highly energetic performance of album opener Make Light, the crowd who sung along to every word. Front man Michael Angelakos consistently powerful falsetto proved to be as strong and vibrant as sounds on the CD, quelling many fears about the band’s inability to transfer their recording to a live show format. Their preppy look alongside the front man’s energetic and somewhat dorky dancing across the stage during Better Things as well as during other tracks, captured the attention of the crowd from start to finish.

As the set progressed, a mix of both their synth filled electronic pop EP and album tracks, it became painstakingly clear that the strong performances that shone through during incredibly catchy The Reeling and the epic Moth’s Wings, were not only duplicated from recorded to a live performance, but were in many ways, bettered. Which plastered smiles across the faces of the other band members, Ian Hultquist (on keyboards/guitar), Ayad Al Adhamy (on synth/samples), Jeff Apruzzese ( playing bass/synth bass) and Nate Donmoyer (on drums), never missing a beat and absorbing the crowd’s reaction, even filming the crowd throughout the set.

Slowing down the proceedings with a less energetic but just as capturing track Swimming In The Flood and To Kingdom Come, the pace was picked up once more almost immediately after with surprise crowd favourite Let Your Love Grow Tall. Although, as with so many other bands, the attention of the crowd seemed affixed to lead singer Angelakos, the other boys in the band proved to be just as entertaining and appeared to be having just as good a time as their more physical front man.

Lesser known tracks Folds In Your Hand and Smile Upon Me continued to have this dedicated crowd singing along, spurring Angelakos to state smiling, “It’s so nice to hear you singing along to every word!”. They seemed genuinely surprised by the reception they received from the Melbourne crowd, at one point even apologising for the expensive ticket prices, and thanking the crowd for their support.

Although it seemed nothing could have prepared most of the punters and the band themselves for the dancing, singing and energy which radiated through the room when the band launched into Little Secrets, having all in the venue singing “HIGHER AND HIGHER AND HIGHER! HIGHER AND HIGHER AND HIGHER!” at the top of their lungs. An almost flawless performance of this song saw Angelakos step across the space between the stage and the barrier to get closer to the crowd, only to slip and fall into the break. Maintaining an utmost professionalism and demonstration of experience, he continued singing the song perfectly, and in a show of determination, once again climbed onto the barrier, this time, with the support of the crowd and a very wary roadie keeping him upright.

After a short intermission and excessive chanting from the crowd, the band returned to the stage for an encore, playing catchy track Eyes As Candles with Angelakos behind the keys for a change, along with a stunning and incredibly well executed cover of Cranberries’ classic, Dreams, having the crowd enraptured in the chorus.

As the set came to a close, the track that most had been waiting for had arrived. As the band launched into Sleepyhead, the crowd instantly was at its most involved and energetic peak for the night, (even singing along to the backing track) while Angelakos and the other band members gave their all into the song, the sweat dripping from their clothes a show of this fact.

In what was a 75 minute set – which for many of the punters, was way too short – the crowd were treated to almost all of their at present, modestly sized catalogue, only missing out on a couple of songs. No crowd member was complaining, but rather praising the gig and how – œamazing’ it was. The crowd filed out of the venue buzzing, talking about how their favourite song was played, or discussing the vocals or the – œmindblowing’ performance in general, with a group even singing their way out of the venue and down the street.

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FROM THE GIG