It’s no “Little Secret” that synth pop darlings Passion Pit are fully back in the game, gracing stages and festival lineups across the country in recent years and now on the Pretty Penny Tour. On Wednesday, the band made its first stop in Phoenix since 2019 and were welcomed with the open arms of their longtime fans.
The best way to celebrate the reunion? Some twists on old favorites. Passion Pit opened the show with extended intro versions of “The Reeling” and “Make Light” and let the instruments of the live band really shine all night. They’re trying new things with these songs (some of which are 15 years old) from the extra-peppy “Carried Away” to a more pared-down “I’ll Be Alright,” and it’s a hint at their next direction.
Here another hint at what’s next: To celebrate nearly twenty years since the Chunk of Change EP, Passion Pit announced the Pretty Penny EP that sounds like classic Michael Angelakos but highlights his growth and development — likely including navigating having bipolar disorder and becoming an advocate for mental health in music. From there, new music with the full band is coming, a first for Angelakos.
But judging by the nearly-sold-out room on Wednesday, the fans will be around for anything Passion Pit does next, no matter how strange and experimental of a preview we got at the show. After all, singing along to “Sleepyhead” and breakout track “Little Secrets” never gets old, even if we’re no longer the college radio indie sleaze kids we were when they were released.
