Concert Nights in California
GUYS I MET HALF OF PASSION PIT I MET HALF OF PASSION PIT I MET HALF OF PASSION PIT
(I have a horrible memory and I need to write this down lest it falls into the black hole of my mind)
Y'all know I went to the States for Passion Pit, like, the moment the white guy at the US Embassy said "your Visa is approved" my mind went into overdrive and I started planning my strategy to ask my mom that I go alone in October instead of going with them in December. Outwardly, I reasoned out that October was my sembreak and this way, I would only miss work, versus going to the States in December and missing both work and school. On my phone, I was researching concert dates for Passion Pit and Phoenix. I booked Phoenix in LA October 9, then Passion Pit in LA October 25. Days later, my mom booked my flights.
Phoenix was a disappointing event, because they cancelled their LA date, and even as I pondered going to San Diego for their show there, they cancelled that too. They cancelled their entire California tour, so I was really bummed. Then I discovered Haim, then I found out they were on tour in the US, but their LA show was sold out so I booked to a Pomona show, which later sold out. Later, I found out Haim was going to tour Europe with Phoenix so damn, right? So much LOLs.
I should probably also talk about my Haim experience.
Pomona was less than an hour away from where we lived, and my brother took me there hoping for a ticket but like I said, it was sold out. But anyway, downtown Pomona was really cute, and we roamed for a bit and I had a pumpkin spice latte before lining up at the box office. When I got my ticket, I lined up for the event and later, got into the Glass House while my brother went off to a bar.
Haim shirt and a draft beer in hand, I pushed my way to second row in the pit behind some girls and near a crazy girl whose voice just bloody killed me because it was so annoying. I nudged my way to stand practically right in front of Alana Haim's set. Io Echo played first, and they were pretty cool, I should remember to download their music. The girl was so skinny so she pulled off the ethereal dancing thing and wow, their music got me pumped. I'd forgotten how concerts felt and while I was waiting for Io Echo I even thought I might be getting old because I felt tired already from all the waiting. But then Io Echo played and they were great, and yeah, concerts.
Haim was fantastic, but also short. They opened with Falling, and oh my god Alana Haim's legs. It felt pretty surreal watching them, they sounded so good. Este, the eldest, kept on talking, and at this point I felt a bit out of place, you know, because bands usually talk about the venues they're playing at and of course locals love it. Haim talked about how nice it was to be back in California, how they used to go to The Glass House for some of their first concerts, and their prom nights and wearing Betsey Johnson. I was like, blank. But they played half the songs in their debut album, and they were great. They took it slow sometimes with Let Me Go and Go Slow, and the place was jumping when they played The Wire. Halfway through their set I smelled marijuana and it was hilarious because the bouncers in front were trying to find out where it came from.
Forever is one of my favorites and I was happy to have recorded it. They also played stuff from their EP. Don't Save Me was so good to listen to live. But they didn't play Days Are Gone or my absolute favorite, Running If You Call My Name, so I was disappointed. Their set ended early, maybe at around 11PM, but then we asked for an encore and got two more songs. Two tall girls in front got a set list and I made friends with them over it, LOL.
I went outside to look for my brother and found him by our car, then I smoked in an alley and saw people their and Este talking to her friends. So I grabbed my new Haim shirt, pushed my way through the very small crowd, and got to talk to her. She signed my shirt! I got 1/3 Haim!
ONE BIG ANYWAY...HERE WE GO, PASSION PIT.
Los Angeles is farther from Fullerton than Pomona was, so my family suggested we go to a hotel for the Passion Pit concert. I'd actually gotten two tickets: one for Section B I transferred to my brother and one I got from StubHub for fucking $100 for the GA pit. Days before the concert, I found out there will be an afterparty in which Passion Pit will DJ, in Chinatown. Being very smart, I booked a pretty ugly but okay hotel six minutes away from Chinatown and six miles away from the Greek. On the day of the concert, we checked in, and I brought all my Passion Pit merchandise and a lot of cash to the concert.
First mishap was parking at the Griffith Observatory. My brother and I ate our dinner in the car (McWrap and a Mc PSL) before we realized that wasn't the parking for the Greek. We drove down, was first in stacked parking, and finally started walking to the venue.
AT WHICH POINT I SEE JEFF AND XANDER (LIGHTING A CIGARETTE) WALKING INTO THE WOODS TO GET TO THEIR BUS. My heart stopped, then I did something logical: I ran to them and shouted their names and they stopped and I was like, "I can't believe it's you guys!" I proceeded to blab about myself being from the Philippines and how I talk to them over Twitter and crap like that, oh my god my hair wasn't even down and curly yet and I looked so bloody ugly but there they were. Jeff also talked a lot, I mean, he said more than Xander did, and after a while I realized FUCK IT GO DO IT NOW. So I asked to have a picture with them and my brother took it and holy shit Jeff's and Xander's arms were around me oh holy shit!!! Oh by the way I also shook Jeff's hand when I introduced myself but Xander had a cigarette with his right hand so I shook his left hand THIS MEANS SOMETHING THIS MEANS WE'RE GOING TO BE TOGETHER SOMEDAY, RIGHT?! Jeff and Xander signed my vinyl, oh my god I felt too shy to have them sign my Manners CDs too so I didn't. And then I gave them the dried mangoes, they were so cute, and then we all said bye and I BLOODY DIED.
At the gates of the Greek, there still weren't any people (it was about 5:30PM) and the guards told us cameras aren't allowed inside so we had to return mine to the car. My brother and I separated because I had to go to a different gate for my ticket. In line for the pit, I met this lady called Karrie and we were talking and I was gushing about how I met Jeff and Xander and she only knew Michael but she was a big fan. Then at that moment I saw Ian with his wife Sofia walking around the front of the theater and I shouted, "IAN!!!" and he looked and waved at me OHMYGOD!!!
First in line beyond the gates, behind the curtain to the pit. Karrie and I took turns buying merchandise (I got four shirts, two for me, one for my brother, one for my friend Nina, and a poster) and she bought wine and shared it with me, how sweet. We got to talking with the other people in line, this couple who were there for Joy Formidable! But they were all nice and they were amazed that I came from the Philippines for Passion Pit.
When the curtains were drawn, Karrie and I rushed to the front and center. An hour later, we saw a dude with a bottle of wine and so Karrie bought us a bottle of wine. I wanted to smoke, so she saved my spot while I went outside. In the smoking area, I thought I saw Nate so I ran back in, grabbed my vinyl and Sharpie, asked him if he was Nate, OOPS HE WASN'T.
The place wasn't getting filled up, which was a little weird, but oh well. At about 8PM, finally, Joy Formidable came on and holy shit were we excited! Unfortunately, there were speakers right behind the girl's mic, and we were right in front of it, so we didn't understand any vocals AT ALL. We had made friends with the pit photographers and we were all complaining about how Joy was good musically but we couldn't understand ANYTHING. Karrie went, "If those speakers stay on and I don't hear Michael, I'm gonna be pissed." Joy played about six or seven songs, they were really good, but they didn't play Silent Treatment, which is the only song of theirs I know. The singer, a girl, was so cute though, she had some British accent of sorts and she was so cute the only moments we understood her. She actually had a mini deer doll by her feet! Anyway, their set ended, and Karrie's shouts got one roadie to give her a set list, which she gave to the Joy couple.
Karrie and I were toasting to Passion Pit during the break, lols. Man, that was a huge bottle of wine. We had to go to the bathroom in turns. Karrie even offered wine to some girls behind us, who refused, because they turned out to be high schoolers. More wine for me, since Karrie was driving! Passion Pit (PP from now on) roadies were setting up the stage, thank god they removed the speakers that we hated. One roadie was wearing a PP jacket and his name Dusty over it so Karrie and I were shouting at him, "Go, Dusty!" and Karrie was hilarious, "You stroke that tape so well!" I saw Chad! Of course I know PP friends so I know Chad! So I screamed at him, "Hey, Chad!" and he looked and I waved. The photographers (they were only there for the first three songs) were chatting with us and they looked over at the set list and said Eyes As Candles was there and HOLY SHIT I COULDN'T GET IT TOGETHER ALREADY.
AND THEN...the lights dimmed, PASSION PIT CAME ON STAGE. MICHAEL WAS WEARING A BLAZER OVER HIS WHITE SHIRT, AND I LIKED HIS TIE. OH. MY. GOD. He was so bloody close I couldn't take it. Holy shit. And he was, "Hello, Los Angeles!" OH MY GOD HE'S REAL!!! Jeff's hair looked so good, Ian looked so stiff with his blazer, I was trying to catch Xander's eye he was so cute and Chris had a set of glass panels in front of his drums like what. OH MY GOD MICHAEL ANGELAKOS!!!
They started with Make Light, which was great because they didn't play that in Singapore. Then it was The Reeling, and it was so great screaming "OH NO! OH NO!" with all the Americans because no one had a camera and very few people had their phones out so it was just PEOPLE AND PASSION PIT. Then they played Carried Away, and Karrie and I were dancing like crazies because it was KARRIEd Away. And ooooooh holy shit It's Not My Fault I'm Happy!!! Hearing it was so much better this time because when they played this song in Singapore, I was like the only one who knew it and I don't know, PP made it better this time and people loved it, because they loved that song. Then it was Mirrored Sea, To Kingdom Come (SO BLOODY GOOD), and at Constant I just felt like crying singing back "OH OH OH, OH, OHHHHHHH!" because Michael was so close and he was throwing the mic at us and OH MY GOD!!! I think I was actually teary-eyed. I couldn't believe it was all happening again, that I was seeing Passion Pit again, this close.
When the synths for Cry Like A Ghost came on I scrambled to get my phone out to take a video of it OH MY GOD I'M HEARING CRY LIKE A GHOST LIVE LET ME CRY LIKE A GHOST BECAUSE I'M DEAD NOW. IT WAS SO GOOD. THEY WERE SO GOOD. OH GOD HELP ME HERE I GO AGAIN. But then after that I couldn't even catch my breath because Michael sat down in front of his keyboards and you know what that means?! EYES AS CANDLES NA NA NA NA NA NA HEY HEY HEY NA NA NA NA NA NA HEY HEY HEY NA NA NA NA NA NA HEY HEY OH MY GOD!!! SO MANY TEARS!!!
And did PP give me a break from so much emotions and jumping and screaming? NO, HELL NO! They played Where I Come From next AND I WAS SO STUPID I DIDN'T RECORD IT but OMG SO EMOTIONAL I FINALLY GOT TO HEAR IT LIVE HELP ME. Michael had a guitar and he was closing his eyes AND I JUST TOTALLY BROKE OH MY GOD. And Ian's solo, and Michael's "dancing" onstage, I was watching Xander's head bob, too, and Jeff's hand was on his chest, I WAS GONE HAHAHAHAHAHA. I THINK WE'LL BE ALL RIGHT? NO. I WANTED TO CURL UP IN A BALL.
I'll Be Alright was next when I wasn't even alright then it was time for a classic: EVERYBODY PUT YOUR HANDS UP LIKE THIS! I TOOK A WALK TAKE A WALK TAKE A WALK OHH OH OHHHHHHH!!! At the opening chords I saw Jeff take a photo of the crowd, god, I hope I end up on his blog or something because he hasn't posted it on Instagram. I think by Take A Walk I was already sweating in my PP sweatshirt but my legs were cold and we were already out of wine. Then Where We Belong came on and I just crumpled because I FOUND A PLACE WHERE WE BELONG IN GREEK THEATRE WITH PASSION PIT AND PP PEOPLE. The music was so good, oh god. Michael was throwing the mic stand already and HE BLOODY TOUCHED THE FREAKING TALL GIRL'S HAND NEXT TO US, THE FUCKING TALL HIGH SCHOOLER SHIT!!! Karrie and I were like, OHMYGOD HE TOUCHED YOU and she couldn't speak, I don't think she could breathe. Our hands couldn't even reach HER reach. AHHHHH SHIT.
The pit was crazy when Sleepyhead came on. And so was PP, god, Michael went wild. I just felt really in it, you know? The song, the music, PP, the people, the Greek, it was the best feeling. I was dancing to Sleepyhead under the stars in Los Angeles. LIKE STARS BURNING HOLES RIGHT THROUGH THE DARK? YOU WERE ONE INCH FROM THE EDGE OF THE STAGE, MICHAEL!!! I DRAG YOU BACK, A SLEEPYHEAAAAAAAAD!!!
Lols there was a moment when Michael almost tripped but it wasn't obvious but I saw it. If he had tripped he'd have landed near Karrie and I. I wish he tripped off the stage.
They left then but we screamed our hearts out for an encore and they came back out to play Moth's Wings OH MY GOOOOOOOOD. Well only some because I think the way they played Moth's Wings in Singapore was cuter, because Michael asked us to sing with him back then and this time it was just normal. But it was still great, and I was so happy they included it in their set list. Their last song was Little Secrets, and Karrie and I were mad dancing because we bought Higher Higher Higher Higher shirts and we were jumping HIGHER AND HIGHER AND HIGHER HIGHER TO LITTLE SECRETS. Michael was insane. You know his dance moves. God at some point he was kneeling onstage and I just. At a lot of moments I could see up his shirt and it was awkward because ohmygod I love you.
Well, that was it. I had died several times and come back to life and then wanted to die again.
Karrie and I were screaming for the roadies to give us set lists and DUSTY GAVE ME THE FIRST SET LIST HOLY SHIT. She got the last one, after much pleading. Karrie was amazing. Later, I smoked and people were gushing over the set list I'd gotten, it was so awesome. I got to talk to two girls who were PP fans but we also talked about Brandon Flowers LOL WHAT. Then Karrie and I met again by the buses, and we stood there for like half an hour hoping for PP to come out. I met Mandy, a PP homie from Twitter! After a long wait, Karrie and I went into the woods to peek into their buses but it was the other side and we couldn't see anything, so we went back. Then Karrie and I went to Joy's bus because Joy guitarist was smoking there and we bummed a smoke and we were smoking watching deers run around Griffith Park and OMG WHAT ANIMAL IS THAT? And then who arrived? Chad! He went to us to smoke and I was talking to him and he was like, "Were you the one who called me on stage?" YES!!! I asked him about Sal, and he said Sal wasn't with them tonight, so I gave him the dried mangoes. We talked a bit about the afterparty, he said they were about to go, I said I'll be there, YAY. Then he caught a car and he went to the buses and so after getting Joy's signature behind my PP set list, Karrie and I went back to the PP buses where there were few people and after another while, Karrie had to leave. LATER, just when I was thinking about going to the afterparty already, Xander was walking out!!! HOLY SHIT XANDER WITH HIS STRIPED SHIRT AND NICE PANTS AND BACKPACK!!!
I got him to sign my set list, and we talked a bit how great they were (me) and he was all "thank you" and omg I thought it was Phil who was with them so they had to correct me it was embarrassing but FUCK IT. Xander's smile was so adorable and HIS EYES. I took another photo with him and then I asked for a hug and I HUGGED XANDER SINGH XANDER SINGH HUGGED ME BIG HUGS FROM XANDER SINGH THAT NIGHT OH MY GOD HIS HEAD WAS RIGHT NEXT TO MINE HOLY FUCKING SHIT I'M DONE. I'M SO GONE. BUT HE WAS ALSO HUGGING ME OH MY GOD CAN WE JUST END THE WORLD RIGHT THEN AND THERE?!
I was shaking by the time we left, because they had to go to the afterparty and so we left to go too. I was just. Oh. Shit. Xander.
At the afterparty, outside of the club/bar, I first saw Chad, seems like they just got there as well. I said hi to him, when I realized I was standing right behind Ian. HOLY FUCKING SHIT IAN. But the bouncer stopped me from going in behind him because there was a line, so, bummed, I went in line with my brother and we waited. But later, Ian stepped out so I ran to him and he signed my set list and vinyl. Nearly an hour later, we finally got in the club, and Jeff was setting up his DJ booth things and so I parked myself at the bar behind him, sipping my drinks. I saw Xander again and called him, oh my god I am so bloody annoying but he smiled! XANDER'S SMILE. AND HIS BACKPACK. Then Ian was so close again and Sofia was also there and they were talking with their friends and one awkward moment arose so I approached Ian and asked if I could have a photo with him and he was so bloody nice he was all smiley and "thank you" god I wanted to hit them all because why are they thanking me THANK YOU SO MUCH PASSION PIT.
I actually sort of interrupted Jeff's DJ set to have him sign my set list, lol, but I couldn't take being in that club anymore especially since Xander and Ian already left and obviously Michael and Chris weren't there, those cat people.
There we go. Passion Pit.
OH OH TWO DAYS LATER XANDER INSTAGRAMMED SOMETHING IN THEIR BUS AND I SAW THE DRIED MANGOES THERE.
Please hold me.
(I have a horrible memory and I need to write this down lest it falls into the black hole of my mind)
Y'all know I went to the States for Passion Pit, like, the moment the white guy at the US Embassy said "your Visa is approved" my mind went into overdrive and I started planning my strategy to ask my mom that I go alone in October instead of going with them in December. Outwardly, I reasoned out that October was my sembreak and this way, I would only miss work, versus going to the States in December and missing both work and school. On my phone, I was researching concert dates for Passion Pit and Phoenix. I booked Phoenix in LA October 9, then Passion Pit in LA October 25. Days later, my mom booked my flights.
Phoenix was a disappointing event, because they cancelled their LA date, and even as I pondered going to San Diego for their show there, they cancelled that too. They cancelled their entire California tour, so I was really bummed. Then I discovered Haim, then I found out they were on tour in the US, but their LA show was sold out so I booked to a Pomona show, which later sold out. Later, I found out Haim was going to tour Europe with Phoenix so damn, right? So much LOLs.
I should probably also talk about my Haim experience.
Pomona was less than an hour away from where we lived, and my brother took me there hoping for a ticket but like I said, it was sold out. But anyway, downtown Pomona was really cute, and we roamed for a bit and I had a pumpkin spice latte before lining up at the box office. When I got my ticket, I lined up for the event and later, got into the Glass House while my brother went off to a bar.
Haim shirt and a draft beer in hand, I pushed my way to second row in the pit behind some girls and near a crazy girl whose voice just bloody killed me because it was so annoying. I nudged my way to stand practically right in front of Alana Haim's set. Io Echo played first, and they were pretty cool, I should remember to download their music. The girl was so skinny so she pulled off the ethereal dancing thing and wow, their music got me pumped. I'd forgotten how concerts felt and while I was waiting for Io Echo I even thought I might be getting old because I felt tired already from all the waiting. But then Io Echo played and they were great, and yeah, concerts.
Haim was fantastic, but also short. They opened with Falling, and oh my god Alana Haim's legs. It felt pretty surreal watching them, they sounded so good. Este, the eldest, kept on talking, and at this point I felt a bit out of place, you know, because bands usually talk about the venues they're playing at and of course locals love it. Haim talked about how nice it was to be back in California, how they used to go to The Glass House for some of their first concerts, and their prom nights and wearing Betsey Johnson. I was like, blank. But they played half the songs in their debut album, and they were great. They took it slow sometimes with Let Me Go and Go Slow, and the place was jumping when they played The Wire. Halfway through their set I smelled marijuana and it was hilarious because the bouncers in front were trying to find out where it came from.
Forever is one of my favorites and I was happy to have recorded it. They also played stuff from their EP. Don't Save Me was so good to listen to live. But they didn't play Days Are Gone or my absolute favorite, Running If You Call My Name, so I was disappointed. Their set ended early, maybe at around 11PM, but then we asked for an encore and got two more songs. Two tall girls in front got a set list and I made friends with them over it, LOL.
I went outside to look for my brother and found him by our car, then I smoked in an alley and saw people their and Este talking to her friends. So I grabbed my new Haim shirt, pushed my way through the very small crowd, and got to talk to her. She signed my shirt! I got 1/3 Haim!
ONE BIG ANYWAY...HERE WE GO, PASSION PIT.
Los Angeles is farther from Fullerton than Pomona was, so my family suggested we go to a hotel for the Passion Pit concert. I'd actually gotten two tickets: one for Section B I transferred to my brother and one I got from StubHub for fucking $100 for the GA pit. Days before the concert, I found out there will be an afterparty in which Passion Pit will DJ, in Chinatown. Being very smart, I booked a pretty ugly but okay hotel six minutes away from Chinatown and six miles away from the Greek. On the day of the concert, we checked in, and I brought all my Passion Pit merchandise and a lot of cash to the concert.
First mishap was parking at the Griffith Observatory. My brother and I ate our dinner in the car (McWrap and a Mc PSL) before we realized that wasn't the parking for the Greek. We drove down, was first in stacked parking, and finally started walking to the venue.
AT WHICH POINT I SEE JEFF AND XANDER (LIGHTING A CIGARETTE) WALKING INTO THE WOODS TO GET TO THEIR BUS. My heart stopped, then I did something logical: I ran to them and shouted their names and they stopped and I was like, "I can't believe it's you guys!" I proceeded to blab about myself being from the Philippines and how I talk to them over Twitter and crap like that, oh my god my hair wasn't even down and curly yet and I looked so bloody ugly but there they were. Jeff also talked a lot, I mean, he said more than Xander did, and after a while I realized FUCK IT GO DO IT NOW. So I asked to have a picture with them and my brother took it and holy shit Jeff's and Xander's arms were around me oh holy shit!!! Oh by the way I also shook Jeff's hand when I introduced myself but Xander had a cigarette with his right hand so I shook his left hand THIS MEANS SOMETHING THIS MEANS WE'RE GOING TO BE TOGETHER SOMEDAY, RIGHT?! Jeff and Xander signed my vinyl, oh my god I felt too shy to have them sign my Manners CDs too so I didn't. And then I gave them the dried mangoes, they were so cute, and then we all said bye and I BLOODY DIED.
At the gates of the Greek, there still weren't any people (it was about 5:30PM) and the guards told us cameras aren't allowed inside so we had to return mine to the car. My brother and I separated because I had to go to a different gate for my ticket. In line for the pit, I met this lady called Karrie and we were talking and I was gushing about how I met Jeff and Xander and she only knew Michael but she was a big fan. Then at that moment I saw Ian with his wife Sofia walking around the front of the theater and I shouted, "IAN!!!" and he looked and waved at me OHMYGOD!!!
First in line beyond the gates, behind the curtain to the pit. Karrie and I took turns buying merchandise (I got four shirts, two for me, one for my brother, one for my friend Nina, and a poster) and she bought wine and shared it with me, how sweet. We got to talking with the other people in line, this couple who were there for Joy Formidable! But they were all nice and they were amazed that I came from the Philippines for Passion Pit.
When the curtains were drawn, Karrie and I rushed to the front and center. An hour later, we saw a dude with a bottle of wine and so Karrie bought us a bottle of wine. I wanted to smoke, so she saved my spot while I went outside. In the smoking area, I thought I saw Nate so I ran back in, grabbed my vinyl and Sharpie, asked him if he was Nate, OOPS HE WASN'T.
The place wasn't getting filled up, which was a little weird, but oh well. At about 8PM, finally, Joy Formidable came on and holy shit were we excited! Unfortunately, there were speakers right behind the girl's mic, and we were right in front of it, so we didn't understand any vocals AT ALL. We had made friends with the pit photographers and we were all complaining about how Joy was good musically but we couldn't understand ANYTHING. Karrie went, "If those speakers stay on and I don't hear Michael, I'm gonna be pissed." Joy played about six or seven songs, they were really good, but they didn't play Silent Treatment, which is the only song of theirs I know. The singer, a girl, was so cute though, she had some British accent of sorts and she was so cute the only moments we understood her. She actually had a mini deer doll by her feet! Anyway, their set ended, and Karrie's shouts got one roadie to give her a set list, which she gave to the Joy couple.
Karrie and I were toasting to Passion Pit during the break, lols. Man, that was a huge bottle of wine. We had to go to the bathroom in turns. Karrie even offered wine to some girls behind us, who refused, because they turned out to be high schoolers. More wine for me, since Karrie was driving! Passion Pit (PP from now on) roadies were setting up the stage, thank god they removed the speakers that we hated. One roadie was wearing a PP jacket and his name Dusty over it so Karrie and I were shouting at him, "Go, Dusty!" and Karrie was hilarious, "You stroke that tape so well!" I saw Chad! Of course I know PP friends so I know Chad! So I screamed at him, "Hey, Chad!" and he looked and I waved. The photographers (they were only there for the first three songs) were chatting with us and they looked over at the set list and said Eyes As Candles was there and HOLY SHIT I COULDN'T GET IT TOGETHER ALREADY.
AND THEN...the lights dimmed, PASSION PIT CAME ON STAGE. MICHAEL WAS WEARING A BLAZER OVER HIS WHITE SHIRT, AND I LIKED HIS TIE. OH. MY. GOD. He was so bloody close I couldn't take it. Holy shit. And he was, "Hello, Los Angeles!" OH MY GOD HE'S REAL!!! Jeff's hair looked so good, Ian looked so stiff with his blazer, I was trying to catch Xander's eye he was so cute and Chris had a set of glass panels in front of his drums like what. OH MY GOD MICHAEL ANGELAKOS!!!
They started with Make Light, which was great because they didn't play that in Singapore. Then it was The Reeling, and it was so great screaming "OH NO! OH NO!" with all the Americans because no one had a camera and very few people had their phones out so it was just PEOPLE AND PASSION PIT. Then they played Carried Away, and Karrie and I were dancing like crazies because it was KARRIEd Away. And ooooooh holy shit It's Not My Fault I'm Happy!!! Hearing it was so much better this time because when they played this song in Singapore, I was like the only one who knew it and I don't know, PP made it better this time and people loved it, because they loved that song. Then it was Mirrored Sea, To Kingdom Come (SO BLOODY GOOD), and at Constant I just felt like crying singing back "OH OH OH, OH, OHHHHHHH!" because Michael was so close and he was throwing the mic at us and OH MY GOD!!! I think I was actually teary-eyed. I couldn't believe it was all happening again, that I was seeing Passion Pit again, this close.
When the synths for Cry Like A Ghost came on I scrambled to get my phone out to take a video of it OH MY GOD I'M HEARING CRY LIKE A GHOST LIVE LET ME CRY LIKE A GHOST BECAUSE I'M DEAD NOW. IT WAS SO GOOD. THEY WERE SO GOOD. OH GOD HELP ME HERE I GO AGAIN. But then after that I couldn't even catch my breath because Michael sat down in front of his keyboards and you know what that means?! EYES AS CANDLES NA NA NA NA NA NA HEY HEY HEY NA NA NA NA NA NA HEY HEY HEY NA NA NA NA NA NA HEY HEY OH MY GOD!!! SO MANY TEARS!!!
And did PP give me a break from so much emotions and jumping and screaming? NO, HELL NO! They played Where I Come From next AND I WAS SO STUPID I DIDN'T RECORD IT but OMG SO EMOTIONAL I FINALLY GOT TO HEAR IT LIVE HELP ME. Michael had a guitar and he was closing his eyes AND I JUST TOTALLY BROKE OH MY GOD. And Ian's solo, and Michael's "dancing" onstage, I was watching Xander's head bob, too, and Jeff's hand was on his chest, I WAS GONE HAHAHAHAHAHA. I THINK WE'LL BE ALL RIGHT? NO. I WANTED TO CURL UP IN A BALL.
I'll Be Alright was next when I wasn't even alright then it was time for a classic: EVERYBODY PUT YOUR HANDS UP LIKE THIS! I TOOK A WALK TAKE A WALK TAKE A WALK OHH OH OHHHHHHH!!! At the opening chords I saw Jeff take a photo of the crowd, god, I hope I end up on his blog or something because he hasn't posted it on Instagram. I think by Take A Walk I was already sweating in my PP sweatshirt but my legs were cold and we were already out of wine. Then Where We Belong came on and I just crumpled because I FOUND A PLACE WHERE WE BELONG IN GREEK THEATRE WITH PASSION PIT AND PP PEOPLE. The music was so good, oh god. Michael was throwing the mic stand already and HE BLOODY TOUCHED THE FREAKING TALL GIRL'S HAND NEXT TO US, THE FUCKING TALL HIGH SCHOOLER SHIT!!! Karrie and I were like, OHMYGOD HE TOUCHED YOU and she couldn't speak, I don't think she could breathe. Our hands couldn't even reach HER reach. AHHHHH SHIT.
The pit was crazy when Sleepyhead came on. And so was PP, god, Michael went wild. I just felt really in it, you know? The song, the music, PP, the people, the Greek, it was the best feeling. I was dancing to Sleepyhead under the stars in Los Angeles. LIKE STARS BURNING HOLES RIGHT THROUGH THE DARK? YOU WERE ONE INCH FROM THE EDGE OF THE STAGE, MICHAEL!!! I DRAG YOU BACK, A SLEEPYHEAAAAAAAAD!!!
Lols there was a moment when Michael almost tripped but it wasn't obvious but I saw it. If he had tripped he'd have landed near Karrie and I. I wish he tripped off the stage.
They left then but we screamed our hearts out for an encore and they came back out to play Moth's Wings OH MY GOOOOOOOOD. Well only some because I think the way they played Moth's Wings in Singapore was cuter, because Michael asked us to sing with him back then and this time it was just normal. But it was still great, and I was so happy they included it in their set list. Their last song was Little Secrets, and Karrie and I were mad dancing because we bought Higher Higher Higher Higher shirts and we were jumping HIGHER AND HIGHER AND HIGHER HIGHER TO LITTLE SECRETS. Michael was insane. You know his dance moves. God at some point he was kneeling onstage and I just. At a lot of moments I could see up his shirt and it was awkward because ohmygod I love you.
Well, that was it. I had died several times and come back to life and then wanted to die again.
Karrie and I were screaming for the roadies to give us set lists and DUSTY GAVE ME THE FIRST SET LIST HOLY SHIT. She got the last one, after much pleading. Karrie was amazing. Later, I smoked and people were gushing over the set list I'd gotten, it was so awesome. I got to talk to two girls who were PP fans but we also talked about Brandon Flowers LOL WHAT. Then Karrie and I met again by the buses, and we stood there for like half an hour hoping for PP to come out. I met Mandy, a PP homie from Twitter! After a long wait, Karrie and I went into the woods to peek into their buses but it was the other side and we couldn't see anything, so we went back. Then Karrie and I went to Joy's bus because Joy guitarist was smoking there and we bummed a smoke and we were smoking watching deers run around Griffith Park and OMG WHAT ANIMAL IS THAT? And then who arrived? Chad! He went to us to smoke and I was talking to him and he was like, "Were you the one who called me on stage?" YES!!! I asked him about Sal, and he said Sal wasn't with them tonight, so I gave him the dried mangoes. We talked a bit about the afterparty, he said they were about to go, I said I'll be there, YAY. Then he caught a car and he went to the buses and so after getting Joy's signature behind my PP set list, Karrie and I went back to the PP buses where there were few people and after another while, Karrie had to leave. LATER, just when I was thinking about going to the afterparty already, Xander was walking out!!! HOLY SHIT XANDER WITH HIS STRIPED SHIRT AND NICE PANTS AND BACKPACK!!!
I got him to sign my set list, and we talked a bit how great they were (me) and he was all "thank you" and omg I thought it was Phil who was with them so they had to correct me it was embarrassing but FUCK IT. Xander's smile was so adorable and HIS EYES. I took another photo with him and then I asked for a hug and I HUGGED XANDER SINGH XANDER SINGH HUGGED ME BIG HUGS FROM XANDER SINGH THAT NIGHT OH MY GOD HIS HEAD WAS RIGHT NEXT TO MINE HOLY FUCKING SHIT I'M DONE. I'M SO GONE. BUT HE WAS ALSO HUGGING ME OH MY GOD CAN WE JUST END THE WORLD RIGHT THEN AND THERE?!
I was shaking by the time we left, because they had to go to the afterparty and so we left to go too. I was just. Oh. Shit. Xander.
At the afterparty, outside of the club/bar, I first saw Chad, seems like they just got there as well. I said hi to him, when I realized I was standing right behind Ian. HOLY FUCKING SHIT IAN. But the bouncer stopped me from going in behind him because there was a line, so, bummed, I went in line with my brother and we waited. But later, Ian stepped out so I ran to him and he signed my set list and vinyl. Nearly an hour later, we finally got in the club, and Jeff was setting up his DJ booth things and so I parked myself at the bar behind him, sipping my drinks. I saw Xander again and called him, oh my god I am so bloody annoying but he smiled! XANDER'S SMILE. AND HIS BACKPACK. Then Ian was so close again and Sofia was also there and they were talking with their friends and one awkward moment arose so I approached Ian and asked if I could have a photo with him and he was so bloody nice he was all smiley and "thank you" god I wanted to hit them all because why are they thanking me THANK YOU SO MUCH PASSION PIT.
I actually sort of interrupted Jeff's DJ set to have him sign my set list, lol, but I couldn't take being in that club anymore especially since Xander and Ian already left and obviously Michael and Chris weren't there, those cat people.
There we go. Passion Pit.
OH OH TWO DAYS LATER XANDER INSTAGRAMMED SOMETHING IN THEIR BUS AND I SAW THE DRIED MANGOES THERE.
Please hold me.