Last Thursday, San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium was flooded with a barrage of synth-pop crazy. The night started off with the Swedish DJ duo Icona Pop. While they only got to use a corner of the stage, the duo warmed up the crowd with a brief but energetic set, closing with their bass-thumping single, “I Love It.”
The already lively crowd perked up even more when the ecstatic duo Matt & Kim jumped onto the stage. With tracks spanning their last three albums, the duo wrecked the crowd with tracks like the mosh pit inducing “Now” and their classic break out hit “Daylight.” The duo also threw in The Harlem Shake, “Move Bitch (Get Out The Way),” and a slew of other mini-mixes in between songs. A Matt & Kim show wouldn’t be complete though without a booty dance from Kim atop the hands of the crowd.
After the pop tunes and sex jokes, Passion Pit entered the stage with a bang with “I’ll Be Alright” immediately followed by their hit “The Reeling.” Unlike Matt & Kim, Passion Pit didn’t mince words much throughout the show other than a couple hellos and thank you’s. Each song was promptly followed by the next, with the illuminated spherical lamps moving and changing colors with each track.
The band managed to play most of their latest album Gossamer, while still mixing in a few songs from Manners. The crowd was mostly a blur of hands and joy-infused dancing from the beginning of the band’s set until “Little Secrets” closed down the night. With ears ringing and legs tired, the crowd traveled out of the auditorium with the infectious tracks of the evening resonating throughout the night.