re: Pitchfork’s Rite Of Passion(read here)

One of the most powerful moments of my life was during a conversation I had with Michael Angelakos of Passion Pit. It is a moment I constantly revisit. It is a consistent reminder of why music is the central part of my life, and why I believe it is such a powerful means of communicating.

In the summer of 2009, I underwent a series of surgeries and radiation treatments in light of being diagnosed with thyroid cancer. A particularly difficult part of this process was the time I spent in isolation after being given a dose of radioactive iodine. I spent several days in my room, unable to leave or have my friends or family come within a certain number of feet of me. My mom would leave my dinner on a plate in front of my bedroom door, the family dog wasn’t even allowed in. I spent those days watching a handful of the same DVDs on repeat, and listening to one album on repeat, Passion Pit’s Manners. “And now I’ve hit the mark, stabbing at the dark/ And I cannot help but ignore the people staring at my scars,” resonated in a very literal way, a noticeable u-shape below where my thyroid used to be.

One night during my radiation therapy, I got up and standing in front of my computer as “To Kingdom Come” played. I remember thinking, “This is going to be really good live.” If there ever was a reason to get through a tough time, it was definitely to see a hypothetical concert of a band you like.

In September of 2010, Passion Pit played Syracuse’s fall concert Juice Jam. I had been quick to tell the people who booked the show how much this concert meant to me, not offering up many details, but giving them the general premise of my experience with the band’s music. They had told Michael Angelakos about this when they arrived to play the show. I was later told he had asked to meet me. At the end of Passion Pit’s set, two friends who were working the concert pulled me into the VIP section.

The moment he made eye contact with me, I started crying – admittedly, not the most attractive way to first meet someone you admire. But he started crying, which made me feel only slightly less embarrassed, and he hugged me. Though I don’t remember exactly what I said, I do remember insisting how incredibly important his music was to me, what it represented. He answered this by telling me about how the album was about his battle with bipolar disorder. Knowing that this music was about something so close to me, and I had connected to it so strongly without an inkling of what it was actually about is really amazing, I think. It continues to be one of the primary reasons I want to pursue a career in the music industry.  

At any rate, this article is really amazing. It’s so incredible to learn more about the new album, and the meaning behind the songs. Enjoy.