The Joy Formidable Get a Boost from Passion Pit

Posted on Jun 21st 2010 4:00PM by Kenneth Partridge
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The Joy Formidable know full well the benefits of the buddy system. Back in January, the Welsh trio kicked off its inaugural US tour with two nights at New York City's Terminal 5, where it opened for its good pals in Passion Pit. On the strength of those shows, the band staged successful headlining gigs in Brooklyn and Manhattan, capping its trip with two sold-out performances.

"It definitely feels like they've been very good to us, in terms of that introduction," singer and guitarist Ritzy Bryan tells Spinner, acknowledging her band's debt to Passion Pit.

The Terminal 5 dates weren't the first the Joy Formidable had played with the Massachusetts electro-pop outfit. Last fall, the two teamed up for a UK tour, bonding over a fondness for each other's music.

"We'd been listening to [Passion Pit's 2008 EP] 'Chunk of Change' constantly in our band, and it seemed like they'd been doing the same thing with [our debut, 'A Balloon Called Moaning],' Bryan says. "It was kind of nice. It felt like the right way to come together and play shows. It was based on equal musical appreciation, rather than someone trying to put two bands together. They're such easy touring companions, and they're great guys. We were very fond of them."

The goodwill didn't stop there. Last month, Passion Pit keyboardist Ayad Al Adhamy made 'A Balloon Called Moaning,' which had been available in the UK since February 2009, the first release on his Black Bell label. In a statement to the press, Al Adhamy praised the Joy Formidable's "loud guitars, epic drums and dense textures with lush pop vocals and melodies."

"We did the Terminal 5 shows, so our paths kept crossing, and the more you see someone, the closer you get," Bryan says, explaining how the partnership came about. "[Adhamy] said, 'Would you fancy putting the EP through?' We were delighted, because it was kind of an excuse to spend some more time with those guys."