Concert Review: Vampire Weekend at In The Venue | Buzz Blog
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Friday, September 3, 2010

Music / Culture

Concert Review: Vampire Weekend at In The Venue

Posted By on September 3, 2010, 12:37 PM

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The line was epically long, and fans waited what seemed like hours to get in.  However they quickly forgot and flashed their pearly whites in welcoming smiles when Vampire Weekend finally took the stage at In The Venue Thursday night.---

These days fantasy is a very prominent theme in our pop culture, as witnessed by the success of series like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and most recently the Twilight saga. (Ironically enough, Vampire Weekend were featured on Eclipse's soundtrack). It would make sense then to name your band after a mythical creature that drinks blood and draws teenage girls in like flies. Although, on this particular night, the venue was a melting pot of both genders and all ages.

The New York natives experienced almost over-night success when they signed with XL Records and their first self-titled album came out in 2008. They climbed even further on the popularity ladder when their second album Contra was released earlier this year. While a good portion of indie groups like MGMT are experimenting with their sound, Vampire Weekend kept it simple and stayed true to their own.

In the true tradition of bands promoting new albums, most of the songs played were from Contra.  The band opened with “Holiday,” and closed with “Horchata.” However, fans of the older album weren’t disappointed. Singles like “A-Punk” and “Oxford Comma” were subtle surprises mixed in throughout the hour-long set list.

Lead singer Ezra Koenig strummed his guitar and moved his feet across the stage floor in a virtually tireless rhythm. In fact, the band exuded an energy and enthusiasm that was quite infectious. Fans fervently danced and sang along to almost every song. Vampire Weekend has a very upbeat surf quality to their music that will leave you longing for sunny California beaches and an ice cold beer. (Or maybe, in this case, the shade and something suspiciously red)

If you missed this decidedly delicious treat, Vampire Weekend will be on tour in the U.S. throughout the rest of fall and winter.

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