GIG REVIEW: Vampire Weekend
- Posted on February 26, 2008 5:14 PM
- 0 comments
Vampire Weekend
University of London Union
21 February 2008
Review by Joanne Conlon
Vampires Burn Down the House…
Staff at London’s ULU last night might have wondered quite what they were in for when the 800 or so crowd from the sold out venue were emptied into the street 40 minutes into Vampire Weekend’s rippling set, showcasing their recently released, self titled debut.
Launching the set list with album opener Mansard Roof, the preppy Columbia graduates hailing from NYC stormed into their perfectly crafted, sharp and surfy sound of angular guitars, wildly melodic keyboards and tales of the American coast.
After pounding out a majority of the record which involved audience shout-backs during One (Blake’s got a new face), the hugely catchy single A-Punk, and an ‘NY doesn’t love you’ t-shirt thrown into the mix, the show came to an abrupt and confusing halt midway through the Police-esque Kids Don’t Stand a Chance; Then took place the laziest evacuation I’ve ever seen. One low-key fire alarm and half an hour later, the mild tempered crowd tumbled back up the stairs as the show resumed. We were even treated to a cover of Tom Petty’s American Girl, a new yet-to-be-named song and the rest of Kids Don’t Stand a Chance for our inconvenience.
Beyond ULU’s curfew, front man Ezra Koenig announced ‘We literally only have one song left in the Vampire Weekend canon…This is for anyone who’s ever wanted to leave…a cape’ as the band burst into the exhilarating chords of the aforementioned Walcott, it’s uplifting melody and theme of youthful abandonment making it the perfect closing number for a thrilling and impressive show. This Vampire’s bite, without a doubt, will leave you wanting more.
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