On Dec. 2, the 9:30 Club in D.C. welcomed Vampire Weekend to its second sold-out show. As they near the end of their tour, the question was whether or not they would live up to all the hype. Honestly, the guys don’t exactly look like a band that would sell out two nights in D.C. At first glance, Vampire Weekend looks like of group of nerdy younger brothers, pretending to be a band.
As these New York indie-rockers took the stage, they all looked pretty dorky with the exception of almost artsy keyboardist Rostam. The young guys were dressed in button downs with jeans, looking like your typical preppy rockers straight out of high school. But, 30 seconds into their set it is easy to tell that these guys know how to play music. With a confidence and tightness rarely seen by a band with only a debut album under their belt, Vampire Weekend isn’t shy about their music.
Their set, however, was barely over an hour and boasted of little new music. Essentially they just played the music straight off their CD like a pop band from the 90s. The 9:30 crowd, filled to the brim with high school boys and a few of their girlfriends, still seemed impressed. This may have played to their advantage though because of their yet undeveloped repertoire of songs, fans are able to hear nearly all of their favorites; a set list that makes it nearly impossible to stand still.
So what exactly, has made these guys so successful so quickly? Well to start off, lead man Ezra Koenig is wonderfully interactive and engaging; creating an intimate live experience that leaves you feeling like you’re at a party listening to your friends. Plus the songs are all catchy and draw you in with the first beat. The guys Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij, Chris Tomson, and Chris Baio are all ridiculously talented and bring a unique flavor to the band.
So, don’t let the boat shoes and sweaters fool you, Vampire Weekend is a wonderfully entertaining live act with a knack for humor and comfort ability with playing music together. Vampire Weekend is one of the few bands out their with a unique style. So keep an eye out for their new music and check out http://www.vampireweekend.com/ for more information.
