Vampire Weekend are one of the buzz bands of 2008. They have exploded from the obscurity of their collegiate days at Columbia University and have announced themselves as a fresh sound in the current indie scene. In spite of the praise directed at their self-titled debut and that they were playing a sold out show, I was shocked to see the amount of people present at the Prince of Wales on Wednesday evening. More surprising was the diversity of the said crowd. Surrounding me were a group of over 40’s, who were standing next to a couple in their late 20’s and further across were the expected 19, 20, 21 year olds. Having arrived late, this eclectic crowd had settled into the lively set of the night’s only supporting act, locals Little Red.
Being a Melburnian and a music lover, it seems that I have been hiding under a rock for the past few years, for this was my first glimpse of the rising Melbourne band. With their recycled suits and guitars in hand, it would be easy to think they would sound like the quintessential Ding Dong playing, Melbourne rock band. Instead you are greeted with a mix of indie rock and Beach Boys inspired vocals, coupled with an infectious on-stage energy. The boys never seem comfortable in one spot and are continually changing positions, swapping singers and walking around. They, particularly the always-smiling drummer Taka Honda, seem to love performing live. At times it seems that Rock n’ Roll found these unsuspecting guys, who can’t believe their luck and are throwing everything they have at this “music thing”. With that said, they are really good at what they do. They have a refreshing sound, with the harmonies, background vocals and continual swapping of lead singing duties, providing excitement and difference, setting them apart from the usual Melbourne rock band. Their finale, Coca Cola, epitomised what they are all about, with all the boys singing their respective vocals with gusto, trying to draw involvement from the crowd. This saw Honda standing on his drums indicating to the punters to clap along. Currently touring to support the release of their new album Listen to Little Red, it would be foolish for anyone to miss these boys play.
With the anticipation in the crowd building, Vampire Weekend eventually hit the stage to a thunderous reception. It did not take them long to win their audience over, opening with Mansard Roof, seeing the crowd screaming out the entire song. It was with this that got the gig off to an excellent start. After the more modest Campus, the band stepped things up to another level with Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, yet another beloved track. This really got the crowd going. The chorus just tore the roof off of Prince, with the crowd rapturous at their chance to ask “Is your bed made?”. Things continued at a steady rate for another two songs until the highlight of the night, A-Punk. This saw the crowd really explode, and what was so great was when they did, the band responded. Lead singer Ezra Koenig has so much enthusiasm and gave this performance his all. Every time the crowd burst into song, it seemed to give him that little extra kick. Consequently, the rest of the band would follow suit and the energy of the performance would increase that little bit more. At times, this energy did not last, and the set had some low points. But usually, things were picked up again when another crowd favourite was played and a sing-a-long resulted. This was the case with the final two songs of the night Oxford Comma and the encore, Walcott. Once again the crowd were deafening, which was matched by the passion and gusto of the band. They continued to up their effort right until the very end, resulting in sweat covering Koenig, drummer Chris Tomson and bassist Chris Baio, as they walked off stage.
What is unique about Vampire Weekend is that they possess an air of intelligence that is so often rare in performers. It is through Koenig that this really is apparent. He is a really charismatic performer, conversing with the crowd, never too deep, but enough to win everyone over. Their music also displays a higher level of intellect. Though the words are not quite profound, their arrangements are really distinctive and are what draw in the diverse crowd. Unfortunately, some of the arrangements of the songs did not sound as good live, with M79, being a real let down without the eminence of the strings. But generally, their recordings were taken to a whole new level when performed live.
Vampire Weekend’s album is quite low-key, but live, the songs are filled with excitement and fervour, leaving you with a sense of joy and positivity that their recordings do not produce. With only one release under their belts, it will be interesting to watch the path these boys take. After such a prominent debut, their sophomore effort will be one of the more anticipated releases of the next few years. For most it will be awaited for the new material, while for others, it will hopefully invoke another tour and another chance to witness such an enjoyable performance.
