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Vampire Weekend at The Earl
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Vampire Weekend — one of the fastest-rising, freshest bands around — took the stage at The Earl in East Atlanta Sunday night, and one woman in her 20s near the stage said softly, “They’re, like, 12.”
Actually the four members of Vampire Weekend are 23 and 24, just out of Columbia University in New York, where they were playing frat parties not long ago. With one self-made CD and a boost from the indie music blogosphere, they have blown up at what Spin magazine calls “the new speed of buzz,” in its March cover story that annointed them “The Year’s Best New Band.”
That cover led to a last-minute booking on “Saturday Night Live” and then straight to Atlanta to open their national tour as opening act for the Walkmen at the small but hip club, the kind of place where everyone clustered around the stage sports an iPhone, Chuck Taylors or both.
For the uninitiated, Vampire Weekend’s music is much friendlier than their name would imply. Their debut CD is filled with jangly African guitar rhythms coupled with a driving beat, insanely catchy melodies and clever lyrics about college life and growing up privileged. They’re like Paul Simon’s talented kids remixing “Graceland.”
“When the show was first announced in January, they weren’t that big at all,” said Crystal Rodgers, a barista in Virginia-Highland, who staked out a spot right in front of the tiny stage. “Now they’re everywhere. Their music instantly puts you in a good mood.”
Jordan Parker of Vinings was one of several fans who didn’t care about the headliners, just the opening act. “I don’t even know who the Walkmen are,” he said. “I’m just here for Vampire Weekend. You get such a better experience up close with just a few hundred people. They’ll never do a club like this again.”
Even though it’s unusual to be on “SNL” one night and an opening act in a bar’s back room the next, the band seemed to enjoy themselves immensely. Lead singer Ezra Koenig wore a navy cardigan with a duck motif, the kind of sweater your dad would wear; he’s working out some kind of anti-rock star persona, and he’s so sweet and eager to please that it’s a blast to watch. Rubber-kneed, he bounced on tiptoes for the high notes in “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa.” The set closer, “Oxford Comma,” which sounds a little like the old folk tune “Wimoweh” re-written by an English major, had all four Vampires shouting along.
For now they’re unspoiled and only on the radar of a select few. “It’ll be interesting,” said Rodgers, “to see what happens when the kids and MTV find out about ‘em.”
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By rocker
March 10, 2008 8:13 AM | Link to this
After seeing them on SNL I think I’ll let this concert just go on by (in other words I wasn’t impressed).
By Cujo Bendy
March 10, 2008 11:34 AM | Link to this
Vampire Weekend is truly awesome, but so is Capibara…
Myspace.com/weareCapibara
By ed
March 10, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this
The show was sold out when i started looking for tix at the beginning of February. Come back!
By Ben Thorton
March 10, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this
Yeah VW was perfect, oh and I just listen to that band Capibara that left a BS plug for themselves and well they are pretty good too, wow who would have thought, usually bands do that crap p** me off but they are pretty original. It’s nice to hear a local band that doesn’t sound like butch walker or the black lips, that’s what everyone is doing around here these days :)
Ben
By Ben Thorton
March 10, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this
Yeah VW was perfect, oh and I just listen to that band Capibara that left a BS plug for themselves and well they are pretty good too, wow who would have thought, usually bands do that crap p** me off but they are pretty original. It’s nice to hear a local band that doesn’t sound like butch walker or the black lips, that’s what everyone is doing around here these days :)
Ben
By Ben Thorton
March 10, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this
Yeah VW was perfect, oh and I just listen to that band Capibara that left a BS plug for themselves and well they are pretty good too, wow who would have thought, usually bands do that crap p** me off but they are pretty original. It’s nice to hear a local band that doesn’t sound like butch walker or the black lips, that’s what everyone is doing around here these days :)
Ben
By Ben Thorton
March 10, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this
Yeah VW was perfect, oh and I just listen to that band Capibara that left a BS plug for themselves and well they are pretty good too, wow who would have thought, usually bands do that crap p** me off but they are pretty original. It’s nice to hear a local band that doesn’t sound like butch walker or the black lips, that’s what everyone is doing around here these days :)
Ben
By Ben Thorton
March 10, 2008 12:35 PM | Link to this
Yeah VW was perfect, oh and I just listen to that band Capibara that left a BS plug for themselves and well they are pretty good too, wow who would have thought, usually bands do that crap p** me off but they are pretty original. It’s nice to hear a local band that doesn’t sound like butch walker or the black lips, that’s what everyone is doing around here these days :)
Ben
By matlanta
March 10, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this
rocker,
saturday night live’s production these days doesn’t really let any artists have a good show, i wouldn’t base any judgement on an snl performance alone.
By Eason
March 10, 2008 2:16 PM | Link to this
the next vw… out of Austin.
www.myspace.com/wwwmyspacecomcheetofool
By Ricky Fitts
March 10, 2008 6:41 PM | Link to this
holy s**…who is cheeto fool?
By Ben Thorton
March 11, 2008 11:10 AM | Link to this
why did it post my comment 5 f*** times?