Weekend on Wednesday
What is there left to say about Vampire Weekend that hasn’t already been said in Spin, Rolling Stone, the New York Times and other publications? By this point, their story is familiar: the quartet went to Columbia University together. They started playing music together in early 2006, and quickly picked up plenty of heat and a record contract.
In the various things I’ve read, the band seems hyper-articulate and contemplative, and straining for an advanced level of self-awareness. Here’s a sample from lead singer Ezra Koenig: “I’d taken a trip to India the year before and stopped in London for a few days on the way there. It got me thinking a lot about colonialism and the aesthetic connections between preppy culture and native cultures of places like Africa and India.” Pardon? The band’s own bio opens with a similar line about Koenig’s musings.
But, here’s the big revelation of last night’s performance at the Rock and Roll Hotel: Vampire Weekend was pretty low-key. They played their music. They played it well. They didn’t talk much to the crowd. But, they seemed glad to be there. They were on and off in roughly an hour.
The band has talked before about the various labels given to their sound. They were called “prep rock.” But, Koenig didn’t like that. According to the Times, they prefer “Upper West Side Soweto.”
The best—maybe only—shout-out of the night was to keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij’s family, who live in the area. Ah, I thought upon hearing that, so that explains the happy group of 50 to 60-something Middle-Eastern people near the stage.
After the show, I caught up with Batmanglij’s mother, who didn’t want to talk much, and father, who cheerfully said he didn’t want to talk at all. But, eventually, I met the keyboardist’s cousin, who said Batmanglij’s family is Iranian and that “half the people here are older Persian people,” she said.
Batmanglij went to the Potomac School in McLean. She called him “an artist” and said that his family always really encouraged him to pursue music. The support obviously showed at the venue, and apparently would later on as well, since the band was staying the night with Batmanglij’s family before journeying on to Philadelphia.
A couple more pics from the show below:
17 Responses to “Weekend on Wednesday”
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February 7th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
I’ve been hiding my true feelings from The Bag. I put them on Phawker instead. But now you can read them. See the comments section:
http://www.phawker.com/2008/02/07/hear-ye-vampire-weekend/
February 7th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Man, you went all Tourette’s on that band. Not a shock.
February 7th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Fuck.
February 8th, 2008 at 10:32 am
For the record, I’ve been hating Vampire Weekend since at least August of 2007, if not longer:
http://quinnchannel.typepad.com/tfh/2007/08/blogrock-is-as-.html
February 8th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Also: I’m thinking that a regular ol’ teaspoon is just fine for gouging out my eyeballs in a fit of disgust.
February 8th, 2008 at 10:34 am
For reasons I’m entirely tired of articulating, this band makes me want to die. And I love life.
February 8th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Oh, and Joe — it’s earholes with a spork.
February 8th, 2008 at 10:39 am
I was thinking about your “Not a shock” comment, Cherko.
What, it’s not a shock that I possess a deep, abiding fury about Vampire Weekend’s campaign of cultural death?
I’ll take it as a compliment.
February 8th, 2008 at 10:42 am
In other words, Joe, you keep it real. Is it a shock that I like the album?
February 8th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Casey: I would want to retain my ears, so as to be fully aware of Vampire Weekend’s evil presence at any time.
Gouging out my eyeballs would merely be self-inflicted punishment for not beginning my counterattack against the Vampire Infidels a lot sooner.
February 8th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Cherko: It is definitely a shock that you like the album. You generally can smell bullshit a mile away. I think the cloud of feces-fumes tainted your better judgment this time.
This evil knows no limits. Join me and we will defeat them.
February 8th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Don’t think these guys are bullshit (the hype is), but the songs don’t feel all the way baked. Perhaps bloggers heard an arpeggio and mistook it for a miracle.
February 8th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I, Warminsky, will join your quest–albeit for the reasons I’ve already stated rather than because I share your unholy hatred.
February 8th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
How is my hatred unholy? The blade of righteousness cuts cleanly against the cardigans of the infidels.
February 9th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Because hatred makes Baby Jesus cry.
February 11th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
You know I’m in league with Satan
And you know there can be no debatin’
I’m on a hellbound trail
Born with a tail
February 15th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
I like them. They are cute and smart. Their music is quite enjoyable and fun to laugh at the lower classes too. I like Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa. They mention Louis Vatton and..Bennton and rhyme it with sandy lawn. There are lots of sandy lawns on Cape Cod. Perhaps you can work cleaning my house there some day and you will see! Everyone needs an irrigation system who wants to stand outside with a hose all day? Unless it is attached to Ezra Koenig.