10.29.08
It’s not for the cock, it’s something for the weekend
Vampire Weekend/Wild Beasts/El Guincho @ The Kentish Town Forum, London 25 October
The rise and rise of Vampire Weekend has been a thing of wonder: last year they were swimming about in the peripheries of the music press and then, suddenly, BAM!- it’s customary for radio DJs to play at least one of their songs each hour and they’re on every British festival this summer inciting chirpy sing alongs all the way from a rainy Pyramid Stage performance to a triumphant, sweaty Leeds festival set. Whereas some bands (a certain multi-racial five piece from Florida spring to mind) received a hell of a roar in the hype department of the NME office but eventually only delivered a whimper, Vampire Weekend have consistently come up with the goods. After the festival season undoubtedly won them numerous fans, tonight the question is whether Vampire Weekend can cope in the spotlight in their own right headlining three sold out nights in a row at the Forum.
First on though is El Guincho who, despite the early hour of his slot, transports this lavish venue to the streets of Barcelona for a fully formed sound of celebration and carnival. As he wails out his joyful Spanish over the colourful keys, a smile is brought to the face of all those lucky enough to catch the set. El Guincho’s tropical rhythms and simplistic, sun kissed beats are the perfect supplement to Vampire Weekend and get everyone in just the right mood.
Next on are the Leeds based quartet Wild Beasts who’s recent debut album Limbo Panto received a fair amount of positive press. Unfortunately, they do not live up to previous expectations. The sound quality sounds, in all honesty, completely guff, which means all we can hear is a dull thud where the guitar/piano should be and a shrill yell of what, on record, is Hayden Thorpe’s interesting falsetto. Disappointing at best.
Finally the time has come for the headliners to take the stage. New Yorkers, Vampire Weekend stroll on in their usual attire suggesting wealth and sophistication and receive an almighty response from the crowd. Without dilly dallying around, they rip straight into “Mansard Roof” which, needless to say, gets everyone in the mood instantly.
One early highlight is the fantastic “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” which, during the chorus, the lights go up to reveal the sea of heads smiling and shouting the words back at the band. Similarly, a great occasion of call and response takes place during “One” with the band, and then the audience, happily shouting the lyric “Blake’s got a new face!”- a simple yet effective game learnt and honed in during Vampire Weekend’s many festival appearances this year.
Their Soweto, worldly and African influences may be a constant talking point, but it really displays their talent as a band with real unique qualities. Half way through the set, a string quartet come on to play a handful of songs with the band and, even though this sort of pompous behaviour can often make you want to stab yourself in the eye, it actually work magnificently here. Nothing compliments songs like “M79” like the short blasts of classical instruments.
Throughout the set, singer Ezra Koenig is everything we’ve come to love and expect of him. Charming, faux shy and yet charismatic; In many ways, he carries the band single handedly- whether he’s doing his jerky, awkward dancing or flitting between singing softly and belting out his lyrics in an unusually forceful manner, he is almost always the main point of attention on stage.
After the encore, the band come on and end with a storming rendition of “Walcott” which, strangely, is the perfect song to end with. Like their set as a whole, it is triumphant and glorious and is met with a big room full of silly grins. Despite the fact that they only have one fairly short album to their name- the set is neither overstretched with filler or far too short for a headline slot but is just the perfect length to make the most perfect pop gig. No matter what your opinion on Vampire Weekend, you really must agree (however begrudgingly) that they are completely, utterly charming and have proven their worth tonight as one of the biggest bands to emerge this year.
Oxford Comma (Daytrotter Session)
http://www.myspace.com/vampireweekend
http://www.myspace.com/elguincho
Princess said,
November 1, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Sounds like a near perfect bill, shame about Wild Beasts though.