Vampire Weekend @ Bowery Ballroom, Jan. 29, 2008
(via)
amNewYork's Max Dickstein with a concert report:
Bowery Ballroom was filled to the gills for Vampire Weekend’s record release
concert late last night.
“It’s really a pleasure to play these songs in New York City — the city
where they were conceived, and midwifed,” said lead singer Ezra Koenig,
tuning his oversized guitar during a buzzing pause between short, crisp
run-throughs of a small and pleasing collection of happy tunes.
Near the lip of the elevated stage, the crowd’s arms rose higher and waved
more furiously with each fresh, two-to-three-minute blast of a new favorite
ditty. Everywhere were girls in dark winter clothing and bearded white guys
with messenger bags.
The show, coinciding with the band’s self-titled debut album, out this week,
felt less like the start of something than the middle of a multi-city tour.
That’s because Vampire Weekend’s MySpace uploads, critical success and
aggressive schedule of concert-opening performances (for the New
Pornographers, and next, the Shins) has helped the band gather admirers of
its 11-song catalog for over a year.
Indeed, the first chords of several songs last night touched off a
chatter of recognition in the darkness of the audience.
The band projected unreserved enjoyment of their task of entertainment.
It was a happy night.
Max, www.amny.com
