BPD member Biglips checks in:
New York City's Vampire Weekend made a perfect blend of afropop, dub, reggae and indie rock.
Despite more frenetic tracks such as Walcott and the hit A-Punk, the vibe was laid-back. There was the odd crowd surfer and the usual fist-pumpers and dorks among fans near the front, but for the most part the audience was happy to just gently groove and sway along to even the most upbeat of Vampire Weekend songs.
The band kicked off with White Sky from its recently released sophomore record, Contra.
Singer Ezra Koenig's vocals lolled and rolled atop African soukous-style guitar work, orchestral keyboard layers and rhythmic beats, all magnificently arranged into a nice, neat, danceable package.
All four members of Vampire Weekend are exceptional players, but drummer Chris Tomson was great. I'm not sure these songs would pack as much of a punch without his well-honed playing style.
As a frontman Koenig doesn't set the stage on fire, but, to his credit, he also doesn't spend much time making lame banter preferring to let the music take centre stage.
It's hard to believe these Ivy Leaguesters can produce such intricate sounds that transcend so many genres.
I'd never seen a show from the back before. It's amazing and I recommend it to anyone who hasn't. I'll be requesting more passes real soon.
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