Vampire Weekend have quickly gotten to be such a big deal that you need a three-day pass and binoculars to see them. The calypso-grooving Columbia grads’ summer plans include All Points West, Lollapalooza and Ibiza Rocks. That’s why last night’s Happy Ending performance at Joe’s Pub was a serious can’t-miss.
Vampire Weekend accompanied three authors — Wells Tower, John Wray and Arthur Phillips — all of whom read from their work. John Wray, who wrote a novel called Lowboy about a sixteen-year old paranoid schizophrenic who believes that only he can save the world, was the most Buzzworthy of the bunch, if that makes sense.
Exciting as all that was, the night’s highlights all came from Vampire Weekend, who tweaked their big singles (”Oxford Comma,” “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa,” etc.) just enough to make them sound totally new. The theme of the event was “risks,” and VW took a major one by closing with a cover of Tom Petty’s “Walls,” sung over a wide-smiling piano riff borrowed from Arcade Fire’s “Rebellion (Lies).” It paid off big time. By the first chorus, the whole place was singing along.
Wish you coulda been there. Maybe you would’ve gotten nicer photos than I did :-/. Next time! Watch Vampire Weekend’s “Mansard Roof” below and get a better look at a great night, after the jump.
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