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Vampire Weekend @ Meadow Brook Amphitheatre (Concert review by Anja S. and Robin W-S.)

Last Monday, Vampire Weekend returned triumphantly with the Cults to the Meadow Brook Amphitheatre in Rochester Hills. It’s been ten years since they took that very stage with the Cults as their opener. There’s just something about hearing the music that accompanied your adolescence live: it’s a callback to the emotions and circumstances of every past listen, and a tribute to every future play. The Monday night show was definitely stirring up emotions in the crowd. I spotted a middle-aged mom and her ten-year-old son in the row in front of me–her son’s first ever concert, and she was shouting aloud every lyric of every song. All the way up at the front of the pit, I kept catching a glimpse of my friend Mitch with his wide grin bathed in the blinding lights of the stage. As Vampire Weekend ages out of their college-era youthful prime, they too are reflecting on the past and their place in it in their new album, Only God was Above Us:

Who builds the future?

Do they care why?

I know you’re tired of tryin’

Listen clearly, you don’t have to try

Too old for dyin’ young

Too young to live alone

Sifting through centuries

For moments of your own

This was my first time at Meadow Brook, and the approach to the rather hidden venue through the woods while the Cults were striking up their first chords was an exciting experience. The Cults performed a mix of 80’s synth pop and Japanese Breakfast-like vocals which felt a bit out of place on a Monday night with the sun still out, but they definitely succeeded in getting the crowd settled and excited for the main show. Original members of Vampire Weekend (Ezra Koenig, Chris Baio, and Chris Tomson) came on stage just as the last of the day’s sunlight filtered through the trees by the amphitheater and kicked it off with the recognizable tones of “Oxford Comma.” After this opener, an entire full band including a second drummer, a saxophonist, and a multi-instrumentalist violinist and keys player were revealed from behind the drapes and the real show began.

Vampire Weekend full band on stage

Hits like “This Life,” “Campus,” “Walcott,” and “Holiday” were interspersed with material from their newest album. Although my favorite album, Father of the Bride, received little love at this concert, all of the picks from this previous album had long and extensive instrumental experimentation which was really fun to witness. A definite highlight of the show was a member of the touring crew coming out to dance emphatically on stage for a few moments during the song “Classical”. An ongoing tradition at Vampire Weekend shows is an encore where the band jams on stage to audience-requested songs. This time around, they gave a fair shot to tracks like Bowie’s “Young Americans” and Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.” These little moments are a true testament to the talented musicality of the band, which was evident the entire night.

 Ezra Koenig, Chris Baio, and a violinist battle it out on stage

Vampire Weekend has once again proven themselves to be more than an indie rock fad–each album continues to show their depth and ability to continue evolving. It was a great privilege to see them perform now over 15 years since they formed. Perhaps we’ll see them back at Meadow Brook with the Cults in another ten years!

*photo credits for the cover photo and the second photo in the review go to Mitchell Carter

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