On the first of two sold-out nights at the iconic Brixton Academy, New York indie giants Vampire Weekend delivered a masterclass in endurance, evident in both the timelessness of their music and the astounding two hour and twenty minute performance.
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Vampire Weekend @ Brixton Academy (Abigail Shii)
Liverpool legends China Crisis opened the night, with a captivating set; their polished synthpop sound and melodic hooks transported the audience back to the heyday of 80s new wave, providing a graceful contrast to the set ahead.
As the lights dimmed and the crowd roared, Vampire Weekend kicked things off with the instantly recognisable Oxford Comma and proceeded to breeze through fan favourites such as Campus, Diane Young, and Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa. Frontman Ezra Koenig stood confidently against the deceptively simple backdrop featuring the band’s logo, flanked by bassist Chris Baio and drummer Chris Tomson.
The opening track from their fifth studio album Only God Was Above Us, Ice Cream Piano, began with the Chrises disappearing to leave Koenig playing solo until a dramatic curtain drop promptly cleared by workers in high-vis jackets and hard hats revealed an elaborate stage setup with more instruments and more musicians (and the Chrises).
The setlist itself was a journey through Vampire Weekend’s evolution, from the likes of the anthemic A-Punk and sparkling White Sky to 2019’s Harmony Hall and This Life, with a healthy dose of newer tracks such as Classical, Connect, and Gen-X Cops. The set closed with Hope, as one by one, each band member put down their instruments and left the stage.
But it was the encore that truly pushed the night into unforgettable territory. “We used to take Vampire Weekend requests, but that got too easy,” Koenig quipped, inviting the audience to suggest anything but their own tracks. True to his word, a delightful string of attempted covers followed, including Dire Straits’ Sultans Of Swing, Bonnie Tyler classic “powder keg” Total Eclipse Of The Heart, and Rod Stewart’s Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?, as well as Ritchie Valens’ La Bamba.
Fourteen years and a staggering fourteen covers later, Vampire Weekend’s spectacular return to the Brixton Academy ended with Worship You and the poignant Ya Hey. Winter’s cold may be too much to handle, but with their seamless blend of intellectual lyricism and infectious melodies, the band proved they could weather any musical storm.
Live review of Vampire Weekend at the O2 Academy Brixton, London by Abigail Shii on 10th December 2024.
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