Dylan Novacek
Last updated on August 17th, 2024 at 09:58 am
Beloved indie rock group Vampire Weekend sold out a two night run at the Armory in Minneapolis. Touring behind their fifth studio album ‘Only God Was Above Us’, Ezra Koenig and company delivered a quintessential summer concert.
With their trademark quirk, the band performed an over two hour long set featuring fan favorite songs, their best and latest hits, along with some surprising covers and mashups. Changing up the setlist each night, the pair of shows had unique identities.
Despite changing it up a bit each night, there are a few defining traits of every Vampire Weekend show.
English Major Rock
Vampire Weekend fans are nerdy people by nature. I am certain a majority of fans in the audience either had a B.A. in English or a Masters Degree.
From their clever lyricism to strong opinions on the Oxford Comma, you can always expect a Vampire Weekend show to get you thinking and dancing.
Local Nods
The band loves to pay tribute to the cities they visit. Back in 2019 they brought up Sweet Martha of Sweet Martha Cookies to the stage. There was a nod to her once again with a cover of Beatles song ‘Martha My Dear’. Additionally, signature Prince and Bob Dylan covers were performed.
Incredible Musicianship
You are guaranteed to see some world class musicianship at a Vampire Weekend show. Whether it is electrifying violin solos, sick bass lines, or excellent drumming – the group are modern composers of some of the most unique songs you’ll ever hear.
Frontman Ezra Koenig has defined the indie music scene since Vampire Weekend’s 2008 debut. Over the years, Koenig has grown as a vocalist, a songwriter, and a frontman. Seeing him and his bandmates makes for one of the best performances you’ll see this year.
Opening for Vampire Weekend was Ra Ra Riot, who did an excellent job setting the tone for the night.
For me, the highlights of the show came when they played tracks off their 2019 album ‘Father of the Bride’, an album which earned the group their second Grammy in 2020. Since seeing them live in 2019, I’ve listened to FOTB multiple times over and it stands as my favorite record of theirs. I was thrilled to hear so many songs from that album in a row.
The setlist was incredibly well structured. For every deep cut played, 2-3 certified crowd pleasers would likely follow. I found myself consistently engaged throughout the show.
Although their latest release has struggled on the Billboard Charts, I feel that Vampire Weekend has grown beyond the need for accolades and high sales. They have an incredibly loyal following, and are making the music they love to play. It was clear through their two night stay in Minneapolis that nothing will slow them down.
Overall, it was a perfect summer night of phenomenal indie rock at the Armory.
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