Vampire Weekend played 713 Music Hall for the fifth stop on the tour of their fifth album, “Only God Was Above Us.”
The crowd gathered as the opener, LA LOM, set up in front of a Vampire Weekend banner. The Los Angeles-based group known for their blend of Cumbia and Jazz gave guests a taste of classic romantic Latin tunes.
The stage was washed in red lights as they began playing, adding to the atmosphere of their smooth and energetic instrumentals. The set was a mix of original tracks like “Angels Point” and Cumbia covers such as “Llorar,” the latter being a crowd favorite as they danced along to the two-step beats.
Drummer Nicholas Baker played with a mix of sticks and hand percussion. Bassist Jake Faulkner brought out a double bass that provided a deeper sound and ballroom vibes. Guitarist Zac Sokolow strummed and plucked to his heart’s content, matching pace with Baker and Faulkner. Each performer had their moment for a solo; the audience reciprocated with cheers and in-sync claps. LA LOM closed out with a thank you to Houston and a warm welcome for Vampire Weekend.
Men in hi-viz suits set up equipment for the headliners as more people flooded in. While the crowd waited, they came together to belt out “Teenage Dirtbag” as it played from the speakers.
Vampire Weekend’s Lead Guitarist, Ezra Koenig, then walked on stage followed by Bassist Chris Baio and Drummer Chris Tomson. They settled into their instruments and instantly began rocking out with performances of “Holiday,” “Ice Cream Piano” and “Prep School Gangsters.” Their jam session led to a rising beat that then exploded into a reveal of the remaining tour members as the banner fell down to the sound of a roaring audience, and the visuals of strobing lights.
Colin Killalea made his way to the front to perform a funky Saxophone solo while Chris Baio hunched down and hopped around strumming riffs off the bass. Will Canzoneri, Garrett Ray and Ray Suen supported the energy in the room with Keys, Percussion and Violin respectively. Ariel Rechtshaid, the band’s producer, made a surprise appearance dancing to the group’s electric performance in the middle of the stage.
As their group explosion winded down, a new banner with a photo of Ariel watching the eclipse was unfurled. Ezra Koenig welcomed the audience to a new phase of the show, asking them for energy appropriate for a Thursday night. The crowd delivered as they roared and clapped for the performances of songs spanning Vampire Weekend’s entire discography.
The band flowed between the upbeat sounds of “Flower Moon” and “Sunflower,” and the slower notes of “Hannah Hunt” and “Hope,” with space for groovy tunes with their standout guitar solo transition from “Campus” to “Oxford Comma.”
Before the show closed out, Vampire Weekend covered verses from “Wonderwall” and “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” before finishing the show with “Walcott.”
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