Vampire Weekend Plays First Fayetteville Show

For one night only, Fayetteville’s going East Coast. On Sept. 25., Vampire Weekend will be at the Arkansas Music Pavillion. Gates open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at and are $36.50 in advance or $40 the day of the show.

Vampire Weekend’s prep pop sound is a product of the band’s Ivy League roots, hailing from New York City via Columbia University. Ezra Koenig is the band’s frontman, with guitarist Rostam Batmanglij, drummer Chris Tomson and bassist Chris Baio rounding out the lineup.

The group played together in college, but didn’t start touring until after all graduating in 2006. According to a 2008 interview with Artist Direct, no one wanted to find a day job, so Vampire Weekend was born.

The band’s 2008 eponymous debut was a huge independent success. The band’s chamber pop sound and smart references were well received by both critics and music fans. No other other band can sing of Pakistan’s Khyber Pass and a point of grammatical contention like the Oxford Comma in the same album. They even used a harpsichord in the recording.

Vampire Weekend’s first album was just plain fun, and they somehow ditch the pretensions of life on Cape Cod. “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” has all the fun of a “Graceland” era Paul Simon, and “A-Punk” and “Oxford Comma” are great examples of the band’s sophisticated, smart sound.

Many critics called 2010’s “Contra” a sophomore slump, but several songs on the album are up to the standards of the debut. “California English” and “Giving Up The Gun” are fast and fun, while “Diplomat’s Son” and “Horchata” keep with the unique Afro-Caribbean tone. Taken as a whole, the album is less impressive than the first. The band’s third release more than made the difference up to fans.

“Modern Vampires of the City” was released in the summer of 2013, and received much of the same praise as the band’s debut. Moreover, the band added extra dimensions to it’s sound. The lyrics are about more than the blue-blood life.

“Diane Young” is danceable, and Koenig’s vocals are more interesting than ever before. “Step” keeps with the harpsichord vibe, but again adds a complexity to the vocals. “Everlasting Arms” and “Unbelievers” also deserve a listen and “Ya Hey” may be one of the catchiest songs about Judaism ever recorded.

“Modern Vampires of the City” is an impressive album, and Vampire Weekend’s first stop in Fayetteville should not be missed. Their body of work is a rare example of an indie band creating hype and sustaining it into an accomplished musical career. It’s going to be quite the garden party at the AMP.