So I just saw the much hyped about band Vampire Weekend at Music Hall of Williamsburg. The four former Columbia University grads students did not disappoint, as they ran through their songs with lightning speed, proficiency, and grace. [ED'S NOTE: Oxford comma added at reader's suggestion] The crowd, presumably heavily loaded with Columbia students, was crazy for them–shouting their individual names as soon as they hit the stage. The girl next to me giggled to her friends that she wanted to invite them all to Rosh Hashanah dinner and that the drummer in particular was fiiiiyyyynnnneee.

With every song came cheers from the crowd and an assortment of pogo-ing, hand waving, fist pumping and from one unfortunate soul, beer-spilling and b-boy dancing–complete with a visor worn cocked to the side. There was no need to shout “play the hits” because every single one of the Vampire Weekend’s tinny, reggae-infused numbers was treated exactly as if it were in fact “a hit.”

The lads were so excited about playing the sold out hometown gig that they had the “world premiere” of a new song called “Little Giant”. Watch my video of the performance:

All in all I was quite impressed with their set–they showed musical maturity and crowd control beyond their years, although I will say all the “smart-guy” math and literature references, as well as those songs talking about driving up and down the east coast (er… a song about Cape Cod, really?) border on high pretension, all in all I would recommend seeing them.