If you missed the band’s set at Outside Lands, they hope to return soon
New York band Vampire Weekend gave their first performance in the Bay Area since April 2013 on the Land’s End stage at San Francisco’s 2013 Outside Lands Music Festival.
Opening with a track from “Contra,” the band’s second album that debuted in 2010, Vampire Weekend got crowds moving to their electric beats and catchy indie vibe. While their stage set featured the colorful floral print background from their most recent album, “Modern Vampires of the City,” the band stayed true to the most popular songs that came from Contra like “Horchata” and “Cousins.” Based on crowd reactions to the performance, songs from “Contra” were more engaging than those that came from their newest album, which debuted in May 2013. This may be why the band chose to focus on tracks from “Contra” instead of “Modern Vampires of the City.”
Compared to the other main stage acts featured at Outside Lands, Vampire Weekend fit in seamlessly. Similar bands like Foals and Young the Giant also hit the Land’s End stage with a distinctly indie sound, making for a lineup appealing to the San Franciscan alternative music scene—a scene that draws many to the Outside Lands Music Festival every summer.
As a first time attendee of the music festival, I found their performance to be one of the most exciting acts at Outside Lands. Being a fan of their second album, I found the band’s decision to stick to their older music a wise one. The characteristically quick beats from “Contra” got crowds to move and sing along, which made for a contagious energy during their set.
The band’s lead singer, Ezra Koenig, mentioned that Vampire Weekend intends to return to San Francisco for a future tour. Given their stellar performance at Outside Lands, I hope they return to the Bay Area soon.
