photo credit: mlsnp

In Houston, the days leading up to Austin’s gigantic Austin City Limits Festival is known as the “ACL Runoff,” where bands traveling towards the “Music Capital of the World” take pity on poor Houstonians and pay them their dues: kind of like dropping in on your parent’s on your way to spring break in Cancun. All in one evening, Houston saw Local Natives, The Gaslight Anthem and Vampire Weekend headline separate venues, creating a veritable Sophie’s Choice for all of H-Town’s music loving hipsters. The scholarly boys of Vampire Weekend University had never once steeped foot upon Houston soil, to the point that we were beginning to wonder what kind of grudge they bore upon our fair city. Turns out, none, as they brought their preppy, boat shoe-wearing indie pop to a packed house at Houston’s Verizon Wireless Theater.

Hit the jump for the rest of the recap.

– sunbear

photo credit: josh brasted

Houston’s notorious nonchalance during opening band’s sets usually curse support bands, no matter the amount of talent. I’d completely expected a sea of texters and above-average volume chatty cathies as I arrived midway though opener Beach House’s set. I was more than surprised to find the whole of the Houston crowd captivated by singer Victoria Legrand’s lush, echoey voice. The sweeping “Zebra” from their recently released Teen Dream with it’s tinge of Fleetwood Mac, filled the vastness of the venue with its brooding but sweet tone, the cymbal’s crashing like waves on a… well, on a beach. All of Houston were actually well-behaved and entranced with the minimal, yet grand sound of Beach House, something I had not experienced since Explosions in the Sky at last year’s Summerfest. Closing a criminally short set with the haunting “10 Mile Stereo,” Beach House more than left their impression upon the awestruck concert goers, many of whom I saw purchasing Beach House paraphernalia after the show.

photo credit: mlsnp

The masters of juxtaposition that they are, the boyishly charming boys of Vampire Weekend sauntered onto stage to the musical cue of DJ Khaled’s “All I Do is Win.” Yeah, that song. Kicking abruptly into “White Sky,” I wondered how many of the young audience, most 25 and under and well within the criteria to designate them as “bros,” knew that beneath the jangle of the bouncy song was an Iraqi war protest. Actually, not that it mattered: veiled references and “grab a thesaurus” moments are Vampire Weekend’s specialty. I mean, who actually cares what “96-point Futura” font is?

photo credit: mlsnp

Another surprise of the night was when VW embarked upon a 4 song arc of songs from their self-titled album, to which everyone was ever the fan, singing along to every word, proving that despite their commercial appeal, VW fans have been there from the start, as die hard as they come. The only time it ever seemed to quiet down was during a Springsteen cover and “California English,” but who the hell can decipher the autotuned vocals of that song?

photo credit: mlsnp

The Vampy Weeks were on point, with a sort of refined energy about them. For what they lack in overall stage presence and moxie, they more than make up for in musicianship and precision. Multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij, who has contributed to everything from the Converse ads with Kid Cudi and Best Coast, to his absurdly lively side-project Discovery, honed in the band’s sound, acting as an on-stage producer, impeccably sequencing loops whilst playing keyboards and guitar. All the better, since frontman Ezra Koenig (with his floppy hair and darling face looking more and more like the cherubs of the Jonas Brothers) has let his guitar take a backseat on their newer material, allowing any sonic slack to be picked up with four on the floor beats and massed harmonies courtesy of Batmanglij.

photo credit: mlsnp

All in all it was a festive performance, filled to the brim with the good natured exuberance of indie music’s highfalutin set. No flashy gimmicks of stage props (a single banner that glows in the dark, wow wow wee waa!). Just the playfulness of the four men of Vampire Weekend doing what they do every show, having a good time playing confoundingly vocabularic afro-pop. Paul Simon would be proud.

—————————————

[SETLIST]

Holiday
White Sky
Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
I Stand Corrected
M79
Bryn
California English
Cousins
Taxi Cab
Run
A-Punk
One (Blake’s Got A New Face)
Going Down (Bruce Springsteen cover)
Diplomat’s Son
Giving Up the Gun
Campus
Oxford Comma

Encore:
Horchata
Mansard Roof
Walcott

—————————————