Alexandra Palace, LondonNew York’s finest uptight post-punk rockers display some new-found
California sensibilities in a show happy to have a bit of dumb fun
For such an intricate band, Vampire Weekend know well the power of simple joys. During the encore, at the end of 26 songs played over nearly two hours, four giant planet Earth beach balls are unleashed on to the heads of the crowd at Alexandra Palace.
Various band members – first Chris Baio, the band’s bassist, later main man Ezra Koenig – rush to knock the globes back at the audience when they hit the stage. You don’t expect this kind of cheesy, dumb fun from an outfit who, just over a decade ago, peddled African-inflected post-punk tunes set in the niche milieu of higher education.