Something big happened to me last week, on the scale of getting married, having a child, or graduating college. This event? My first Vampire Weekend concert! To a "Normal Person", this probably sounds like an exaggeration, but if you've spent more than a minute in my world, you know that music is my everything, and that this band is the band that started it all...
I remember the day they changed my life forever. It was July 2007, and in the backseat of my dad's truck on a road-trip, I was curled up reading the music issue of Nylon Magazine. There was a short blip about a New York band that were little known on the music scene at the time. I looked them up when I got home, and listened to their blue CD, distributed as an EP at Columbia. It was so different than anything I'd heard before, and really appealed to the phase I was going through- listening to Alexandra Patsavas' The O.C. soundtracks on loop. Slowly, the band gained hype, and I followed every minute- I own all the initial magazine covers, including my favourite, the Spin issue they were featured on. I remember their first performance on Saturday Night Live like it was yesterday. Fifteen-year-old Ashley created the first ever Ezra Koenig fan group on Facebook (k adding this to my resume, lezbereal here). I knew everything there was to know about Ezra, Rostam, Chris and Chris- and while the rest of my peers criticized my strange taste in music, I relished in the afro-pop influences, and tried to keep up with the reference-saturated lyrics. I began to embrace preppy culture and it defined my fashion sense for most of my teenage years- boat shoes, cardigans, polo shirts and cable knits became my everyday, as I tried to make 80s country club my own (CCKK music video style, obvi ;)). I read all the entries of Ezra's old blog (so many INTERNET VIBES/cool bunny Halloween costume, brah). I named my first ever blog Out of Cape Cod. I could even rap the lyrics to Ezra's old band, L'Homme Run's songs. I met Ezra's childhood best friend and Ra Ra Riot lead singer when I was eighteen and raved about how obsessed I was (he def thinks I'm crazy).
Most importantly, I became obsessed with Columbia University, and became bound and determined to be accepted into the school's prestigious journalism program. I hold Vampire Weekend so dear to my heart because they made it cool to be smart. To read. To know things about stuff and stuff about things. Ezra once mentioned that he memorized populations of various countries- so I bought myself a world map, and began doing the same. I watched CNN everyday the second I got home from school. I read blogs of all kinds. I wrote. I embraced indie music. I learned about architecture- Mansard roofs can be blamed for that one. I got extremely high marks in all my classes. Although Columbia J-school isn't where life took me, I will forever credit my interest in higher education to these four boys.
So anyhow, enough with the sentimentality. I'd like to start off by saying how awesome Modern Vampires of the City is. Step and Diane Young were both released in March and were great previews for the rest of the album- they showed off a new, dark and mature side to VW, usually so happy and chipper, had new sounds, and Step's gorgeous lyrics video made great use of the band's signature font, Futura once again. I was so happy my boys were back and better than ever. And last Tuesday, when the full album was made available for sale on iTunes, I was not disappointed. For me, the highlight of the album is Hannah Hunt- largely overlooked by a lot of co-fans I've spoken to because it's so slow! But I think that's why it's awesome! Ezra's vocals in that song are so so intimate. For dancing, of course there's Unbelievers and Finger Back- but for real how can you NOT bust a move to these songs. Plus, I love that Ezra monologue- this Orthodox girl fell in love with a guy at a falafel shop, and why not? So cheeky and satirical, and really a great example of what VW is all about. If you haven't heard MVOTC yet, I totally recommend you do. The album sounds AMAZING on vinyl!!!
So last Friday, as I mentioned, dreams came true when I ventured into Detroit to The Fillmore (GORGEOUS VENUE) for the concert of my life. First, lemme talk about dis place. I probably should have attended a concert at The Fillmore in my life by now, but for some reason, this was my first time at the place, and I was BLOWN AWAY. Chandeliers EVERYWHERE (so appropriate considering LP1), suits of armour, Patti Smith posters on the wall. Totally intimate, and the perfect setting for my perfect night. I managed to weasel my way to the front of the crowd, in front of EZRA (!!!!!!!!) and we fell in love. Just kidding. Or not. I made eye contact with BAIO TWICE and he smiled this big, cherub-y grin that confirms my image of him being the world's nicest guy!! Rostam surprised me- he was sooo chill! Just hanging out at the keyboards, playin' some music U KNO (#casual). And CT was CT... total jokes, and so talented on the drums.
At the show, I really realized the amazing thing about the band- each member is an equal. Think about VW without a certain person, and you wouldn't have the same band AT ALL. Each person contributes their own unique element to the music, and is so proficient at what they do- whether it's Rostam's instrumentals, or Ezra's lyrics. And they each have a huge fan following. CT is not forgotten about in the back, and Baio shares the same heartthrob status with lead singer Ezra. It's so refreshing to see a band like that. Their personalities all translated so well during the show- it felt like they were friends I'd known for ages.
I had SO much fun at this concert- I probably danced and consequently, sweated off twenty pounds, lost my voice for two days, and am still feeling the soreness in my legs. But it was all worth it. Every year I've waited to see them. Every dollar I've spent on their merchandise, music, and the tickets alone (plus they were so generous, free physical CD with the purchase of a T-shirt... THANKS BOYS)!!! I'm so so SO glad they've lived up to my potential. I sit here listening to YA HEY on my 1980s clunky phonograph writing this, and I really realize how powerful music is. Thank you Vampire Weekend, for being such a huge influence on the girl I am today. I wouldn't be where I am without you.
VW FOREVER BITCHES.
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