On a brisk, fall Monday night, rock band Vampire Weekend brought Meadow Brook Amphitheatre in Rochester Hills, MI together with screamed lyrics and unserious on-stage antics for a night of indie-rock catharsis.
Vampire Weekend bassist Chris Baio performs at Meadow Brook Amphitheatre. Sarah Boeke/Daily. Buy this photo.
Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig performs at Meadow Brook Amphitheatre. Sarah Boeke/Daily. Buy this photo.
Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig performs at Meadow Brook Amphitheatre. Sarah Boeke/Daily. Buy this photo.
The band — whose members met at Columbia University as students — brought a presence of fun to the stage, like friends having a good time while making sure the crowd did too. The show, part of the band’s tour promoting their April album “Only God Was Above Us”, marked a decade since the band last played at the outdoor venue.
A dancer dressed as a stage crew member dances during Vampire Weekend’s show at Meadow Brook Amphitheatre. Sarah Boeke/Daily. Buy this photo.
Vampire Weekend drummer Chris Tomson performs on stage at Meadow Brook Amphitheatre. Sarah Boeke/Daily. Buy this photo.
Madeline Follin, lead singer of indie pop band Cults, performs on stage at Meadow Brook Amphitheatre. Sarah Boeke/Daily. Buy this photo.
After an opening set by indie pop band Cults, the show kicked off with three Vampire Weekend members on stage, bassist Chris Baio, frontman Ezra Koenig and drummer Chris Tomson. A dark banner printed with the band’s name served as the backdrop for the first three songs, with the musicians drenched in pale stage lights in front of it. Midway through the third song, the banner dropped to reveal a subway tunnel-like scene and a full band, setting the stage for the rest of the night.
If the punchy drums and guitar weren’t enough to grab the audience’s attention, interludes of energetic white strobe lights alternating with relaxed moments in warm-toned yellow drew eyes back to the stage. A brief interlude including a dancing stage crew member and multiple musical solos brought the choreographed show together and kept fans on their toes.
Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig performs at Meadow Brook Amphitheatre. Sarah Boeke/Daily. Buy this photo.
Michigan resident Nicholas Slat watches Vampire Weekend perform from the pit. Sarah Boeke/Daily. Buy this photo.
Kicky drums and guitar were mainstays of the setlist as the band danced through their discography. Vampire Weekend kept the energy going throughout the night, entertaining the packed amphitheater.
Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig performs at Meadow Brook Amphitheatre. Sarah Boeke/Daily. Buy this photo.
Senior Photo Editor Sarah Boeke can be reached at seboeke@umich.edu
The post Scenes From The Stage: Vampire Weekend appeared first on The Michigan Daily.
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