American Rock Band Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 2006 where they introduced the world to their afro-pop-inspired rhythms and melodies. The members of the band consists of the talented, lead vocalist and guitarist Ezra Koenig, drummer Chris Tomson, bassist Chris Baio and multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij. 

This Grammy Award Winning Band, primarily focuses on their lyrical stance and the production and arrangement of ideas. Vampire Weekend recently came out with their new album Father of the Bride, six years later from their last release. The album is about evolution and constant change in which it is built around dualities and contradictions. It reminds one of how truly small we are in the grand scheme of the world, yet anything we do impacts deeply. Not only Vampire Weekend, but any other musician’s are known for expressing themselves through melody and lyrics, convey their feelings and purpose in life, which allows their fans to relate and find comfort in their music.

Vampire Weekend debuted live, here in Las Vegas at the well-known music festival, Life is Beautiful on Sunday September 22. The band mainly played songs from Father of the Bride, but incorporated some of their older, yet popular songs to the mix. Vampire Weekend performed their music exactly how it sounds in the song. This allowed the audience to easily sing along to their music and make connections to the lyrics. Most of the audience did not know who Vampire Weekend was, mainly because they wanted to see the performance after them. 

However, that minority did not stop the majority of the fans from the enlightenment the band brought to the stage. The stage was lit up with vibrant easter like colors and displayed a large cartoon globe that slowly spun around. The rich, rounded frequencies of the instruments and the upbeat tempo of the songs created an unforgettable, exhilarating experience. The excitement the live music produced, released the dopamine in our brains, boosting moods and elevating feelings within the crowd. It all came to an end, when Vampire Weekend finished their set with a fan favorite song, “A-Punk”, in which they immediately migrated off the stage, leaving a satisfied crowd.

The feeling of this and any live performance allows anyone to live in the moment. No one is thinking about waking up for their job or school the next day, we are thinking in the present. We remember the parts we loved, but are unable to recapture the overall feeling it brought upon us. Music should not be heard for its cool beats, but its lyrical aspect and it should be appreciated by the different meanings it conveys and connections it demonstrates. 

Hearing music live makes it easier for the general public to understand how certain artist’s feel, for they are listening to it directly from the artist. It creates an everlasting connection between the audience and the musician that illustrates the capability of being heard. The experience Vampire Weekend shared, impacted their fans to live life to the fullest, yet be aware of our decisions, for they affect everyone around us.