Vampire Weekend — Paris, 2008

This live concert filmed in Paris is part of La Blogothèque’s “Take Away Shows” and features the New York band Vampire Weekend at the very start of its career, the year its self-titled debut album was released in 2008. Led by Ezra Koenig, the four musicians perform two songs, “Walcott” and “One (Blake’s Got a New Face)”, out in the streets of northern Paris, with no heavy amplification or staging. This roaming, acoustic capture highlights the bright melodies and Afro-pop rhythms that made the band distinctive, a blend of American indie rock and world influences. La Blogothèque’s intimate format reveals the freshness and youthful energy of a group that would become one of the most influential acts of the indie scene of the 2000s and 2010s. The document is a valuable testimony to Vampire Weekend’s early days, before the big venues and festivals. An ideal live for rediscovering “Walcott” in a raw, spontaneous version closely tied to the city of Paris.