WFUV at SXSW: Vampire Weekend

Indie rockers who bonded over a love of punk and African music at Columbia University in 2006, Vampire Weekend (@VampireWeekend) still call New York City home through a wave of success following their first two releases. The four members — Ezra Koenig (lead vocals, guitar), Rostam Batmanglij (keys, guitar), Chris Tomson (drums), and Chris Baio (bass) — busted out with their first self-titled album in 2008, then Contra in 2010.

Their third album, Modern Vampires of the City, is due out in May. Koenig has described it as "darker and more organic" than the others, and "very much the last of a trilogy" — we’ll see what that means.

Vampire Weekend closed out the Public Radio Rocks Day Stage with a blistering set that had a couple thousand fans (the ones lucky enough not to get turned away at the door) jumping around with enough enthusiasm to make the floor actually shake. In a conference center.

Watch Vampire Weekend at the Public Radio Rocks Day Stage, SXSW 2013 with "Unbelievers," and listen to the whole set.

WFUV's South by Southwest 2013 music coverage is graciously supported by TuneIn.
Funding for WFUV’s ongoing coverage of live concerts and festivals comes from The Agnes Varis Trust, supporting affordable access to the arts, education and healthcare.