Vampire Weekend/Ra Ra Riot @ Barrowland 29/10/08
Written by admin on October 30th, 2008
What could be a more apt pre-cursor to an evening with New York’s Vampire Weekend than an aperitif of Academic Pop from the same stable.
The Syracuse six-piece Ra Ra Riot were warmly received as they delivered a 30 minute offering mostly from their recently released album Rhumb Line. Songs such as Ghost Under Rocks, see Vampire Weekend’s support effortlessly fuse strings and guitars, with the tempered fervour of Cameron Wisch’s booming drums, to produce a heady audio. On Can You Tell the cello and violin, masterfully handled by the band’s female duo, serve as an uplifting accompaniment to the energetic vocal of singer Wesley Miles.
Amid the cramped surroundings Wesley bounded effortlessly between his mic stand and the compact keyboard to the left of the stage, imploring those who had enjoyed the offering to investigate the album which was available downstairs. The band’s virtuoso performance will surely have the same catapulting effect that Vampire Weekend’s support of The Shins, at the same venue last year, afforded them.
Following a 20 minute intermission come equipment readying, Ezra and co swept onto the stage. The sparrow like front man skipped into the light cloaked in checked garb and a scarf that was destined to depart as the temperature inside the venue rose. The singles which have carried the band thus far were sung by the sell out crowd with rapturous delight. One (more commonly know under the moniker: Blake’s Got a New Face) vied with Oxford Comma for the mantle of mass participation. Ezra’s references to the quaint idiosyncrasies of Glasgow -namely the circular subway and weather - were gratefully received and he swiftly won the crowd with praise of his captive audience. A 50 minute set was followed by an encore which included a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Everywhere with Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa bringing the night’s festivities to a close with well earned applause.
Words: Bob Hanlon
Pics: Christopher Watson
