Once again, the City of Cincinnati rolled out the red carpet for multiple simultaneous high-profile events. This time, the Cincinnati Reds trounced the Pittsburgh Pirates on their home turf, Nelly performed after the game, and then it was time for fireworks. The world’s second-largest Oktoberfest celebration kicked off at Sawyer Point, not a half mile from the stadium. And in the opposite direction, just across the street, long-running indie rock trio Vampire Weekend brought dark synth-pop outfit Cults to the ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park, the outdoor space run by the same folks who oversee The Andrew J. Brady Music Center.
There were essentially tens of thousands of folks within a few city blocks of each other last night. No big deal. I was stoked to finally get to hang out with a good friend from work - John had been on the fence about coming, so I’m glad he made the trek, fought for parking, made the walk across the river, then let me advise and support him during our time in the merch line. The green shirt’s gonna look real good on you, my man. So, I’m glad I was there, and that I was able to be front and center for a masterful, energetic, and slightly chaotic performance from Vampire Weekend.
Taking the stage promptly at 7 p.m., NYC indie pop band (though, they definitely have a darker, more synth heavy sound than I think that designation really demonstrates) played a lovely, lowkey 40 minute set. With jazzy, fuzzed out basslines, various synthetic sounds and keys, minimal guitar, and dreamy vocals courtesy Madeline Follin, Cults was a rather nice way to ease into the evening. Nothing over the top, but not boring or easily ignored, the set moved along with very little banter between songs, had quick transitions, and a sort of stoic, down to business approach that I found fascinating and ultimately appreciated for its effectiveness. I’m certainly curious to check out their discography, and plan on doing so this weekend, as it’s a style of music that I tend to enjoy - here’s hoping they sound as good recorded as they do live.
Vampire Weekend’s set was essentially one surprise after another. I fully admit to being absolutely duped by their stage setup and then genuinely taken aback by how wrong I was. Each member was next to the other. Drums, stage right. Guitar and vocals, center stage. Bass, stage left. It was an interesting setup that also made for some rather fun photographic opportunities - I was also fortunate enough to be one of just a few photographers capturing the band’s performance. Hindsight being what it is, that we were given 5 songs to shoot, rather than the typical/standard 3, should have tipped me off - but, to be perfectly honest, I was more than happy to shoot with the simple set for as long as they would let me. The performance was that good from note one.
The band started out with some of their earliest material - which, to my surprise, they gave a lot of attention to their first couple records throughout the night - then as the third song started, 2/3 of the band left the stage, leaving vocalist Ezra Koenig in the spotlight, giant Vampire Weekend backdrop behind him. Then the song ended, the backdrop fell, and 3 more musicians, plus drummer Chris Tomson and bassist Chris Baio, were on stage with inventive lighting rigs, a stage-wide platform, and massive cathedral-esque background. It was genuinely impressive, and made for a hell of a transition from the simple setup they started with.
What followed was an endearingly meandering journey through nearly 20 years as a band, 5 records, countless tours, some absolutely massive hits, and everything in between. 10-minute psych rock freakouts. The hits mid-set. Fog galore, lovingly sequenced lighting, absolutely bonkers amounts of strobing lights. The band - as varied as their catalog has ultimately become, even if the central thesis has remained consistent - sounded incredible, kept things moving, played super tight even as the jam sessions seemed like maybe they were coming off the rails, and more than anything, seemed to be genuinely enjoying themselves.
Not necessarily inscrutable, it was tough to tell what Koenig was thinking as he looked out across a crowd 6,000 fans strong, with Great American Ballpark, fireworks, and a wicked-looking moon rising behind the crowd itself. Appreciation, maybe? Surprise? Inevitability? It could have been some mixture of all those things and more. As a fan - though not the world’s biggest, mind you - I know I felt a lot of those things throughout the night. I appreciated how great they sounded, and the setlist itself. I was, to be fair, surprised that 5,999 others were there, too. It did feel right, though. I was glad to be there to capture it with my camera, and to dance along with everyone else. And I think, ultimately, that’s all that mattered.
