Fresh off of the release of their new album Only God Was Above Us, Vampire Weekend made a surprise appearance at a Goose show on Wednesday night. To start their second set at the Port Chester, New York, venue The Capitol Theatre, the jam band brought out the indie vets to rip through “Gen-X Cops” and a 30-minute (!) version of “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa.” Stream the entire set below.
“We’re gonna have some special guests come up here,” Goose member Peter Anspach said as the band entered the second hour of their monstrous four-hour-long set. Once Ezra Koenig, Chris Baio, and Chris Thomson took the stage, the two bands launched into a jammy, though relatively faithful rendition of the Only God Was Above Us cut “Gen-X Cops.” Vampire Weekend fan-favorite “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” followed, morphing into a half-hour-long jam of grooves and solos.
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The appearance fittingly comes after Koenig teased that he had a “jammy” side project in the works. As if to co-sign Koenig’s new venture, Anspach remarked, “Those guys can hang out,” as the band walked off stage. The acts bands had previously collaborated in 2021, as Goose contributed a cover of “2021 (January 5th, to be exact)” to Vampire Weekend’s 40:42 EP.
The concert was the final performance of Goose’s four-run stint at The Capitol Theatre, a stint that served as the band’s return after a short break from the road. The shows also marked the debut of new drummer Cotter Ellis, who replaced founding member Ben Atkind after his departure. Come June, the band will launch into a substantial summer tour. Get tickets to their upcoming dates here.
The Capitol Theatre wasn’t the only spot Vampire Weekend stopped by on Wednesday, however, as the band also made an appearance on The Daily Show. All three members chatted with Michael Kosta about Only God Was Above Us, living in Los Angeles, and their podcast Vampire Campfire before performing the single “Mary Boone.” Check out the clip below.
Vampire Weekend have their own substantial tour on the horizon. After hitting the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Kilby Block Party, Primavera Sound, and (as was recently announced) Coachella, the band is set to kick off their North American tour on June 6th in Houston, Texas. Tickets can be purchased here.