Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend understands connection. Speaking from the comfort of home, on a break from the band’s Only God Was Above Us tour, he is thoughtful and engaging as he reflects on how the band link with their past and present, along with an enduring fanbase, night after night. Vampire Weekend emerged during a period when major labels were confused between Napster and Spotify. This confusion allowed indie bands to rise, and Vampire Weekend, known for their bright, catchy sound, became one of the biggest.

They delivered three albums before taking a break in 2013. Looking back, Koenig admits he valued the chance to pause, to ask why and how they should continue: ‘I’ve always been existential about the band.’ In 2019 they returned with an expanded seven-piece live act and the sunny, shaggy 18-track album Father Of The Bride. ‘It felt like there was more to say,’ Koenig says of their new phase, which revelled in smashing together the polar opposites of jam band and indie rock. 

This new era of the live band has continued with their latest tour. Whereas they used to get off stage as quickly as they could, shows now can go on for over two hours. Playing Madison Square Garden recently, they covered Billy Joel, which had the band feeling 14 again. For Glasgow, they’ve recruited local legends Teenage Fanclub to open for them. These bespoke touches make the whole experience more alive, not just for the audience but for the band too.

In the studio, Koenig aimed to make the yin to Father Of The Bride’s yang. When they trailed Only God Was Above Us, they stated that it would be ‘ten tracks, no skips’. Although Koenig thought this might be easier than doing 18 tracks, the density of what they were trying to achieve made it even harder. ‘We are exploring layers and referencing older music,’ he says. This meant referencing some of their older songs while also bringing together totally disparate sounds. Koenig mentions how he wanted one song to sound like ‘psychedelic Gershwin’, while other moments reference 70s rock or 90s grunge, and even incorporate samples. 

When pushed on the album’s themes, Koenig revisits his existentialist tendencies. He describes how the album reflects the passage of time and mistakes of the past, while also exploring how age and perspective give us the opportunity to improve our connection to what is important. ‘The goal is not to pretend that there is no darkness or decay or change in life,’ he says. ‘The aim is to recognise it’s real but also that we have the potential to transcend it.’ 

Though their music has clearly matured, live shows remain looser and even more fun than before. It goes back to the idea of connection; Koenig and the band don’t deny getting older but that won’t stop them from seizing the moment and connecting to their fanbase every night. 

Vampire Weekend are on tour in the UK until Sunday 8 December; main picture: Michael Schmelling.