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Saturday at the Croc, we hated most of the crowd at first sight. Who invited the tools to John in the Morning at Night? Jager shots were being consumed, and there were way too many dudes in backwards white baseball caps, just chillaxing with their brahs. For this, we can only blame Vampire Weekend.
As previously mentioned, despite their hyperliterate lyrics (who else would title a song "Oxford Comma"?), Vampire Weekend's indie afropop-by-way-of-Graceland sound results in a huge Venn diagram overlap with Dave Matthews fans. So we had to deal with a whole mess of douchebags for the entirety of Jamie T.'s raucous set (some of which he performed from within the crowd), as well as Vampire Weekend's brief performance, abbreviated because it took about thirty minutes to switch over between bands. VW's short set was tight, featuring a few untitled brand-spanking-new songs that they're working on for their debut full-length, scheduled for release in early 2008. Confidential to Paul Simon: Call your lawyers now, 'cause we're pretty sure you're owed some royalties.
As expected, right after Vampire Weekend, there was a massive douche exodus, like a frat version of Cinderella, where if they don't get home by midnight, they'll turn into pony kegs. Fortunately, this allowed us to enjoy Maps' headlining set relatively undisturbed. Good thing: bedroom genius James Chapman was joined onstage with a full band to create his atmospheric mini-masterpieces--very much in the vein of My Bloody Valentine meets Spiritualized--which are best appreciated without the dude behind you yelling "Hit the tambourine on your head!"
If you didn't get the chance to witness the show firsthand, you can still get your hands on some of the music. Seattlest has three signed copies of Maps' lushly futuristic album We Can Create. Just fill out the form below for your chance to win. No worries: Your info is safe with us and will not be shared with advertisers and/or the government, yadda yadda yadda. We'll be drawing three winners Tuesday at 5pm.
Maps photo by Dan Muller/Trickshot Photography, courtesy of KEXP.
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Jamie T is a douchebag.
Also, so is Vampire Weekend's website.
Actually, everything about Vampire Weekend is making me angry. Albeit, I'm in a slightly rabid mood, but douches are attracted to douches, so my anger may be justified.
how hyperliterate can Vampire Weekend be if they refuse to see the value in an oxford comma?
Welcome to Seattle, Audrey. Get used to it, that post-event sense of failed expectations. Eventually, you'll find your corner spot in your favorite bar; until then, your bitching sounds a bit displaced and unseated.
Glad you posted this because I couldn't agree more. We were threatened by one douche looking to pick a fight just because we were standing still during Jamie T's set. I left wishing that shows like this paired bands together in a more thoughtful manner.
I must have been at a different show. I find the KEXP crowd much easier to deal with than the usual Croc crowd.
#5--Complete BS. The douche quotient is inevitably higher at any radio station sponsored event or festival of any sort. The douchebags--not being clever enough to figure out what's cool or at least what they should act like they're in to to be with it and hip--are attracted to sponsored events where someone or some company will be more than happy to tell them what to think. Also: any event that promotes binge drinking in public. Like moths to the flame they are for that shit.
A morning show host sponsored event for KEXP doesn't usually attract clueless douchebags to hang out. What show was Seattlest at - Endfest? Get a clue Jeremy...
"The douchebags... are attracted to sponsored events where someone or some company will be more than happy to tell them what to think."
Well said.
And as for VW: They had everybody talking a couple months ago. Tons of street buzz. And then I heard them on KEXP, and well... yea. Not my thing. Cool name tho.
...kind of like going to the Showbox on any night of the week, where you'll be exposed to yammering fuckwits who talk through all but the popular radio songs.
I won't see my favorite bands at the Showbox anymore because I'm too tired of the "frat party with bands as background music" scene.
It's too bad that these disrespectful white hats have been exposed to the Crocodile. There is a long list of places that they have ruined in Seattle, maintained by people who just want to hear the music.
At least it wasn't the blacks ruining shit. whew!
Such generalizations! White hats all suck! How about pretentious emos who collectively send out the vibe equivalent of a funeral.
Seattle's emo/hipster scared to rock crowd cannot pass soon enough.
I've seen shows at the Croc where enthusiastic people who actually equate music with fun were shunned because they actually responded to the music.
There's a reason this scene is so boring...