August 29, 2009 17:33

Vampire Weekend make Main Stage debut at Leeds Festival

Band also tell NME.COM they are "so close" to completing new album

Photo Gallery: Vampire Weekend
Photo: Pieter M Van Hattem

Vampire Weekend made their Main Stage debut at Leeds Festival this afternoon (August 29).

Singer Ezra Koenig told the crowd he was pleased with the step up from the NME/Radio 1 Stage, where they played in 2008.

"We played under a tent last year. It's nice to be back under the sky this time," he told one of the biggest audiences of the festival so far.

The set saw the New York band play two new songs - 'White Sky' and a currently untitled track - and bask in some of the sunniest weather of the weekend.

The majority of their performance was made up of fan favourites, including 'Mansard Roof', 'A-Punk' and 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa'.

Speaking to NME.COM before the gig, Koenig revealed the band were "so close" to completing work on the follow-up to their self-titled debut album.

"It's somewhat of a weird time for us, we've had these songs for years. The second album is so close to being done – but at a festival you don't want to overload people with new material. But I think we've found we've struck the right balance."

The band also revealed they plan to stick around on site to see headliners Radiohead later tonight.

Vampire Weekend played:

'Mansard Roof'
'Campus'
'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa'
'I Stand Corrected'
'White Sky'
'Boston (Ladies Of Cambridge)'
New untitled song
'A-Punk'
'M79'
'One (Blake's Got A New Face)'
'The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance'
'Oxford Comma'
'Walcott'

NME.COM will be coming live from both the Reading And Leeds Festivals sites this weekend (August 28-30). Stay tuned to NME.COM/festivals for news reports, blogs, video interviews and photos from the event.

Get next Wednesday's (September 2) issue of NME for the ultimate Reading And Leeds Festivals review.

Plus have your say on this summer - fill in the annual NME Festival survey now to cast your verdict on 2009, and tell festival chiefs who you want to see next year.