Vampire Weekend Perform New Songs at SXSW

Vampire Weekend assisted in closing out SXSW 2013 last night with an after-midnight set at Stubb’s BBQ. The gig marked the band’s full U.S. show in nearly a year, and their first opportunity to share some audio impressions from their upcoming third album, Modern Vampires of the City (due out May 7) with the public. If this was a test, Vampire Weekend passed it with flying colors. After four familiar tracks, Ezra Koenig premiered the new single “Diane Young,” which is due this Monday. While wrapping up their performance with 2010’s “Giving Up the Gun,” the band responded to the “encore” demands from the audience and returned to the stage after less than one minute and played another new song titled “Ya Hey” – a bittersweet ballad with reggae-influenced lyrics. Watch both segments below.