Vampire Weekend at a Bernie Sanders Rally in Cedar Rapids, IA

By Hannah Dove

Ever since Bernie Sanders’ first go at the presidency in 2016, Vampire Weekend has consistently shown him support. The night began with a performance by singer-songwriter Lissie Maurus, mirroring Fleetwood Mac grooves with an oddly patriotic cover of Paul Simon’s “America.” The eagerness for Vampire Weekend’s performance became palpable as hype beasts Michael Moore, Representative Ilhan Omar, and Dr. Cornel West gave way to the man of the hour, Senator Bernie Sanders. The atmosphere was similar to being in church—quite an unorthodox political rally. 

Though one of the political pundits joked about how “some of you may only be here for Vampire Weekend,” it didn’t feel as though Vampire Weekend was the main act—they were an opener for Bernie. However, that feeling quickly faded as Vampire Weekend burst into an acoustic version of “Harmony Hall” and the crowd surged forward in a frenzy as hot and bothered as one can get in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 

Mixing together old hits such as “Walcott” along with new bops “Gold Rush” and “This Life” off of their latest album “Father of the Bride,” Vampire Weekend managed to fit a snapshot of each of their albums into an hour, with a lightning round including deep cuts “California English Pt. 2,” a song from the Peter Rabbit movie, and a cover of “The Boys Are Back In Town.” Though Iowa is a cursed state, the power of Bernie Sanders and Vampire Weekend may be the only thing that can drag me back again.