Vampire Weekend Causes A ‘Scene’ Covering Billy Joel At Madison Square Garden

Vampire Weekend took over Madison Square Garden in New York City this weekend for a pair of shows at the storied arena. While the band has been taking impromptu cover requests during encores of shows on their current tour, their first show at MSG on Saturday featured a well-planned cover of Billy Joel’s “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant.”

Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig paused for a moment toward the back half of Saturday’s main set. While speaking to the MSG audience, crew members placed a dinner table onstage behind the frontman. Without mentioning Joel by name, Koenig praised the Long Island native who has a banner hanging in the rafters of The Garden recognizing his just-completed record-setting residency at the venue.

Speaking to the crowd and referencing Billy Joel tribute act and opening band Turnstiles, Koenig said:

“We’ve been waiting all year for this. As you know, the Tri-State Area is very near and dear to our hearts. There’s a very special man that’s from the Tri-State Area – he’s played at The Garden once or twice. His music was beautifully interpreted by Turnstiles earlier this evening. We’re going to do one of his songs for you now.”

Vampire Weekend then set the scene, literally, for a cover of “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant” as a couple was seated by a tuxedo-wearing restaurant server at the table placed on the stage. The couple acted out sharing a meal while Koenig and his bandmates delivered a spot-on cover of the song from Joel’s 1977 album The Stranger.

Watch video footage of Vampire Weekend honoring The Piano Man at The Garden below:

Vampire Weekend followed Saturday’s concert with a matinee performance at The Garden on Sunday. Both shows saw close band associate Ariel Rechtshaid sit-in with VW on “Capricorn” from this year’s Rothschild-produced album Only God Was Above Us.

Both VW MSG concerts ended in the tour’s typical fashion with the band attempting on-the-spot cover requests. Sunday’s show featured a video of The Killers singer Brandon Flowers asking for their take on “Mr. Brightside,” which resulted in Vampire Weekend giving his global hit song a try.

Vampire Weekend stuck around NYC to record a performance at 30 Rock for tonight’s episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Watch additional video highlights of “Capricorn” and the encore medley with “Mr. Brightside” from Sunday at MSG below: