Vampire Weekend Goes Acoustic For ‘Reuben & Cerise’ Cover In Philadelphia
The band played the song by Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia and lyricist Robert Hunter during their show at The Met.
By Andy Kahn Jun 2, 2025 • 7:24 am PDT
Vampire Weekend inserted an acoustic segment into their concert Saturday at The Met in Philadelphia. The acoustic portion featured the band’s fully formed cover of “Reuben & Cerise” by Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia and lyricist Robert Hunter.
Vampire Weekend previously attempted to play “Reuben & Cerise” during their impromptu covers encore medley of their show held last August 1, in recognition of Jerry Garcia’s birthday.
Drummer Chris Tomson joined frontman Ezra Koenig on acoustic guitar and bassist Chris Baio sat out the performance of “Reuben & Cerise.” They were accompanied by Isabel Hagen on violin, Brian Robert Jones on mandolin, Colin Killalea on saxophone and Garrett Ray on percussion.
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The acoustic sequence began with “We Belong Together” from VW’s 2019 album, Father Of The Bride and “Don’t Lie” from 2013’s Modern Vampires Of The City. The stripped-down detour ended with “I Think Ur a Contra” from their 2010 debut album, Contra.
Vampire Weekend later delivered their usual audience-request driven encore of on-the-spot covers. The group attempted songs by Phoenix, Tame Impala, Beach House, Grizzly Bear, TV on the Radio, MGMT, Dusty Springfield, Joni Mitchell, Sublime, Bob Dylan and others.
Watch audience-captured video footage of Vampire Weekend’s acoustic “Reuben & Cerise” cover below:
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Setlist
- Hold You Now
- Oxford Comma
- One (Blake's Got a New Face)
- Ice Cream Piano
- Classical
- Connect
- Unbelievers
- Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
- This Life
- Stranger
- Diplomat's Son
- Giving Up the Gun
- We Belong Together
- Don't Lie
- Rubin and Cherise
- I Think Ur a Contra
- Capricorn
- Gen-X Cops
- Diane Young
- A-Punk
- Campus
- Mary Boone
- Hannah Hunt
- Harmony Hall
- Lisztomania
- The Less I Know the Better
- Space Song
- Two Weeks
- Wolf Like Me
- Electric Feel
- Son of a Preacher Man
- Sugar, Sugar
- Heart of Glass
- Big Yellow Taxi
- Sex and Candy
- Young Folks
- Bitter Sweet Symphony
- Laid
- Santeria
- M79
- Like a Rolling Stone
- Walcott
- SNL Closing Theme (A Waltz in A) / Flower Moon
