Vampire Weekend on Thursday wrapped up a run of five tour dates featuring Phish bassist Mike Gordon and his solo outfit as the opening act by inviting Gordon to the stage for a unique rendition of Phish classic “Chalk Dust Torture” at Seattle, WA’s Climate Pledge Arena.
While Gordon had already joined in with Vampire Weekend at the previous two stops, his previous guest appearances had come on Vampire Weekend originals (“Rich Man” on Tuesday in British Columbia and “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” in Bend, OR on Wednesday), Thursday’s “Chalk Dust Torture” marked the first time the Vampire Weekend/Mike Gordon combo attempted a Phish song.
For the first-ever Vampire Weekend “Chalk Dust”, guitarist/vocalist Ezra Koenig moved over to the drum kit and allowed drummer Chris Thomson to flex his vocal abilities and lead guitar chops—a move that echoed past Phish antics. Midway through the song, Koenig stood up at the drum kit and led the group into a brief “Mirror in the Bathroom” (The Beat) ska interlude before throwing it back to Thomson, who nailed the tune’s closing Trey Anastasio guitar riffs with impressive precision. Watch Vampire Weekend and Mike Gordon collaborate on Phish classic “Chalk Dust Torture” in Seattle below.
Vampire Weekend w/ Mike Gordon – “Chalk Dust Torture” (Phish)/”Mirror in the Bathroom” (The Beat)
[Video: Garntd]
While the Mike Gordon-assisted dates are now in the rearview, Vampire Weekend will continue on throughout the summer and fall with various tour dates around the country featuring support from Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Ra Ra Riot, Maya Rudolph-led Prince tribute Princess, Cults, and more. For a full list of upcoming Vampire Weekend tour dates, head here.
Related: Drew Carey Sticks His Sausage In A Blender At Mike Gordon Show In L.A. [Photos/Video]
Next up for Mike Gordon is a special duo gig with Marco Benevento at Follow the Arrow Festival in Accord, NY on June 29th. From there, he’ll link back up with Trey Anastasio, Jon Fishman, and Page McConnell to kick off the 2024 summer Phish tour beginning on July 19th in Mansfield, MA. For a full list of upcoming Phish tour dates, head here.
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