Following their performance at the Happy Ending Music and Reading Series, everyone’s favorite Afropop stars attended an after party at Marion’s on the Bowery. I knew the guys in Vampire Weekend from college but wasn’t exactly friends with them, which made my job extra awkward. Upon entering, I first spied the blindingly perfect coiffure of lead singer Ezra Koenig.

Hi Ezra.
“Do I know you from somewhere? You look familiar.”
We went to college together.
“Oh, yeah. You’ve changed your style since then, wouldn’t you say?"
I guess I used to be a bit more Goth.
“You’re still kind of Goth, no?”

I did know that my face was burning like I was 18 again and trying to sit at his table in John Jay Dining Hall. I encountered a friendlier face in bassist Chris Baio, with whom I’d had a few classes.

Hi Chris, how was the show?
“I played the drums for the first time ever...it required more attention than I’m used to.”

What had he been up to lately?
“We’re recording right now...Remember when you tried to get us to play your 21st birthday party? How was that?"
It was really great.

The night would not have been complete without Rostam Batmanglij, the grumpiest Vampiric Weekender. Did he ever finish that song I always heard him working on when he lived directly below my boyfriend?

“Yes, I did. It’s number seven on Hype Machine.”
Is it for your solo project?
“Are you writing this down? Can you not quote me?”
Is there anything you’d like to say off the record?
“How about everything?”
How about no?
“Are you still with Jeremy Krinsley?”
Um, we broke up three years ago.

I decided I’d rather chance it out in the rainstorm than reminisce any further.