It’s taken but a matter of months for The Walkmen to return, albeit briefly, from a hiatus which their bass player Peter Bauer had told the Washington Post would prove to be ‘pretty extreme’.
When discussing The Walkmen’s future last November, Bauer said he didn’t think any of the band wanted to write another record, and added: “Maybe that will change down the line, maybe it won’t, maybe we’ll play shows. I think it’s weird to make a hubbub about something if there’s nothing to really make a hubbub about. At the same time, I don’t think we’ve been a gang properly for a long time, so there’s not much to break up, I guess.”
Well there’s clearly enough left in the tank for the estranged gang to accept an invitation to the Rock On Foundation’s Alt-Star Party, which is to take place during the NBA All-Star break on February 15th and will be hosted by the San Antonio Spurs’ Matt Bonner. A DJ set from Vampire Weekend drummer Chris Tomson has also been promised, as have ‘other surprises’.
“We thought it might take a lifetime to get us back together — til the Alt-Star Party gave us the nod,” Walkmen frontman Hamilton Leithauser said in a statement. “How could we stay on the bench? We’re coming 110%. Full-court press. Man to man. Rock n Roll, Pick n Roll.”