One could fault them for a set that was only 43 minutes long.

But the "It" band of the moment, Vampire Weekend, cashed every check every critic has written to them by living up to the hype and delivering a tight, fun set at a sold-out Club Sound inside In the Venue on Monday.

The recent Columbia University grads - singer and guitarist Ezra Koenig, drummer Chris Tomson, bassist Chris Baio and keyboard and guitar player Rostam Batmanglij - performed without any bells and whistles on their bare-bones stage but sounded great, like the relentlessly touring band they have become. Kudos to the guy manning the soundboard: Koenig's high-pitched voice was refreshingly projected way above the mix, and the rhythm section was forceful without devolving into a bass-heavy sludge.

The young band is known for its danceable take on reggae, Afro-pop and ska that shows influence of classical music and, of course, pop rock.

The quartet was without the violas, cellos and violins that provide depth to its sound on their debut album, released in January, but the band compensated by allowing Tomson and Baio to let loose and provide a more muscular, quicker rock beat. Koenig picked his guitar strings cleanly and energetically, while Batmanglij - who resembles a rounder-faced 'American Idol' sensation David Archuleta - added harmony vocals and simple keyboard flourishes to anchor the catchy melodies. No one flailed around the stage aimlessly, but seemed intent on capitalizing on the crowd's energy.

The vast majority of the album was performed, with standouts like "Mansard Roof," "Oxford Comma," "A-Punk" and "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" all receiving the most response from the 500 people in the club. "Walcott" ended the set, with Koenig telling the crowd beforehand they they only had one more song in their arsenal to play.

Koenig and Batmanglij were witty and conversational with the crowd, with each mentioning several times how much they had enjoyed playing the smaller Kilby Court last year.

The four's future success relies on whether they are able to match the enthusiasm and inventiveness of their debut album. In the meantime, it couldn't hurt to learn a few "Graceland" or Bob Marley covers to fill up an hour.

DAVID BURGER can be reached at dburger@sltrib.com or 801-257-8620. Send comments about this story to livingeditor@sltrib.com.