Chris Tomson is the drummer

Drummer

A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...

 of New York based indie rock

Indie rock

Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...

 band Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend is an American indie rock band from New York City that formed in 2006 and signed to XL Recordings. The Band has four members: Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij, Chris Tomson, and Chris Baio. The band released its first album Vampire Weekend in 2008, which produced the singles "Mansard...

.

Background

Tomson grew up on a farm in Imlaystown

Imlaystown, New Jersey

Imlaystown is a small historic community and unincorporated area located within Upper Freehold Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. It is located in zip code 08526. The village is easily accessible from Exit 11 off Interstate 195.-History:...

 (parts of the first album were recorded there). His father is an engineer and his family is of Irish

Irish people

The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

 and Ukrainian

Ukrainians

Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...

 heritage (he studied abroad in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 in college). His full name is Christopher William Tomson. He attended the Peddie School

Peddie School

The Peddie School is a college preparatory school in Hightstown, New Jersey, United States. It is a nondenominational, coeducational boarding school located on a 280‑acre campus, and serves students in the ninth through twelfth grades, plus a small post-graduate class...

 and then Columbia University

Columbia University

Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...

 where he studied economics and music. He is an avid football fan and enjoys photography

Photography

Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...

 as well. His favorite football club is Tottenham Hotspur. He is also a huge fan of Phish

Phish

Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...

 and The Grateful Dead. He now lives in the Greenpoint

Greenpoint

Greenpoint or Green Point can refer to the following places:* Greenpoint, Brooklyn in the USA* Green Point, New South Wales in Australia* Green Point, Cape Town in South Africa* Green Point, Newfoundland in Canada...

 neighborhood of Brooklyn

Brooklyn

Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...

. In 2008 Tomson was involved in a hit-and-run incident in London after the Shockwaves NME awards. He was taken to hospital to be treated for neck injuries but was released on February 29 with no notable injuries

Musical career

Prior to forming Vampire Weekend, Tomson played with Ezra Koenig

Ezra Koenig

Ezra Koenig is the lead singer and one of the guitarists of New York-based indie rock band Vampire Weekend.-Background:...

 in the "serious" rap group called L’Homme Run.

Tomson met the members of Vampire Weekend while attending Columbia University—he took music classes with Rostam Batmanglij

Rostam Batmanglij

Rostam Batmanglij is a producer and multi-instrumentalist of New York-based indie rock band Vampire Weekend and co-founder of electro-soul group Discovery.-Background:...

and started the group in their senior year. The name of the group comes from the movie of the same name that Ezra Koenig and his friends made over summer vacation. (http://vimeo.com/28464) They self-produced their first album after graduation while concurrently working full-time jobs (Tomson worked as an archivist for a record label). Their second album, Contra, which came out in January 2010 topped the charts in the UK, US, Australia and Canada, and was also self-produced.

External links