Homecoming concerts often have a nostalgia wafting through the air. It breeds a sense of intimacy between performers and audiences that is often difficult to replicate under any other circumstances. Perhaps that is why the The Walkmen concert on Sept. 5 at the 9:30 Club was somewhat of a disappointment. Despite a warm welcome from the crowd, the band seemed indifferent and removed.

Although they now hail from New York, originally four of the five members were students of Saint Albans, a parochial school located at the National Cathedral here in Washington, DC. It would be several years and a couple bands later before The Walkmen would come into fruition.

Surveying the crowd, the scope of concertgoers was pretty diverse, ranging from potential old teachers to a few younger people to some middle aged folks who may have been old classmates. Initially, there seemed to be an excited energy in the 9:30 Club. Even before the band stepped on-stage, opening group Golem got the crowd on their feet.

Midway through their set, pinpointing where The Walkmen were failing to deliver was difficult. The band put on what could be described as an earnest performance; there just seemed to be something lacking. These musicians could not make their songs translate well to a live performance. The members just seemed to lack the enthusiasm and showmanship that make for an entertaining concert.

Worse, the band was like a grown-up version of a prep high school band. They donned collared buttoned-down shirts, nicely coifed hair, and arrived 20 minutes late to the stage, which all contributed to a pretentious atmosphere. Even certain mannerisms Leithauser exhibited seemed to isolate him further from the crowd, such as tightly wrapping the microphone cable around his fist and constantly scanning the faces in the crowd but never responding positively. Instead of seeming happy, Leithauser seemed jaded and disaffected.

This is not to say the concert was void of good songs. What’s in It for Me?, The rat, and Louisiana all elicited happy responses, but there just were not enough to fill the hour-long set. The Walkmen sound like a fusion of rock and soul with Leithauser ‘s vocals a cross between Leonard Cohen and Greg Dulli. Their latest album, “You & Me” has a few great songs; it is just a shame the album versions are superior to the ones they performed live.