AMC launched The Vampire Lestat with a live Sam Reid concert that brought Anne Rice’s iconic vampire to thrilling life.
The Vampire Lestat returns to screens on June 7, and yesterday, AMC and AMC+ kicked off the new season with a special one-night-only live performance by none other than Lestat himself (Sam Reid) at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.
As part of the premiere, attendees were treated to the first episode of the season. Immediately following that was Reid’s performance, where it is incredibly accurate to say that he is possessed by the spirit of Lestat de Lioncourt.
Season three of Interview With the Vampire, aptly renamed The Vampire Lestat, follows Lestat on his 2025 world tour with his band, where he “pretends” to be a vampire. With the lens focused tightly on Lestat, we see things from a perspective not offered to us in those first two seasons, turning some preconceived notions on their heads.
The idea of a live performance as part of a premiere isn’t unheard of. Last year, Hazbin Hotel did the same thing with Live on Broadway! to celebrate season two. What results is an energy that can’t be bottled or manufactured: When you invite fans to events like these, what you’re getting is an unfettered response not just to the show itself, but also everyone involved.
After the episode, Reid slunk out on stage from the wings with a sinuous grace, projecting that he already knew he had the crowd in the palm of his hand. He oozed the confidence of his vampiric counterpart, launching into “Long Face” like he’s been touring the country performing these songs every night.
The setlist included five other songs from the show, and Reid was not shy about diva-ing it up with costume changes. In the crowd, the cast cheered him on – notably Jacob Anderson, who plays his onscreen love interest, Louis de Pointe du Lac. Though the two are somewhat on the outs after the events of last season, Anderson and Reid are as close as ever, and seeing the support was endearing, to say the very least.
Speaking of endearing: Reid was just an absolutely silly delight at times. He shimmied, grapevined, and crawled (yes, he did) like nothing else mattered. If this is the kind of promotion they’re giving this season, then never stop, please.
Though the set was only a half-hour, it felt much longer, but in the way that a good concert does that you don’t want to end. Halfway through, Reid went on an (in-character) tangent about his one true love (Louis).
“The Loneliness,” which is a slower, much deeper song, provided a break from the rest of the rock-heavy tracks. And I will say: People did not know a lot of the words, but I could see the crowd getting really into this one. In fact, for a seated concert with industry professionals, there were many times this concert did not feel like that.
The Vampire Lestat is unabashed debauchery, and unbridled hedonism. It’s also poignant, touching on Lestat’s troubles with no censorship, forcing the viewer to relive his traumas. It doesn’t shy away from these things – actively encouraging them, in fact, the concert included.
If you haven’t yet joined the Anne Rice Immortalverse, consider this your sign to do so. The heartbreak is worth it – and so delicious, too.
About Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat
The Vampire Lestat goes on tour while being haunted by “muses” from his past. As the band’s popularity grows, so does Lestat’s influence over vampires & humans alike, leaving others to contend with Lestat’s power in the face of the Great Conversion.
