The National – Beacon Theatre – December 15, 2011
December 16th, 2011
(The National play the Beacon Theatre tonight and tomorrow.)
Tag Archives: the National
Watch SPIN’s 25th-Anniversary Concert Series Again
November 30th, 2010
It was such a great week, you get to relive it again! This past July SPIN magazine celebrated its 25th anniversary with amazing shows—the Smashing Pumpkins, the Flaming Lips, the Black Keys and the National at Terminal 5 and Spiritualized at Radio City Music Hall. Each show was streamed live, so if you couldn’t be there in person, you could still get a taste. And now you can have the whole meal because Fuse presents the concert series this Friday, 12/3, at 9 p.m. Don’t know what channel Fuse is? No problem, just go here.
(Encore presentations will follow at 3 a.m. and 11 a.m. on 12/4, 5 p.m. on 12/7, 4 p.m. on 12/9 and 2 a.m. on 12/10.)
Grow a Pair: Win Free Tickets to See the National on 9/24
September 21st, 2010
The National plays The Wellmont Theatre on Friday. Since they’re a really popular band, the show sold out. But the silver lining is that The House List is giving away two tickets. Want to go? Then try to Grow a Pair. It’s easy. Just fill out the form below, listing your name, e-mail address, which show you’re trying to win tickets to (the National, 9/24) and a brief message explaining why the start of fall is a good thing. Eddie Bruiser, who’s pretty excited that football season has begun, will notify the winner by Friday. Good luck.
SPIN25: One More Time with Feeling
August 3rd, 2010
Last week SPIN magazine celebrated its 25th anniversary with an epic five-night run of shows: the Smashing Pumpkins, the Flaming Lips, the Black Keys and the National at Terminal 5 and then Spiritualized closed out the week with a choir and an orchestra at Radio City Music Hall. If you weren’t there in person you still had the opportunity to check out what went down because each show streamed live on SPIN.com. But that is so last week. And since the music was extra stellar—thanks to ZYNC from American Express—you’ve got another chance to see these shows: The headlining act from each date will be rebroadcast at 9 p.m. ET every night this week here.
The National Celebrates Brooklyn
July 28th, 2010The National – Prospect Park Bandshell – July 27, 2010
The experience of a live concert is reducible to a limited number of forms. And of those possibilities, bands usually fulfill your expectations of how they will perform and sound. For example, jam bands display virtuosic creativity while pop stars preen and shine for their adoring audience. This isn’t to say that performances don’t vary from night to night, but as the adage goes: You get what you pay for. The exception to this rule is when a band reproduces an album’s sound, but the effect of seeing them live still brings new depth to your understanding. Such is the case with the National. From lead singer Matt Berninger’s bustling baritone to Aaron and Bryce Dessner’s guitar hooks, the National swallow you whole.
On Tuesday night at the Prospect Park Bandshell, the Brooklyn-by-way-of-Ohio natives brought their talents to support free shows as a part of Celebrate Brooklyn! Fellow heralded indie-rock stars Beach House opened with a serene set filled with selections from their 2010 release, Teen Dream. Though lead lady Victoria Legrand joked, “Thank you for standing there and watching us play music,” it’s unclear what other reactions their midtempo, introspective tunes could elicit.
By contrast, the National played through a catalog shifting from the anthemic, like with “Squalor Victoria” and “Mistaken for Strangers,” to the spectral “Conversation 16” and “Anyone’s Ghost.” The group’s effectiveness is apparent in the way they balance their literal no-frills presentation with focus and determination. Silhouetted behind a large black drape, the men of the National looked and sounded like they take their music seriously. Thankfully this approach deeply rewards the band and the audience. —Jared Levy
SPIN Turns 25
July 23rd, 2010
Next week SPIN magazine celebrates its 25th anniversary with five great shows: the Smashing Pumpkins at Terminal 5 on Monday, the Flaming Lips at Terminal 5 on Tuesday, the Black Keys at Terminal 5 on Wednesday, the National at Terminal 5 on Thursday and Spiritualized at Radio City Music Hall on Friday. And the even better news is that if you don’t have tickets to these shows, you’ll still be able to see them because Spin.com will be streaming them live. So let the SPIN25 celebration begin.
Move on Up
June 17th, 2010The National – Radio City Music Hall – June 16, 2010
Just three songs into the National’s sold-out show at Radio City Music Hall last night, lead singer Matt Berninger jumped off the stage and into the crowd. After a strong opening set by the Antlers, the National started with “Mistaken for Strangers,” followed by “Anyone’s Ghost,” from recent release High Violet. As he sang, Berninger displayed his distinctive stage behavior, pacing, wringing his hands and clapping to himself along with drummer Bryan Devendorf’s frantic beats—a controlled mass of pent-up energy. It was halfway through “Bloodbuzz Ohio” when Berninger, no longer able to hold it in, jumped down to be alongside his hyper fans as he sang angst-ridden lyrics touching upon love, debt and failure.
The National easily filled the cavernous venue with their dynamic orchestral arrangements of songs like “Squalor Victoria,” “England,” “Runaway” and “Little Faith,” but were quick to acknowledge their more humble beginnings, dedicating “Secret Meeting” from their 2005 album, Alligator, to The Bowery Presents’ own Johnny Beach, who they note got them their very first show. The National seemed to want to remind hometown fans that while they may be playing bigger and bigger venues these days, we need not fret because this is weird for them, too.
For his part, Berninger continued to breach the stage/audience boundaries, and during the climatic “Mr. November,” made his way all the way up to the mezzanine, his microphone cord trailing behind him, as audience members helped pass it over their heads to follow the singer. Since the National’s emotive, lush music is no longer a wonderful shared secret among a select group of savvy listeners, it is likely that the venues they play in will continue to grow in size. But luckily, at last night’s show, Berninger seemed to prove that as the band’s popularity rises, he, too, will rise up to the highest balcony and sing beside more and more members of the crowd, the place where he is perhaps most comfortable. —Alena Kastin
Photos courtesy of Mina K
Have No Fear, You Can Still See the National
May 19th, 2010Last Saturday ZYNC from American Express presented an evening with the National at Brooklyn Academy of Music benefiting Red Hot, a leading international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture. Sure, this show has already happened, but don’t let that stop you from checking it out for yourself: youtube.com/thenationalvevo.
Stream the National Live Tonight!
May 15th, 2010
ZYNC from American Express presents an evening with the National at Brooklyn Academy of Music benefiting Red Hot, a leading international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture. This show is sold out, but you’ll still be able to catch all of the action even if you’re not in Brooklyn by streaming it live via YouTube/VEVO beginning at 8 p.m. Watch it tonight: youtube.com/thenationalvevo.
Stream the National Live Tomorrow Night
May 14th, 2010
Tomorrow night ZYNC from American Express presents an evening with the National at Brooklyn Academy of Music benefiting Red Hot, a leading international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture. And even if you’re not there, you’ll be able to stream this show live beginning at 8 p.m. via YouTube/VEVO: youtube.com/thenationalvevo.
Stream the National Live This Saturday
May 10th, 2010This Saturday ZYNC from American Express presents an evening with the National at Brooklyn Academy of Music benefiting Red Hot, a leading international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture. And if you weren’t able to get tickets, you’re still in luck because the show will be streamed live—and directed by D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus—on YouTube. Watch it live via YouTube/VEVO: YouTube.com/thenationalvevo.
(Above, the National plays “Mistaken for Strangers.”)
