From the typical keyboards and guitars to a mini brass section, the National offers up an intriguing combo of the companion and the quirky. Even their lyrics reflect this mentality. Berninger gives his sinister opinions on somber city dwellers in chillingly accurate fashion. From the cynicism to the dim burning epic nature of their songs, I wasn't quite sure how the ring would translate from album to concert. But I needn't have worried because the Subject really got the medicine and the crowd going.Berninger's lyrics are a little offkilter so it shouldn't have surprised me that he was too, literally. Keeping a trusty bottle of wine at his side, he sipped and stumbled around throughout most of the show. Climbing the amps, tipping over the microphone, the whole stage is Berninger's playground. You could assure this unnerved the venue security haha, but I enjoyed the wild antics making me feeling like we were acquiring a singular treatment. When he ran out of stage, Berninger went into the crowd. For a guy who writes songs about being anti-social, Berninger was rather complacent and let the fans on the earth floor mob him, achieving indie rock god status for a mere few minutes. Despite all of these shenanigans, Berninger's haunting baritone remained steady.While Berninger gave off the glory of a genius gone mad, the balance of the band was decidedly more land to earth. The two guitarists are twin brothers, Bryce and Aaron Dessner, so I can't honestly say which one of them was talking to us haha, but they dispelled some of the meanings behind Berninger's bleak lyrics: "This is a call about friends, but I reckon its creepy " (on the song "Green Gloves") to which Berninger replied "Hey, you're only mad because I used to sneak into your board and buy your videos." The banter kept things clear and showed the ring still gets along despite their many days together. Because nothing is worse than a circle that clearly can't stand each other and expect to get off stage, but there's a cause why these guys have been making amazing albums for years, they actually know what they're doing and each other.Their relatable nature meant they got the audience involved too. They got us clapping and eventually singing on the final song, "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks" one of my all time favorites of theirs! "This venue has great acoustics so we're passing to try something that never works. We're leaving to do this song all acoustic with no mikes. Sing along." We were up for the dispute and it created a magic moment. That bit is pictured above.All in all, the dark was exciting, engaging, and often better than I expected it to be. I wasn't quite certain how this set would work live even though I had heard good things about their shows and I went with a few friends I usually never fall out with for more than a few hours, but their mad passion rubbed off on us all and created a full concert and camaraderie. It was a night I wish to recollect so we all stole the concert posters taped to lampposts outside the venue on the way out and my room looks darn good because of it haha. Easily one of the best shows I've seen this class and I've seen quite a few go if you get the risk and certainly start listening to the Subject if you aren't already! Boxer is by far my favourite album of theirs so learn it out!song of the day: "Mr. November" by the National (Easily their best and most fun song live. Matt Berninger ran through the entire main floor crowd on what must've been the longest microphone cord ever haha. Even though I was up in the balcony, we got a big position and my friend Alasdair also happened to be at the show, but with main floor seats and actually got to touch Berninger! We were all massively jealous and lived vicariously through him.)
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