Photo courtesy of thelineofbestfit.com
The National is an act I’ve been trying to see in concert for years. I got hooked on the singer’s voice through a charity record that included Scissor Sisters, an uplifting tune called “So Far Around the Bend.” Of all the post-9/11 New York acts, these guys and Interpol are my favorites.
Contrary to the unfair label of Sadcore being applied to them, I don’t find their music to be a downer. Much more the opposite. I can see how their detractors feel the material to be melancholy, heavy and overdramatic. Last Thanksgiving they did show a sense of humor by covering a song from Bob’s Burgers called “Sailors in Your Mouth.” It’s about gravy, not something dirty.
Anyway, The National seems to have a pretty strong following in Austin. They played three sold-out shows at the Moody Theater. I caught the middle performance from my rather pricey balcony seats. Being 45 and the concert happening on a “school night,” having a seat was for the best. I’m too old for all the shoving on the floor.
The opener was a pretty cool act from California called Warpaint. Nice to see all-women bands getting their opportunities and to fill out the ranks most people think is occupied by just the Go-Go’s and Bangles. I need to pick up their latest album soon.
Everything stayed on time pretty well. The headliner hit the stage with crowd favorites. Sadly I have a hard time remember the titles beyond the most distinctive tunes like “Bloodbuzz Ohio,” “Anyone’s Ghost,” “I Need My Girl,” and “This is the Last Time.” The setlist can be found here if you care. Give the music a try too. Put aside all those Eighties compilations and join the 21st century. I especially love the title of the current album Trouble Will Find Me. It’s open to interpretation.