The National
Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne
Sunday 9th of February 2014
Image courtesy of ksno.net
If I was asked to name three things that encapsulate The National, I would chose the captivating baritone voice of Matt Berninger, unusual metaphors and melodic drums. But over time, like a good wine, these characteristics have evolved into scintillating maturity. It has taken more than a decade for The National to slowly climb up to their current level of dignified fame having successfully gathered a growing number of discerning fans across the globe. The five members, Ohioans turned Brooklynites, started off their career with the self-titled album, The National (2001) followed by Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers two years later. But it wasn’t until the birth of Alligator (2005) and Boxer (2007), that their art drew the attention of critics and music lovers alike. With the arrival of High Violet (2010) and Trouble Will Find Me (2013), Matt Berninger and two pairs of brothers (Aaron and Bryce Dessner and Bryan and Scott Davendorf) established The National as a modern icon of indie-rock.
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Watch The National's entire set from the steps of the Sydney Opera House, 8 February 2014 above.
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The show I witnessed demonstrated the level of maturity that the National has reached. Equipped with a solid set-list that drew on their five albums, the band delivered an awesome performance. All songs were executed beautifully, perfected by the top-notch sound quality, lighting and images. Despite having played together for 10 years, the music does not hint at habit or jaded resentment. Rather, The National seem to have refined to an exquisite degree what they have been doing for years. Speaking of maturity, the frontman and charismatic singer Matt Berninger once said in an interview with GQ magazine about his habit of wearing a suit, “I didn’t want to look like one of these guys in their forties trying to look like they are still in their twenties.” Wearing a suit is a sign of respect for people who come to see them, according to him.
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Image courtesy of metrolyrics.com
When Byran Davendorf, the drummer, played the intro of “Don’t Swallow the Cap” (Trouble Will Find Me, 2013), the crowd erupted. Matt’s baritone voice then caught up with his typically acerbic lyrics. They mellowed down a little with “I Should Live in Salt” before hitting their stride with “Mistaken for Strangers” (Boxer, 2007). A tingling sensation possessed me as they played their fifth song “Bloodbuzz Ohio” (High Violet, 2010). This song sounded even better live as the dominant drum sound controlled the whole melody, as if it was a guitar riff. Matt’s voice just added another layer of bass sound without overshadowing the drum pattern. In the next song, “Demons” (Trouble Will Find Me) Matt employed an effectively monotonal voice, before poignantly begging to “sleep on the floor; and paint the blood; and hang the palms on the door”. As the night went on, the band ventured into the up-beat tempo of “Conversation 16” (High Violet) and “Squalor Victoria” (Boxer), inviting the crowd to join in and help warm the now mild summer night. The crowd took up the invitation by dancing and screaming along to the dark lyrics of the chorus: “I was afraid; I’d eat your brains; cause I am an evil.”
A clever performer is like the less malicious Pied Piper, whose music captures the psyche of his or her listener and takes them on an experientially memorable journey. While the band successfully pumped up the crowd with their loud songs, their mellow compositions had equally mesmerizing effect. The Dessner brothers’ gentle, finger-picked guitar loop, for example, was like a sonic narrative, taking us deeper and deeper into the heart-wrenching anxiety and devotion of “I Need My Girl” (Trouble Will Find Me). They moved down their list, switching between the three albums, Trouble Will Find Me, Boxer and Alligator. This included the song from their most recent album that made it to the Triple J Hottest 100 list, “Graceless”– a song that is arguably not rated very high amongst diehard fans. However, the last two songs were absolutely stunning. “About Today” (from their Cherry Tree EP, 2004) was so moving. The guitar riff, drum pattern and Matt’s voice ran in parallel, creating a beautiful soundscape, interwoven with sombre yet evocative violin (played by guest musicians who have joined them for this tour). The last song before the encore was perhaps the fans’ favourite - “Fake Empire” (Boxer), which grew from simple piano chords in complex polyrhythms to a horn fanfare finish. The song turned the amphitheatre slope into a joyous summer party space, with people singing and dancing. As it faded out, the band made their way back stage, leaving the crowd enmeshed in an afterglow.
Image courtesy of prettymuchamazing.com
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They started the encore with “Humiliation” (Trouble Will Find Me). Perhaps choosing the more energetic “Lit Up” (Boxer) would have been a better way to shift the crowd from a state of delirious bliss. Nevertheless, the crescendo-ing psychedelics of “Terrible Love” (High Violet) which followed, sent the crowd wild. And as the songs became progressively more intense, Matt stood atop the stage railing allowing him to get closer to the audience, fuelling and fuelled by this wildness. The image of the crowds’ hands trying to reach Matt was evocative of a cult ritual. In “Mr November” (Alligator), the ‘cult leader’ was no longer standing, but surfing in the crowd while screaming about “being carried in the arms of cheerleaders”. This energetic performance subsided into an acoustic version of “Vanderlyle Crybaby Cry” (High Violet), where a beautifully simple strummed guitar accompanied the choir of the crowd. This stunning and captivating moment of farewell concluded the perfection of this summer night.
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In an interview with the Age, Matt Berninger talked about the energy, wild performance, and recklessness on stage as a way of offering fans a different experience of The National to their records. I share the view of senior music writer, Bernard Zuel, that seeing The National live transcends the cerebral, emotional and physical. It is a mature musicality that finds beauty in sadness and absurdity. The last time I was blown away by a live concert was Radiohead. In my view The National have reached that standard.
Citu Permadi
Citu Permadi