The National never disappoint.

<<flashback>> I first saw them on tour in support of Alligator (2005). I didn’t know anything about them at that point, and had only listened to the album a few times. I dragged my wife along. This is a scenario that sometimes turns out great, but sometimes fails miserably. For instance - there are times I will get the “I will be somewhere in the back for the rest of the show” statement three songs into the opening act. When the show ends I will ask what she thought…and she has, on occasion, casually replied “oh, I was asleep the entire time.” I can assure you this was not the case with The National. We were leaning up against the stage dodging potential kicks in the head from Matt Berninger (nothing malicious, mind you, just frontman enthusiasm) bouncing up and down with an enthusiastic crowd. After I purchased my tickets the venue was changed (to the chagrin of ticket holders) due to the show selling out so quickly. This was the beginning, I suppose, of The National becoming a bigger band…the road to playing higher capacity audiences. We were both floored. My wife enjoyed the show more than I did (as I am prone to panic attacks and had one throughout the concert, fearing that the floor of this multi-level building would collapse) and she called me two days later, at work, and announced “I got us tickets to see The Clogs at Lincoln Center!” I am pretty sure my wife and I know every word of Alligator by heart, and it remains a heavy rotation family-favorite to this day. We follow their side projects and shoot off e-mails every time we hear about a new Dessner-produced album or compilation.

Fast forward to September 27, 2018 at the Mann Center. It is the same National we saw back in 2006…only this time with horns and electronics instead of a fiddle player (?). Same might, same musical prowess, only this time Berninger climbs through the audience, walks on water, or chairs…playing to the crowd, as part of the crowd. I have to admit, I also loved the visual aspect of the show. The stage-set included a large screen with imagery behind the band - think R.E.M.’s Tourfilm, of which every moment is burned into my brain, and you get a similar feel, except instead of images of flowers…you get live footage of the audience projected back at you (see photos)…the audience becomes part of the act, perhaps? I don’t remember so many people knowing all the lyrics to every song when we saw them years ago, however, this is a band who’s first album came out in 2001, and have amassed a loyal following of devotees. What better way to celebrate than a sing-along? “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks” closes the show, just as it did when I saw them for the second time (at the Mann Center) in 2010. I got the feeling that everyone leaving the show felt they too could walk on water, having just come off stage, singing for Matt Berninger, who was singing for us.

Photos taken September 27, 2018 at the Mann Center, Philadelphia, PA