I wrote a post about the National's show at the Sydney Opera house. I was truly swept up and blown away by the concert. I just watched it again with a friend, and she too was totally bowled over. We both have listened to a few of their records over and over, and we love the records we have, but to be honest, I had my doubts about how well they would come across in a live setting. I didn't realize that many of their songs have an almost "anthem"-like quality.
I mean, they are a serious, somewhat dour band. Their lyrics are sort elliptical, or maybe just a little complex, certainly, intelligent, and there are so many good "one-liners" and their songs are unique with odd and astonishing imagery. I guess I was surprised that lots and lots of people would be singing along with them.
And Matt Berninger looks like a philosophy or an economics professor, or maybe a mathematician or something. He looks and sounds like a guy who actually reads books, and not just comic books and music magazines. And it's just so satisfying and exhilarating to watch him give himself up to the crowd. Not what I expected to see, at all.
And the band, well, they are phenomenal. And they have perfected their live presentation to the point where they can go from a quiet, quirky, moody, piece and then bring it to a massive, cathartic crescendo. And they can bring that kind of dynamic fire to a two hour plus show. Amazing. Exhilarating. Surprising. Rewarding.