Showdate: September 12, 2010
The final night of Musicfest Northwest 2010. 5 nights of rocking it as hard as we can ends with The National. This really is a brilliant scene and a very shrewd business move by Musicfest. The Decemberists and The National pack them in to the square, and in return the demographic ensures the type of hassles that won’t get anyone too upset. There isn’t going to be a lot of vomit, Freebird song requests, or aggressive glaucoma treatment regimens to manage from this crowd. Really, the most offensive thing I see is the-winter-hat-in-summer-fashion-thing. Please. All of you running that look? For the love of all that is rock and The National roll. Stop.
Great night weather-wise. Matt Berninger (lead vocal) comments that it is “unbelievably pleasant.” And adds, “what is that building over there? It looks like a cake.” Sold out crowd. Very chill and friendly security. Just as chill and friendly a crowd. Perfect. If I was an organizer of this festival, I would be ecstatic. And deservedly so. Here’s the setlist, you The National superfans.
Runaway
Anyone’s Ghost
Mistaken For Strangers
Bloodbuzz Ohio
Slow Show
Squalor Victoria
Afraid Of Everyone
Available
Cardinal Song
Conversation 16
Apartment Story
Abel
Daughters Of The Soho Riots
England
Fake Empire
____Encore
Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks
Secret Meeting
Mr. November
Terrible Love
The lead singer, Matt, has a very free and comfortable banter with the band. And crowd. Before “Bloodbuzz Ohio”, he asks how many people in the crowd are from Ohio. And further explains his disbelief at the large proportion of people claiming Ohio residency at shows in Ireland. And “Bloodbuzz Ohio” is the first song in the set where some rock meets a set that was just roll up until now. Guitars were finally unleashed, with the next song “Squalor Victoria” bringing some of the most fire of the night. Ending with the lyric “this isn’t working, my middlebrow fuckup” muttered into the mic. Matt Berninger pacing the stage as the music crescendos and he ends the song screaming.
An encore starts with a sparse quantity of glowsticks being thrown into the crowd by the band. Drawing their own ironic contrast with The Flaming Lips. “Here’s four dollars worth of crap.” The National really is engaging and witty live. They appeared to have a good time and enjoyed playing with the opening acts who they are friends with “Except Talkdemonic”. After joking that they had a falling out with Talkdemonic, Matt adds, “they’re kinda dickish”.
Everything about this show was quality. The musicianship and sound was solid. The “venue” could not have been prepared or managed much better. With the exception of long beer and food lines, I really have zero complaints. If you are a fan of The National, I don’t see how you don’t come out of tonight fired up. Cruising on a post concert high that I envy. I’m personally not feeling it, but that is my own issue. Chris and I rocked these 5 nights on the equivalent of whiskey, beer, (radio edit) and were then finished off tonight with force-fed champagne. Which is cool. I like champagne. Alot. But, damn. After five nights? You want that last trip to the bar to be sound tracked with an old fashioned rock ‘n roll rave up, you know? Not necessarily by a band fronted by a dude singing smart lyrics in a suit. I know some of you feel me. Even you fuckers in those winter hats.
