The National live review: Indie heroes prove their iconic status
Despite attending hundreds of gigs throughout my lifetime, I could count on one hand how many of these took place at arenas. There’s a grotty commercial nature to these venues, which are at odds with the spirit of independent music. However, when an act reaches the stature of The National, following their gradual 20-year rise in popularity, these are now the only places that can cater to the intense demand.
Thankfully, the First Direct Arena in Leeds was designed purposefully for live music. Despite hosting up to 13,000 people, due to the technically astute amphitheatre design, the space has an intimate feel, which I’m aware is a strange paradox. That said, the £16.95 ‘special offer’ for two pints of Birra Moretti was a reminder that this was no grassroots venue.
For many years, The National have been headlining festivals and selling out rooms of a similar capacity worldwide, including an appearance at the same Yorkshire venue in 2019. While the Cincinnati natives don’t fit the typical mould of arena rock, and the Dessner brothers aren’t going to wheel out grandiose solos à la Brian May, their atmospheric sound more than compensates in that department.
The National occupy an almost unique position in the musical landscape. Despite their position as a highly successful group, the average person on the street will be unlikely to name a single track in their back catalogue. Yet, for those who are aware of their work, there’s a strong chance they remain something of obsessive fans.
During their expansive set in Leeds, the crowd reactions differed from what I expected going into the show. As someone whose favourite albums from the group are Boxer and High Violet, I assumed this was a commonly held view. However, the jubilation that radiated by the audience for their early work, such as ‘Cherry Tree’, particularly surprised me. Additionally, Alligator’s ‘Mr November’ caused the most rapturous crowd reaction of the night.
The exceptional brass section played a vital role in proceedings, especially on ‘England’ and ‘Fake Empire’. Praise is also deserved for those operating the mixing desk, who ensured The National’s intricate brand of melancholic euphoria sounded even more grand in a live setting.
The show took place less than a week after the release of their new album Laugh Track, including a live debut of the LP’s titular track, which still sounded delightful even without Phoebe Bridgers’ contribution. ‘Dreaming’ was another moment which caused the hairs on my arm to stand up as my affection for the song elevated to a new level while hearing it live.
Within less than a week, my relationship with Laugh Track has gone from being underwhelmed to believing it’s potentially their finest release since 2013’s Trouble Will Find Me, partly thanks to their performance in Leeds.
Seeing The National perform live is akin to theatre as frontman Matt Berninger embodies every song and pours unbridled emotion into every lyric. Throughout the night, Berninger swam through the crowd and looked lost in the music. The band also took time to reflect upon their mesmeric rise, with Bryce Dessner reminiscing about their first visit to Leeds in 2002, dedicating ‘About Today’ to the dog which attacked them while they attempted to sleep on the floor of an apartment.
Generally, gigs shouldn’t last more than 90 minutes, but The National are one of the rare exceptions. The set lasted almost two and a half hours, causing the band to break the venue’s 11pm curfew, and they could have played for another hour if they so desired.
After the moving show, my inner monologue was consumed by debating whether The National are the most influential indie band over the last 20 years. While it’s impossible to come to an objective conclusion, I know where I stand.
