Photos by Michael McGrath, Words by Amy McGrath
I refuse to use the word melancholy in (the rest of) my review of The National at the Mission Ballroom on Saturday. Too easily rock writers, myself included, have summed up the band with this description. But Saturday’s romp through both the standout tracks of this year’s gorgeous and challenging I am Easy to Find alongside decades of fan favorite tunes did not leave me feeling sad. It left me, alternately: exhilarated, nostalgic, enthralled, wistful.
The National is a band that for some obvious and some indescribable reasons, vibrates on both my emotional and sonic frequencies. And this year, with the release of the gorgeous Mike Mill’s directed film I am Easy to Find, they’ve also tapped into my cinematic palate. Moody but not maudlin, the emotional lyricism is balanced by a band that can really rip- and rip they did at the Mission on Saturday night.
The power of The National has something to do with a magical formula. Two sets of brothers- Bryce and Aaron Dessner (guitar, piano, keyboards) and Scott Devendorf (bass) and his younger brother, drum wizard Bryan, lend this band a cohesiveness and familial intimacy. On top of the delicate balance of talented brothers barrels the baritone and swagger of front man Matt Berninger, a singularly memorable voice and presence in all of contemporary Indie rock. As evidenced by Saturday’s show, the National is not content to stick with formula, and for this album and tour they have included a slew of new sounds and new voices. The powerful voices of singers Kate Stables (This is the Kit) and Mina Tindle buoyed the band which is also utilizing a bevy of electronic samples and a kick-ass live horn section. All of these family ties, all of these nimble musicians, all of this fresh energy resulted in the powerfully sweeping sound of the National on Saturday night.
The National’s Saturday night set-list showed a penchant for big jams and mixing things up, like the sweet reggae lilt that opened “Where Is Her Head” before transforming into a colossal guitar jam. One of the most magical moments of the night came from a gorgeous, mournful cover of Peggy-o, a traditional folk song well loved by Deadheads. But The National seemed intent on rocking the Mission with more big jams than quiet sadness- and multiple songs including “England,” and “Mr. November” were made complete by Berninger’s signature – taking leave of the stage and meandering through the crowd, exploring the new (and fantastic looking and sounding) Mission Ballroom, dragging hundreds of feet of mic cord behind him, connecting with fans, climbing up to the balcony, howling from atop the bar.
Though the National’s diverse set traipsed through a wide swath of emotional and sonic territory on Saturday night, and I personally cried (“The Pull of You” from Easy to Find reminds me powerfully of my daughter who just left home for college) and saw many other tears in the audience- it was not a melancholy show, but it definitely was an emotional ride in the best way. The set closed with the National’s traditional a capella crowd sing along “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks.” It was a powerfully moving group moment that left me grinning and very grateful.
