The National @ The Apollo, Manchester – Monday 11th November 2013
Brooklyn indie rock band The National have been slowly but surely building a dedicated fan base across the globe for almost 15 years now and, following the success of their last two albums, are now playing to the biggest UK crowds of their career. Not really a tour, but four shows across two venues, this is their first UK gig since headlining All Tomorrow’s Parties in 2012. Both nights at the Apollo sold out super-fast and the anticipation is high as the crowds fill the impressive Grade II listed venue.
Opening tonight’s proceedings are Brit folk band, This Is The Kit, who struggle to keep the attention of the majority of the room despite some beautiful harmonies and accomplished musicianship. Their ultra-mellow sound is just a little too gentle for the room and would undoubtedly be far more captivating in a smaller room.
It’s not long before the band of brothers that are the headliners wander onto the Apollo stage and ease into Don’t Swallow The Cap from this year’s superb Trouble Will Find Me album. For the first part of the night the band seem to be deliberately holding back. Even the soaring fan favourite Bloodbuzz Ohio seems lacking in the energy it possesses in recorded form but maybe they’re just getting warmed up, or maybe they’re consciously building the set as the evening unfolds because it’s not too long before things become more animated and, ultimately, quite euphoric.
Matt Berninger’s unmistakable baritone vocals sound magnificent throughout the performance and the layered guitars of the Dessner brothers are understated and epic in equal measure, while the solid rhythm section of the Devendorf brothers is a huge part of what gives The National their distinctive sound. Berninger gives off the air of a disgruntled Geography teacher one minute and the fiery drunk on the corner the next, hurling his microphone across the floor as if possessed and then dragging it through the audience during the feisty Mr November as the crowd go suitably bonkers around him.
During the encore we are treated to a superb rendition of Terrible Love before the band’s classic finale of Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks, sang a cappella with all band members front of stage and 3500 satisfied voices hollering every word back towards them. A magnificent way to close a spectacular evening of music.
Setlist
- Encore:
Review & photographs by Steve Gerrard