The National perform a free concert at South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan (photo: Wes_Mantooth)
I started this weekend right. After work, some friends and I headed down in the spotty rain storms for drinks at Fresh Salt followed by an outdoor performance by The National on the docks of the South Street Seaport. After a handful of free, good concerts I’ve taken in over the summer, I can say with confidence that this was my favorite. The scene was interesting — a curious lack of hipsternation but with plenty of fans there to support and enjoy another local-come-big-time band. The dock was crowded but not uncomfortable and the rain, blowing through moments before The National went on, helped cool the air and bring a gentle breeze off the water flowing through the crowd.
The stage, small and humble, provided just enough sound for the band’s somewhat subtle approach to rock music. The National didn’t pull any rabbits out of a hat in their performance; just a solid band playing some good music. I have only been listening to The National for the past few months after hearing Fake Empire on some Sirius channel late one night. It’s now on my regular rotation and will be time-stamped for the summer of ‘07 (lyrically, it might be a timestamp for the past 5 years). It was a great discovery which led to some regret of missing their show with Arcade Fire at Radio City back in May - I may need to see this band play again.
The good news is, they’ll be back in October. That should leave me enough time to continue to absorb the rest of Boxer and their previous record, Alligator so I can write out a setlist and quietly sing along with more than three songs.
I was just listening to The National - Green Gloves