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Tragic Fall & a Brilliant Rise
Sep. 11th, 2007 11:24 pmLast night The National played The Social here in Orlando. This time they were the headliners.
Doveman opened. I don't know much about the band...there were only two members there...unless half of The National are officially part of their band. hehe. I think Doveman is on Brassland record label which is one of the Dessner's (national) record labels...so anyway, Bryce, Aaron and Scott played with Doveman. They were good...I couldn't really hear the vocals during their set, got a whole lot of bass though.
The Rosebuds were next. And Oh my God this is where the Tragedy begins. I saw The Rosebuds maybe a couple years ago if that long...they were an opening band for I don't remember who. I remembered The Rosebuds. I loved their simplicity and smooth music. The husband/wife duo impressed me so I bought their album at the show. I've LOVED it since. Last night.......oh....they've disappointed me so.
Katie was talking about their new album and how its just not that good. I was ignorant of much of their new stuff. But was suprised when they came on stage with weird matching glittery shirts. The wife was all chatty and so was the husband...which was strange cause he was pretty quiet last time. They started up and I wasn't too impressed with the new stuff. But when they played their old songs I lost all hope for a good performance. They butchered their own songs! They sped up the tempo of every single song...The drums were louder and seemed to take over, the vocals had a different timing in some parts...and the keyboards had more *thumpa thumpa*ness to them. They "new-ified" their old songs. I was sad. I couldn't stand to listen to these beautiful songs be ripped to shreds so I stared down at the stage and played the original album versions in my head instead. I don't even want to get into the insane hootin' and hollerin' the guy was doing. UGh!
The National. Oh leave it to them to make me forget all about the tragedy that had just befallen. They came on stage to a lovely applause and "woots" to their delight. Then they began with "Start a War", which is a lovely song but still doesn't sit right with me for a show beginner. Just my opinion.
I was THRILLED to see "About Today" back on the setlist as the closer before the Encore...so I got all giddy. I had asked why "About Today" wasn't on the set last time and Aaron had just told me Matt didn't pick it. *shrug* But it was there last night and they KILLED IT!! That song gives me the shivers live. The rest of the set held no real suprises...a whole lot of the new album with some of "Alligator" thrown in with the two exceptions of "Murder Me Rachael" and "About Today".
Stand out songs for me were "Secret Meeting" where the crowd really joined in and Matt seemed pleasantly surprised by the number of voices singing along with him. "Squalor Victoria" because I love what they are doing with this song live. LOVE! "Racing Like a Pro", just beautiful. "Apartment Story" its my fav off the new album. "Abel" of course. "About Today" was intense with that insane meltdown of instruments at the end. and I'd have to say out of the two encore songs, "Green Gloves" and "Mr. November" I was more pleased with "Green Gloves". It was just amazingly beautiful and Matt seemed especially into the song and it had great crowd presence.
The National were in a pretty playful mood, I guess I could say. Matt made jokes with the crowd, something he hadn't done too much in the previous shows I've seen. Padma was all over the place and played with the crowd some. I found it most amusing when he was playing so hard he had to hurriedly snatch his glasses off his face. They were all smiles and enjoyed the crowd's shouts,chants, and requests between songs. There were requests for "Karen" which got a firm "We're Not Playin Karen" from Matt. "Friend of Mine" got shouted a couple times, which pleased me cause I requested that song the first time I saw them, that one only got a few smiles, laughs and shaken heads.
As the The National left the stage I pulled on Aaron's leg to ask he could grab me a setlist since I didn't get one in Atlanta and he kindly gave it to me. :) Yay Me
Now the only problem I have is that the show is over. :(
Doveman opened. I don't know much about the band...there were only two members there...unless half of The National are officially part of their band. hehe. I think Doveman is on Brassland record label which is one of the Dessner's (national) record labels...so anyway, Bryce, Aaron and Scott played with Doveman. They were good...I couldn't really hear the vocals during their set, got a whole lot of bass though.
The Rosebuds were next. And Oh my God this is where the Tragedy begins. I saw The Rosebuds maybe a couple years ago if that long...they were an opening band for I don't remember who. I remembered The Rosebuds. I loved their simplicity and smooth music. The husband/wife duo impressed me so I bought their album at the show. I've LOVED it since. Last night.......oh....they've disappointed me so.
Katie was talking about their new album and how its just not that good. I was ignorant of much of their new stuff. But was suprised when they came on stage with weird matching glittery shirts. The wife was all chatty and so was the husband...which was strange cause he was pretty quiet last time. They started up and I wasn't too impressed with the new stuff. But when they played their old songs I lost all hope for a good performance. They butchered their own songs! They sped up the tempo of every single song...The drums were louder and seemed to take over, the vocals had a different timing in some parts...and the keyboards had more *thumpa thumpa*ness to them. They "new-ified" their old songs. I was sad. I couldn't stand to listen to these beautiful songs be ripped to shreds so I stared down at the stage and played the original album versions in my head instead. I don't even want to get into the insane hootin' and hollerin' the guy was doing. UGh!
The National. Oh leave it to them to make me forget all about the tragedy that had just befallen. They came on stage to a lovely applause and "woots" to their delight. Then they began with "Start a War", which is a lovely song but still doesn't sit right with me for a show beginner. Just my opinion.
I was THRILLED to see "About Today" back on the setlist as the closer before the Encore...so I got all giddy. I had asked why "About Today" wasn't on the set last time and Aaron had just told me Matt didn't pick it. *shrug* But it was there last night and they KILLED IT!! That song gives me the shivers live. The rest of the set held no real suprises...a whole lot of the new album with some of "Alligator" thrown in with the two exceptions of "Murder Me Rachael" and "About Today".
Stand out songs for me were "Secret Meeting" where the crowd really joined in and Matt seemed pleasantly surprised by the number of voices singing along with him. "Squalor Victoria" because I love what they are doing with this song live. LOVE! "Racing Like a Pro", just beautiful. "Apartment Story" its my fav off the new album. "Abel" of course. "About Today" was intense with that insane meltdown of instruments at the end. and I'd have to say out of the two encore songs, "Green Gloves" and "Mr. November" I was more pleased with "Green Gloves". It was just amazingly beautiful and Matt seemed especially into the song and it had great crowd presence.
The National were in a pretty playful mood, I guess I could say. Matt made jokes with the crowd, something he hadn't done too much in the previous shows I've seen. Padma was all over the place and played with the crowd some. I found it most amusing when he was playing so hard he had to hurriedly snatch his glasses off his face. They were all smiles and enjoyed the crowd's shouts,chants, and requests between songs. There were requests for "Karen" which got a firm "We're Not Playin Karen" from Matt. "Friend of Mine" got shouted a couple times, which pleased me cause I requested that song the first time I saw them, that one only got a few smiles, laughs and shaken heads.
As the The National left the stage I pulled on Aaron's leg to ask he could grab me a setlist since I didn't get one in Atlanta and he kindly gave it to me. :) Yay Me
Now the only problem I have is that the show is over. :(
