We Were There: The National at Prospect Park

The last time we saw The National they were rubbing elbows with the likes of Julia Stiles in a fancy bank vault after their epic 20-song set at BAM (filmed by the DA Pennebaker)—but last night they were amongst the trees playing to the masses in Prospect Park. And everything was right in the world once again.

The band has legitimately blown up, so there's no need to retrace their career here—if you don't know Alligator, Boxer or their most recent release, High Violet, then get thee to a record shop (and pick up their other 2 LPs and EPs while you're there). They'll be playing a sold out show at Terminal 5 tomorrow night, and then depart the city for quite some time—your next shot at catching them is September 24th at the Wellmont Theater in New Jersey (tickets still available). Here's some video of "Bloodbuzz, Ohio" from last night's show:

This is the same band whose drummer, Bryan Devendorf, kept a tour diary for us on their trip to SXSW in 2005—in which he wrote: "This party is in an office park several miles out of town. It's sparsely attended. Our set is good, too. A tree falls in the forest. There's so many bands here. So many. It's like the infinite number of monkeys with typewriters only we are the monkeys, we rock-and-rollers, we suckers."

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By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment on July 28, 2010 11:10 AM

Comments [rss]

gimme

these guys, so played out, as an online reviewer said:

self-perpetuating sadness for those who make $80,000 a year and feel something is still not right about their lives as they look down at the busy city streets from their high rise New York City studio apartments

white collar blues, yawn

yep I wasn't at this show nor cared to be

Jamie McDonald

Correct. Only the impoverished are allowed to feel that something is not right about their lives. I must have missed that day of Cultural Studies class at Oberlin, but I'm pretty sure that sounds right.

kazubes

look at the sea of white people

Tony

yup, no gun shots, no post-show fights, minimal littering.. bunch of tame-ass white people.

drewo

They're a good group with a strong catalog of songs. Enjoy them while they are at the top of their game.

jaycjay

I did. Back when they used to play at places like Luna Lounge. Ha! I am so much cooler than you people who are just discovering them!

RoboticInsides

They're a hyped up mediocre group. What else is new?

Clarence Rosario

You know what else is new? Taking the time to comment that you DON'T like a band on the internet.

How novel.

They sounded awesome from the cheap seats on the grass outside of the venue.

dept54321

Nope. They're good, and you're wrong.

Jamie McDonald

So wrong.

gardengrasscrap

Thank you to the kind couple that offered me a free ticket as I was unlocking my bike to ride home after listening to a few songs outside.

Because of them I able to head right in and take in the show.

You made my night.