The National at Sidney Myer Music Bowl
The anticipation was palpable in Melbourne last night as The National returned to the stage after a six-year break from Australian soil; marking a momentous occasion for fans who had eagerly awaited their return. As devout followers of the band, our team were excited (to say the least) when it was announced that the band would be performing two nights of unique sets spanning across their full catalogue. From the haunting melodies of High Violet, the raw emotion of Boxer, and the introspective musings of Trouble Will Find Me, The National treated us to some of our favourite songs from our all-time favourite albums, in addition to exploring the depths of both their older albums including Alligator, and their latest albums First Two Pages of Frankenstein and Laugh Track. The two-hour set captivated throughout and found the perfect balance of high-energy albums mixed with what they self-describe as ‘sad dad music’. With our hearts full of excitement and nostalgia, we headed to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl to witness the two decades-long span of the band’s illustrious career.
Opening for The National on their Australia tour was Sydney musician Annie Hamilton. Heading onto the stage wearing a pair of black wings, Annie performed a stripped-back solo set covering songs from her album the future is here but it feels kinda like the past, as well as her self-titled 2020 EP. From our favourite opener Kitchen, she followed it up with hit singles Panic and Again. Providence Portal lead into Whirlwind followed by a ‘song about concrete’ with Californian Carpark Concrete. Annie’s performance was the perfect opening act for the setting and the crowd were captivated by her voice. Closing out the set with a new release from the previous week Talk, the set ended with Fade. Little did we know, we had not seen the last of Annie for the evening.
The second support for the evening were none other than American indie folk band Fleet Foxes. When the tour billed the band as ‘very special guests’, it felt like the understatement of the year – with the band having performed to sold-out crowds at Palais Theatre back in 2018. We felt incredibly lucky to see Robin and band performing a support slot, completely aware of the rarity of such a sighting and thankful for their generous hour-long performance.
The band performed hits from their self-titled album, as well as classics from Helplessness Blues and Shore to name a few. From opening tracks Sunblind, Can I Believe You and Ragged Wood, we were taken on a journey to a mesmerising world, where the seamless fusion of folk, indie, rock and baroque pop enveloped the senses. The harmonies, percussion, acoustics and vocals had a timeless quality as we lost ourselves in Robin’s vocals. Highlights from the set included He Doesn’t Know Why, a cover of Big Red Machine’s Phoenix, their big hits White Winter Hymnal and Mykonos and later tracks Blue Ridge Mountains and Helplessness Blues.
As the anticipation reached its peak and the stage lights dimmed, The National were shown backstage as a camera followed them through the hallways of Sidney Myer to capture their arrival onstage as applause and cheers erupted. Opening track Sea of Love had lead vocalist Matt Berninger already diving into the crowds, while Tropic Morning News started with a nod and shout-out to support acts Fleet Foxes and Annie Hamilton. The band took a moment to address the crowd, with a ‘We’re so happy to be back playing here tonight and tomorrow night, we’re going to play a lot of songs from our whole career’ as they launched into new song New Order T-Shirt.
Matt’s screams began during Squalor Victoria, and we heard hit after absolute hit with Don’t Swallow The Cap, Bloodbuzz Ohio and I Need My Girl. The highs were high, the lows were low; as we felt all of the emotions wash over us during the set. The band were working the stage, rushing across all areas of the venue, while the band’s mic tech was working harder than anyone we’ve ever seen from the support crew – as he raced around anticipating Berninger’s movements. We took some more time to explore Boxer – one of the best albums ever made (in our opinion) as the band performed Slow Show and Brainy – which was dedicated to Matt’s wife.
We continued the love for High Violet with Conversation 16 – one of the best live songs in their usual set, before a throwback to their 2005 album Alligator, for Baby We’ll Be Fine and Lit Up dedicated to their security detail at their hotel. Before long, it was time to show some love to the newest additions to their catalogue with the band telling us, ‘We’re gonna play you some songs from our new records – we had two come out last year’ before launching into Alien and Laugh Track. The band debuted a new song, Bat Child, joking around that it was ‘almost a new song’ and thanking the audience for coming to their practice sesh.
The next part of the set featured a different song from each album, with Day I Die from Sleep Well Beast seeing Matt jump into the crowds and up to spend some time with the audience on the lawn. Pink Rabbits enticed a sing-a-long from the audience, and Rylan saw Annie Hamilton invited back on stage for a duet. England once again saw Matt crowd surfing and taking photos on people’s phones, while during Fake Empire, he was seen vibing with the brass section up the back. The band’s set closed on Space Invader – one of the most impressive new additions to their setlist.
As the evening drew to a close, The National came back on for a big encore, including Light Years (which was not originally on their original setlist, but was a welcome addition). Mr November went off, as it always tends to, as Matt headed back up the audience to spend time with people on the lawn. Terrible Love is a staple of their live shows, so we soaked it all in before their final track Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks was performed without a microphone; encouraging the whole audience to sing along with the band for one big hoorah. At the end of the night, we’re reminded once again why they hold such a special place in our hearts, and how we hope to see them again real soon.