THE WATERBOYS // ROYAL CONCERT HALL, GLASGOW
The melancholic euphoria of The National radiates
through Glasgow’s OVO Hydro.
★★★★★ (5/5)
THE WATERBOYS PERFORMING AT EDINBURGH’S USHER HALL
PHOTOCREDIT: CALUM BUCHAN
The National are a surprising, unassuming act for the sell-out OVO Hydro arena – it is just not where you would place them over somewhere more obviously intimate. Although for many it may not be the venue of choice, it marks a true end of their days as a wallflower act whose appeal extends exclusively to dads and hipsters. With no shortage of new material and incredible collaborations, the group seem to be moving with an unstoppable, especially after talk of struggles to get work out. As the tour sales rocketed, fans from here there and everywhere came out of the woodwork to make it to the Scottish performance.
Support across the tour is made up from some popular acts, most notably being Patti Smith in New York’s Madison Square Garden. Glasgow saw Soccer Mommy join as support the group. With all the delicate vulnerabilities of a flickering candle, singer Sophie Allison gives a moving performance filled with character and heart. Allison drew in a large crowd for her set. With her heavy 90s flare, it was easy to get lost in her dreamy style. She has a similar air to the likes of Phoebe Bridgers and Japanese Breakfast, Soccer Mommy’s music is your new under-the-radar anti-Barbie.
The place was positively heaving as the night approached The National’s set, with long lines at venders and sell-outs at the merchandise stands. There was a friendly intelligence to the attendees, some coming with knowing excitement and some with optimistic anticipation. When The National promptly took to the stage, the jolt of electrifying adoration was powerful.
Charging out the gate with their recent anthem featuring Sufjan Stevens ‘Once Upon a Poolside,’ from new release First Two Pages Of Frankenstein. A stunned sea of transfixed beings focus on the stage as the track’s intensity builds and the room waits for permission to breath out the power feeling the track creates. The tracks ends with a stunted round of applause while reality floats somewhere in the rafters.
Playing from their vast repertoire of past and present works, The National deserves high praise for their mastery of song choice. They allow deep emotions to build but refuse to let the apathy of pain take over. Just take the balance of the harmony between hearing the ‘Don’t Swallow the Cap,’ ‘Demons’ and ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’ all one after the other.
Keeping the crowd guessing, frontman Matt Berninger gesticulates and flails like a man on the brink of somethings. A co-ordinated routine, of course, but also with a sense that this perfected character is based off of traits he knows well. He taps the microphone off his head to create a beat one point and was often being swallowed up by the crowd as he threw himself in repeatedly.
Staging for the set features various lighting set ups and videos on a background screen, eyes are fixed on the band at all times so anything more extravagant would have cheapened the night. The band perform the track ‘Mistaken For Strangers’ as a tribute to Frightened Rabbit’s Scott Hutchison before incredible displays of the tracks ‘England’ and ‘About Today’. Their epic 5-track encore was highlighted by the core strengthening ‘Terrible Love’ and an entirely crowd sung ‘Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks’ where if you had somehow manged to avoid the tears till point then they were definitely flowing now.
The National are a celebration of adult emotion and the experience of life changing. As they now move into their mainstream era, they have yet to stray from where they came from. Their standard of live performance is a testament to their strength as artists and the quality of their music.