Indie rock veterans The National played two high-energy shows at The Met this week, and Philly showed up. Following the release of this year’s characteristically moody First Two Pages of Frankenstein, the band set out on tour that will take them to Osheaga Festival in Montreal in a few short days, then sees them headline their own festival, The National’s Homecoming Cincinnati in September with Patti Smith, Pavement, Bartees Strange, Weyes Blood, Julia Jacklin, and more. In this exciting era, The National proved that after two decades of indie notoriety, they’re not slowing down.
A new fun thing The Met is doing: hosting a kind of block party outside the venue before big shows. And both nights before The National performed, their crowd enjoyed snacks and brews just outside the venue, which gave me a curious look at who would be in attendance at the sold out show. To use a worn-out phrase, I’d say it’s safe to call The National “dad-rock” these days, though there was some representation from folks who I’d assume discovered the band in high school, and have grown up with The National’s dark, cinematic soundscapes. It’s interesting to see just how influential this band has been on the trajectory of indie rock and pop music. Their brand of moody, deep production led by Berninger’s baritone storytelling with an often bleak perspective has saturated the current market, both by indirect influence and direct, like how The National themselves have championed artists like Bon Iver, Phoebe Bridgers, and even Taylor Swift in the 2010s and beyond.
Opening for The National was the New Zealand group The Beths. Their bright and pastel-colored sound was a sunny and contrasting beginning to the night. The group, who made their debut in 2018 on Carpark Records, has had a decorated journey opening for Death Cab for Cutie and now The National, and fun fact, were featured on Obama’s Summer Playlist 2023. They’re definitely a group to watch, and will be endearing to a wide swatch of the thoughtful, indie rock crowd.
