“Are The National really that big of a band that they can headline Pitchfork Music Festival?” Eagerly waiting for Saturday night’s headliner to come onstage, that was the question that was proposed in the sea of denoted fans and musical enthusiasts.
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The National at the Pitchfork Music Festival
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 Entertainment
 Art
Union Park
Chicago, IL
July 18, 2009
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Ten years, four albums, and two EPs later, this Ohio-originated band has come a long way. Their third album Alligator (2005) put this band on the indie-rock map. However, their follow-up, Boxer (2007), lifted the band to the upper-tiers of the indie rock universe, receiving many spots on best albums of 2007 lists. The band has toured extensively following their last release, and has appeared to be at their best this past tour.
The band started their set just as dusk was settling, as they began slowly with their new song “Runaway” and “Start a War”. After meandering through these two slow and melancholy pieces, the group kicked it up a notched at the end of the second song with a blistering jam. From there, they went into their rich, pulsating mainstays, including tracks primarily from their past two albums—Alligator and Boxer.
Their set list was highlighted by several poignant songs. Matt Berninger’s “Abel” had him screaming “well my mind’s not right!” over and over as if he was Abel himself and needing to yell in order to exude his pain. Their main set closer, “Mr. November” capped off a tight set in excellent fashion. The emotion with which Berninger not only sings, but lives this song, is breathtaking. The way he grasps the microphone with both hands in such an intense manner appears as if he can not only sing his songs, but needs to feel it throughout all of his body. His songs overtake him to the point where he can barely control his spastic motions. Beside his haunting baritone voice and somber lyrics, his complete immersion in his music becomes contagious to his listeners, as they can equally feel his conveyance of sadness, loneliness, and the like.
Beyond Matt’s beautiful crooning, Bryan Devendorf’s drum mastery shines through every single track. His ability to be a pocket drummer while still having such power and complexity in his style stands out remarkably. His intensity and concentration set the foundation for the full sound that the band possesses. Devendorf deftly colors the music similarly to how Berninger brings life to the lyrics—by adding an overflow of emotion and life into each beat.
If that doubting fan did not know the answer at the time about whether or not The National were good enough to headline, he definitely realized the correct answer by the show’s end.
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