Live Review: The National, Little May

Opening up the night, Little May rather earnestly and purposefully play a lengthy set of gently rocking indie with alt-country highlights and there is a lush dreaminess to the mix. The Sydneysiders acknowledge their recent reclusiveness as being necessary to write and produce their new album, which is scheduled for imminent release. Aaron Dessner produced their last album, so it makes sense that they should find themselves supporting The National tonight.

Sitting high on the dusty hill that's almost devoid of any grass, under the stars, The National look like little ant people when they take the stage. They play their show like musicians showcasing their ample skills with a minimum of theatrics and banter in between songs. Matt Berninger kickstarts Nobody Else Will be There with that distinctive gravelly tone in his trademark baritone. Although not an excessively loud gig, The National manage to amplify the intimate introspection of their tunes for stadium-sized audiences without losing their intensity and meaning. On occasion, it seems odd that the crowd is happy to sing along with Berninger's lugubrious musings.

It's no secret that The National have made a career out of producing some hauntingly sad and deeply emotional songs. Break-up songs are ok unless, of course, you are actually working your way through one, in which case the soft and tender About Today would probably reduce you to tears. Occasionally Berninger makes some moves that make him look as though he's performing in a musical, but there is a sincerity to his delivery that makes the emotions feel more real than much of the sad music intended to give you a bad case of the feels that's currently available. 

Tunes such as Guilty Party and even Empire Line almost hit the kind of adult-pop that Tindersticks produce, but The National appear to be more caught up in the actual melancholy of grief and heartbreak. Fresh from the Grammy Award-winning success of their last album Sleep Well Beast, tonight's show features many tunes off this album as well as dipping into the band's extensive and brilliantly executed back catalogue. Predictably, Bloodbuzz Ohio and Fake Empire are set highlights.

Although they have been around for many years, tonight The National give the appearance of being very much in their prime. After playing an exhilarating 22 songs, their 23rd is an acoustic version of Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks that sees the crowd taking responsibility for the vocals, in singalong mode, as Berninger struts about the stage beaming brightly back at us.