THE NATIONAL (US)
Formed in 1999, when five friends from Cincinnati, Ohio met again after all of them had relocated to Brooklyn, NY. For years, the band had received critical praise but it wasn’t until 2005’s ‘Alligator’ that a wider audience finally discovered them. Alligator ended up in the higher echelons of scores of year-end critics’ lists with reviews like “It is the sound of Interpol as reinterpreted by Tom Waits” (E! ONLINE). Not surprisingly the band found themselves selling out large venues across Europe, the UK and the US.
Gothic in its detailing but jaunty in its execution, The National’s music is something far richer than orch-pop (translation: rock n roll topped with violins). The band finds ways to combine the expressive depth of composed music with the urgency of pop. It’s a sound built with guitar, bass, piano and drums and festooned with brass, woodwinds, backing vocals, strings, and organs. A product of dedicated labour, happenstance, and alchemical reactions, the music reveals new layers with each successive listen.
Their latest album ‘Boxer’ is the result of a lot of hard work and marks a new chapter in the band’s career, it hits as high as ‘Alligator’ but is a different record – just another classic album from a band on top form.
Much like the band’s recorded oeuvre, the Brooklyn-based group’s live show starts out slow and steady, but finishes with a raging passion and intensity prompting comparisons to Nick Cave and Wilco and comments like;
“The band’s stunning ability to produce both pounding screaming rockers and beautiful mood pieces was apparent.” (Harmonium)
“For a band that constantly sings about disappointment, regret and barely registering one’s own existence in a faux-Rome, The National sure knew how to deliver a hell-of-a-show.” (Yerp)
“The show’s emphasis is simple. Promote the new record and sing the songs in such a way that represents the album, with added spontaneous tenacity for good measure.” (Drowned In Sound)
“The National has gotten a great deal of press, become a media favorite and band’s live shows are not to be missed” (the Madison Music Review)
In organizing this tour Civil Society spoke to no less than three major festival programmers who were cursing the fact that they had to wade through hundreds of cds for festival acts and all they wanted to listen to was The National’s ‘Boxer’…
This is music lover’s music of the highest order – don’t miss their first visit to Australia.
Tour
BRISBANE
Wednesday January 16
Zoo 711 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
Tickets $35+ bf pre-sale from Oztix or by calling 1300 762 545
+ Special guests Iron On and The Ashes
BRISBANE
Thursday January 17 - SOLD OUT!
Zoo 711 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
Tickets $35+ bf pre-sale from Oztix or by calling 1300 762 545
+ Special guests Iron On and The Ashes
MELBOURNE
Friday January 18 - SOLD OUT!
The Corner Hotel
57 Swan St Richmond
+ Special Guests Deloris and Ned Collette Band
MELBOURNE
Saturday January 19 - SOLD OUT!
The Corner Hotel
57 Swan St Richmond
Tickets $35 + bf pre-sale from Corner Hotel
+ Special Guests Gaslight Radio and Ned Collette Band
SYDNEY
Mon 21 / Tues 22 / Wed 23 January
Sydney Festival - City Recital Hall
2 Angel Place, Sydney
$40-$55 + bf from City Recital Hall [BUY] and all Ticketek outlets [BUY]
Support from the Clogs (US)!
Media
For interviews, bios or further queries please contact:
Remote Control (NSW/ QLD)
Remote Control (all other states)
Releases
Boxer
Mistaken For Strangers
Alligator
Lit Up
watch
listen
Mistaken For Strangers
