The National & Local Natives – Roundhouse London – Wed 26 June 2013

Six months on from The National’s last gig in the U.K. at the ATP Festival in Camber Sands, the band were back in London last night for a one-off date at The Roundhouse with Local Natives in Support. 

So let’s start there. If you know the songs from the two albums by Local Natives, then this was a ‘Greatest Hits’ set lasting around fifty minutes. Difficult to class Local Natives as a support band because they are such a fine group in their own right. Glastonbury, you are in for a treat this weekend!

The National’s stage layout has gone up a further notch since the last tour on what is effectively a club date on their arena/festival world jaunt. Very spectacular video backdrops and lighting were on display last night, thankfully no dry ice yet!

Songs from new album (Trouble Will Find Me) and High Violet were the mainstay of the set and it was a very purposeful National that hit the stage at 9pm. Matt is back with his bottle of red, as the band fire out ‘Should Live In Salt’ and ‘Don't Swallow the Cap’ after which, they launch into ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’ with the capacity crowd roaring encouragement.

I felt the band was still getting into the groove at this point, with ‘Bloodbuzz’ just a beat or two slower than normal. ‘Secret Meeting’ was sublime as was ‘Demons’ with fiery vocals from Matt. Only two songs from the new album were missed out, ‘Fireproof’ and ‘Slipped’ but all the new material ‘slipped’ seamlessly into the set as if they were old favourites.

A couple of our crew felt that Matt had returned with a few demons of his own last night. Pacing the stage, throwing things, banging his head with his fists, crouched over the monitors on his knees and oh, that bottle of red wine which once empty, ended up being thrown at the drum kit.

Having finished the said bottle at the start of the encore the version of ‘Humiliation’ they played was extended, with a much more raucous ending. Matt described it as the ‘dance remix’, adding that his version of dancing usually involved smashing things up. Mr. November came with its usual foray into the crowd, and the now traditional acoustic version of ‘Vanderlyle…’ closed out the set with a massed sing-along.

At some point during the evening Matt mentioned that “they had been refused by Glastonbury this year” Whether that is to put people of the scent of a Park Stage appearance on Saturday or, it was accurate, we will have to wait and see. Otherwise we wait until the autumn and the Alexandra Palace shows for us Londoners. When next we will see The National in a small venue I wonder?

Pete & Russell

Set:

Should Live In Salt

Don't Swallow the Cap  

Bloodbuzz Ohio

Secret Meeting

Sea of Love

Afraid of Everyone

Conversation 16

Squalor Victoria

I Need My Girl

This is the Last Time

Abel

Apartment Story

Pink Rabbits

England

Graceless

About Today

Fake Empire

Encore:

Heavenfaced

Humiliation

Mr. November

Terrible Love

Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks