The National

[bocumaroy]

They are great live - but only if you like their music in the first place. Don't expect any fireworks or set surprises. They'll come on, launch straight into Don't Swallow The Cap, not speak much, and play their music for as long as they're given - up to two and half hours at some shows - pretty much exactly as it appears on the records. Matt will jump into the crowd during Mr November and go for a walkabout or crowd surf, but thye're not a 'spectacle' to watch as such, in fact they're very serious, studious musicians who play their stuff with quiet precision, and very much as the studio versions sound.

Agree with the ‘no thrills’ part, but I think quite a few of their songs are really enhanced live, and sound noticeably different to the studio versions. Can’t remember too many particulars off the top of my head, but I recall Humiliation really coming into its own when I saw them.

[Dog Burger]

Agree with the ‘no thrills’ part, but I think quite a few of their songs are really enhanced live, and sound noticeably different to the studio versions. Can’t remember too many particulars off the top of my head, but I recall Humiliation really coming into its own when I saw them.

Humiliation would definitely be a notable exception yeah - big screamy rock-out at the end. Squalor Victoria and About Today, too, and the guitars at the end of Afraid of Everyone are pretty enormous.

[Yesiamaduck]

i do love them on record - went through a period a month or so ago when they were all i listened to - but obviously i don't quite see them as the second-coming like some of you in here seem to but i'll definitely try and see them at Glasto if they play

^^ This

I mean I love Alligator and Boxer but I don't see them in the light of 'all time greats' or anything like that.

[CHRLY]

I saw an interview with Matt where he talked about how awkward they feel on stage, and how they don't really know what do do with themselves. He said it's part of what makes them the band they are and how people love it. I think it's brilliant; the awkward hand gestures Matt does in Vanderlyle, wouldn't change how they played live if I could.

[Zoo Music Girl]

To be fair, Zoo music girl doesn't seem to do "I like that band - they're ok." It's more like "they're shit" or "I wanna have your babies and never listen to anything else - you've saved my soul and I'm gonna stalk you for ever and throw my shoes at anyone who dares besmirch your good name."

To be fair, this is a pretty accurate assessment of my approach to music.

The National are fucking IMMENSE live. I've only seen them twice, once at their own gig, which was epic, and once at the 6music festival. I'm not sure the latter counts as their own gig as such, because it was technically a festival, but it felt like most of the crowd were there more for them than anyone else. It would have been a more The National-friendly crowd than at, say, Glastonbury or what have you I think. For the record I preferred the 6music performance, marginally, even though it was shorter. There wasn't much in it though. They're just pretty much perfect in my eyes.

I saw an interview with Matt where he talked about how awkward they feel on stage, and how they don't really know what do do with themselves. He said it's part of what makes them the band they are and how people love it. I think it's brilliant; the awkward hand gestures Matt does in Vanderlyle, wouldn't change how they played live if I could.

Matt's awkwardness is one of the things I love most about him.

[Yesiamaduck]

To be fair, Zoo music girl doesn't seem to do "I like that band - they're ok." It's more like "they're shit" or "I wanna have your babies and never listen to anything else - you've saved my soul and I'm gonna stalk you for ever and throw my shoes at anyone who dares besmirch your good name."

I mean if they just released an album called 'Karen, the complete compilation of Karen' and filled the whole disc with Karen I probably would but they dont so I wont.

[Dog Burger]

To be fair, this is a pretty accurate assessment of my approach to music.

The National are fucking IMMENSE live. I've only seen them twice, once at their own gig, which was epic, and once at the 6music festival. I'm not sure the latter counts as their own gig as such, because it was technically a festival, but it felt like most of the crowd were there more for them than anyone else. It would have been a more The National-friendly crowd than at, say, Glastonbury or what have you I think. For the record I preferred the 6music performance, marginally, even though it was shorter. There wasn't much in it though. They're just pretty much perfect in my eyes.

Matt's awkwardness is one of the things I love most about him.

Think I'll listen back to that 6 Music gig at work now. Need something to keep me awake...

I'm going to see them so many times this year, that by the end I'll be fully sated. Then I'm going to move on to being obsessed with Jake Bugg and Franz Ferdinand instead.

[CHRLY]

Did you lot wait all day to be at the front? Cause I only went into the crowd about halfway through Franz and I got right to the front in the middle

[Zoo Music Girl]

I mean if they just released an album called 'Karen, the complete compilation of Karen' and filled the whole disc with Karen I probably would but they dont so I wont.

Get it over it! Karen is NOT their best song.

I'll be honest - I was expecting a bit of a bollocking for that. Nice to see your self awareness

I'm nothing if not aware of my status as a crazy person. I'm comfortable with it, in fact.

Think I'll listen back to that 6 Music gig at work now. Need something to keep me awake...

I'm going to see them so many times this year, that by the end I'll be fully sated. Then I'm going to move on to being obsessed with Jake Bugg and Franz Ferdinand instead.

Send me my music!!

[Zoo Music Girl]

Did you lot wait all day to be at the front? Cause I only went into the crowd about halfway through Franz and I got right to the front in the middle

We went down to the front before Franz Ferdinand. Dog Burger loves Franz Ferdinand; we couldn't stop him from jumping up and down and singing along to every song.

[Dog Burger]

We went down to the front before Franz Ferdinand. Dog Burger loves Franz Ferdinand; we couldn't stop him from jumping up and down and singing along to every song.

COME BACK ON FRANZ FERDINAND AND PLAY SOME MORE, you could hear me shouting.

[Zoo Music Girl]

COME BACK ON FRANZ FERDINAND AND PLAY SOME MORE, you could hear me shouting.

Don't even get me started on what he was doing during Jake Bugg.

[Zoo Music Girl]

It is great though.

I wouldn't put it in my top five from Alligator. There I said it.

My Alligator top five, for those who care:

1. Abel

2. Mr November

3. All The Wine

4. Baby, We'll Be Fine

5. Friend Of Mine

Come at me, Yesiamaduck!!

[Zoo Music Girl]

Top 5 off an album list??? You've gone too far now you weirdo.

I was trying to put together my top 20 and was going to allocate 5 an album. Didn't get any further than Alligator though and High Violet presents an impossible narrowing-down task, so I gave up.

That Alligator list is definitive though.

[Dog Burger]

I SHOULD LIVE IN SALT FOR LEAVING YOU... YOOO-OH UH OH OH

[Dog Burger]

Is it chuff!! Karen, Secret Meeting, Lit up.....

Get a grip

The Geese of Beverly Road for me mate.

[Zoo Music Girl]

Humiliation would definitely be a notable exception yeah - big screamy rock-out at the end. Squalor Victoria and About Today, too, and the guitars at the end of Afraid of Everyone are pretty enormous.

Graceless is a million times better live than on record too.

[Dog Burger]

YOUR VOICE IS SWALLOWING MY SOUL SOUL SOUL SOUL SOUL SOUL SOUL SOUL

[Dog Burger]

Fact:

Until recently, a friend of mine thought the chorus of Mr November was: "I won't fuck her sober, I'm Mr November, I'm Mr November I won't fuck her sober".

[Yesiamaduck]

I wouldn't put it in my top five from Alligator. There I said it.

My Alligator top five, for those who care:

1. Abel

2. Mr November

3. All The Wine

4. Baby, We'll Be Fine

5. Friend Of Mine

Come at me, Yesiamaduck!!

I have already gone over this it's:

Karen

Karen

Karen

Karen

Secret Meeting (Because when it ends it's Karen)

and their worst song is Lit Up because it's the end of Karen

But list is the definitive one because it's grounded in logic

[Zoo Music Girl]

Fact:

Until recently, a friend of mine thought the chorus of Mr November was: "I won't fuck her sober, I'm Mr November, I'm Mr November I won't fuck her sober".

Haha! That's what it should be.

It's like the bit in Available where I thought he was shouting "Lick me out!" but it was actually "Liquor me up!" Which makes more sense. We should compile a book of misheard The National lyrics.

I have already gone over this it's:

Karen

Karen

Karen

Karen

Secret Meeting (Because when it ends it's Karen)

and their worst song is Lit Up because it's the end of Karen

But list is the definitive one because it's grounded in logic

Still wrong, I'm afraid.

[Yesiamaduck]

Haha! That's what it should be.

It's like the bit in Available where I thought he was shouting "Lick me out!" but it was actually "Liquor me up!" Which makes more sense. We should compile a book of misheard The National lyrics.

Still wrong, I'm afraid.

It's not wrong, the only reason it's not on your list is because I've put in my list so many times over the years that the 'Karen' allocation for top 5 lists is exhausted. Otherwise your list would look EXACTLY like mine... dont be spiteful because you're late to the party

[Dog Burger]

It's like the bit in Available where I thought he was shouting "Lick me out!" but it was actually "Liquor me up!" Which makes more sense.

Cheers for making me snort loudly with laughter in an otherwise silent and very dull office.

[Zoo Music Girl]

Cheers for making me snort loudly with laughter in an otherwise silent and very dull office.

You're most welcome!

The first time I heard it I thought it was "Our one fuck is over." I thought, "be thankful for one, you greedy sod."

Yeah, I can see why you would think that...

[Yesiamaduck]

The first time I heard it I thought it was "Our one fuck is over." I thought, "be thankful for one, you greedy sod."

I always sing 'I wont fuck her sober I'm MR November' when someone asks me to hit on someone I'm into

I used to think those were the lyrics as well. I learnt I was wrong when I started shouting the chorus at some club night and my friend looked embarrassed to be with me.