The National

[Dog Burger]

I've been a fan since Boxer but it's only in the last couple of years that my love for them has skyrocketed. Never had an opportunity for a gig in that time.

Ignore the Ally Pally haters! I quite like the venue and you won't even notice where you are when they're on I'm sure

Haven't been this excited about a gig in a long time! Well apart from Nick Cave but that's a special circumstance.

Me neither! The National are really the only band that have I've felt excited about in the last five years. Went to see Savages last week and they were truly brilliant, but this is the big one!

It's going to be like Christmas Eve when I go to bed tonight, ha ha

[Zoo Music Girl]

Yeah, same for me It's weird too as I don't have any friends that like them so it feels like my little secret. Well, me and the rest of Ally Pally.

Arcade Fire were brilliant last night but personally for me I think The National will top it.

[Dog Burger]

Oh no, are you flying solo tomorrow?!

[Zoo Music Girl]

Oh no, are you flying solo tomorrow?!

I am but it's not an "oh no" - I quite like going to gigs on my own

I'm pretty antisocial when you get down to it. I'm looking forward to just getting lost in the music without any distractions.

[Dog Burger]

I am but it's not an "oh no" - I quite like going to gigs on my own

I'm pretty antisocial when you get down to it. I'm looking forward to just getting lost in the music without any distractions.

As regards The National, I hear you there. Would happily go to one of their gigs on my own with a bottle of rum in my pocket. Well, hope you enjoy it

[Zoo Music Girl]

As regards The National, I hear you there. Would happily go to one of their gigs on my own with a bottle of rum in my pocket. Well, hope you enjoy it

You too

[Morse Code]

I reckon you could get a ticket on Gumtree if you wanted to...

Thanks Rebecca and Dog Burger, both look like good options

I can't see beyond tonight's Arcade Fire gig though so will wait and see how I feel tomorrow. A few of the ads say collect at venue so may still see you there

Edited November 12, 2013 by Morse Code

[Zoo Music Girl]

You know you want to

[Morse Code]

You know you want to

We both know I want to!

[Zoo Music Girl]

We both know I want to!

I feel I am a bad influence. My default position is always "Go anyway! Who cares about work and money and all that stuff?"

That's why I'm always skint.

[Morse Code]

I feel I am a bad influence. My default position is always "Go anyway! Who cares about work and money and all that stuff?"

That's why I'm always skint.

It's definitely the right attitude. As my old nan used to say, 'you can't take it with you'!

Right, I'm off to hunt down a ticket. Carpe Diem and all that!

[Dog Burger]

I'm having a good listen to Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers at work. Enjoying more than I used to... I've got just over three hours left at work, so I may just carry on straight through Alligator, Boxer, High Violet and into Trouble Will Find Me!

[Zoo Music Girl]

I'm having a good listen to Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers at work. Enjoying more than I used to... I've got just over three hours left at work, so I may just carry on straight through Alligator, Boxer, High Violet and into Trouble Will Find Me!

Sounds like a nice afternoon

I still don't have Sad Songs but I intend to get it soon after hearing 'Available'. You seem like an uber fan - what are your thoughts on the first album then?

[Dog Burger]

Sounds like a nice afternoon

I still don't have Sad Songs but I intend to get it soon after hearing 'Available'. You seem like an uber fan - what are your thoughts on the first album then?

Not really a fan of the first album to be honest. Sad Songs is pretty good, so are some of the eps, and the Black and White Sessions are also worth a listen.

I go on The National's own forum from time to time, and the commonly held view seems to be that they've got worse with each album since Alligator, but I don't get that at all. I'd probably say I like Boxer, Alligator and Trouble Will Find Me equally, then High Violet, then Sad Songs. The first album is the one I like least.

Ha, I was about to ask if the blond girl in the picture of Nick Cave on your avatar was you, then I looked closer and realised it was Kylie Minogue!

Edited November 12, 2013 by Dog Burger

[Zoo Music Girl]

Not really a fan of the first album to be honest. Sad Songs is pretty good, so are some of the eps, and the Black and White Sessions are also worth a listen.

I go on The National's own forum from time to time, and the commonly held view seems to be that they've got worse with each album since Alligator, but I don't get that at all. I'd probably say I like Boxer, Alligator and Trouble Will Find Me equally, then High Violet, then Sad Songs. The first album is the one I like least.

Ha, I was about to ask if the blond girl in the picture of Nick Cave on your avatar was you, then I looked closer and realised it was Kylie Minogue!

Haha, that's just made my day! I love the idea that I look like that and managed to get that close to Mr Cave. If only!

I've been recommended the EPs so am going to make those and Sad Songs essential purchases soon. Alligator is my favourite, but Boxer comes close.

[Dog Burger]

Haha, that's just made my day! I love the idea that I look like that and managed to get that close to Mr Cave. If only!

I've been recommended the EPs so am going to make those and Sad Songs essential purchases soon. Alligator is my favourite, but Boxer comes close.

Yeah agreed on the brilliance of those two. Although, Trouble Will Find Me, perhaps because I anticipated it so much more than the other albums and bought it 'live' as it were, which I didn't with Boxer and Alligator, got me totally hooked from the first listen, and I immersed myself in it for months. I think it's a lovely, lovely album. A real work of art.

On the eps, the songs 'Cherry Tree' and 'About Today' are right up there with anything they've done in my book.

Edited November 12, 2013 by Dog Burger

[Zoo Music Girl]

TWFM is beautiful. It's not been as instant for me though, which paradoxically is why I want to hear it live so much. I reckon it will do the trick.

[Tuna]

They've been releasing extra tickets on the same day as their gigs in Ireland and now Manchester, around lunctime. Assume they'll do the same for Ally Pally, if anyone else wants tickets

[Squonk]

I am starting to get really fed up with the lack of good bands coming to South Wales. Both the National and Arcade Fire not coming anwhere near..sob....

[mrtourette]

Wales innit.

[Squonk]

Sad but true

[Zoo Music Girl]

Those setlists are like magic eye pictures - every time I look at them I see something amazing. Slow Show! That has one of my favourite of their lyrics ('You know I dreamed about you for 29 years before I saw you'). And I love that I Need My Girl is on it. That and Graceless are firm favourites from TWFM.

[GlastoSimon]

I am starting to get really fed up with the lack of good bands coming to South Wales. Both the National and Arcade Fire not coming anwhere near..sob....

This time next year according to those 'in the know', or at least I assume an arena tour would involve the old CIA.

[efcfanwirral]

To caveat this post, I do like the national (as far as liking the last two albums, not claiming to be a 'proper' fan by any stretch)

I saw them at Manchester Apollo tonight, and despite me liking those albums (and most songs being from them) and the fact their music (slow, loud) is pretty much my stereotypical taste, I just couldn't get into it. You could say I was bored

Apart from terrible love and vanderlyle I hated the High Violet songs live, found them immensely boring. Off the new album I liked the songs live especially the louder ones but still found myself drifting as many of them are quite similar.

The songs I liked the most were the older ones I didn't know, especially the louder ones.

The light show and backdrop were amazing, and the mix was brilliant I thought, his voice was so clear which you don't always get at gigs.

Basically I surprised myself by actually disliking the gig, despite there being nothing wrong with it technically. Strange experience!

[Zoo Music Girl]

Edit: double post!

(Doing so many of these right now that I'll soon be doubling my post count)

Edited November 13, 2013 by RebeccaD