It’s been quite a year for National fans. Little did I know, when grabbing tickets for their latest tour, that 2023 would see Cincinnati’s finest releasing two new albums mere months apart, with the latter of which in particular feeling like a true reignition of the band’s passion and creativity. All that fresh ammunition for their spellbinding live shows, including some tracks that rank alongside the very best in their already bountiful back catalogue. In stark contrast to the last time I saw them, where my hype faded in the wake of a lacklustre record, my excitement and anticipation only grew with every taste of new music offered. If they could blow me away live before, touring an album that I didn’t really connect with, then I knew that this reinvigorated incarnation of the band would reach a new level of excellence.

I was far from the only one abuzz with anticipation for what was sure to be an incredible evening. At my spot near the barrier I was surrounded by superfans who had come from far and wide. I found myself chatting to an American who had hopped across the Atlantic to see them again after already attending the band’s two day Homecoming festival, as well as a lovely bunch of Dutch fans who were following the band all across Europe. It was easy to see why; given that The National deliver a different setlist each night, every gig they play becomes a once in a lifetime event. The crowd was also far more diverse than the band’s reputation as “sad dad music” (a descriptor worn proudly on some of their merch) would have you believe. Folks of all ages and walks of life gathered in Leeds, with the fact that everyone seemingly knew the words to every song by heart being the one unifying factor. 

These eager fans provided a packed out crowd for opening act Soccer Mommy. While I’m always delighted at the chance of discovering new artists through support slots, I must admit it’s been a long time since I’ve seen an act that I already know and love open a show. Soccer Mommy has been on my list for a while, getting better with each new record, so the night felt like killing two birds with one stone. Sophie Allison and her band delivered quite a reserved performance, with no stage theatrics and little chatter to the audience, instead letting the music do the talking. In fairness, it did have plenty to say. As a unit the band were adept at building a lush textured sound, one which perfectly complimented the main event too. Highlights included a cover of Sheryl Crow’s ‘Soak Up The Sun’, and fan favourite ‘Your Dog’ which saw the band at their most driven and impassioned.

The propulsive drums and mesmeric melodies of ‘Deep End (Paul’s In Pieces)’, which acted as a vibrant opener to the band’s latest album, proved to be every bit as potent when kicking off The National’s sprawling, career-spanning set. Usually when a band tours new material, it takes a while for it to earn its place in fans’ affections. But here the new songs, some of them released mere days prior, received as warm a reaction as many of the band’s live staples. Though when delivered with such heart, it’s hard not to be swept up. The haunting piano balladry of ‘Once Upon A Poolside’ held the audience enraptured, while the incendiary post punk epic ‘Smoke Detector’ somehow felt even more chaotic and cathartic in person. Perhaps the most warmly welcomed new cut was surprisingly ‘Eucalyptus’ from Frankenstein, which felt far more anthemic and purposeful in this setting than its more subdued studio version would have you expect. The crowd turning its refrain of “You should take it, cos I’m not gonna take it” into a communal call-and-response was an unexpected early-set highlight. 

There’s been a lot of talk online about how concert etiquette has seemingly gone out of the window since the pandemic, but from where I was stood for the evening it truly felt like one of the most attentive and enthusiastic crowds I’ve been a part of. The band must have been feeling the love, as they gifted Leeds with an especially singular setlist. Packed with some of the most raw and electric tracks, from the psychotic squall of ‘Abel’, to the slow-burning fuse of ‘Squalor Victoria’ and glorious galloping drums of ‘Day I Die’. The night combined deep cuts like ‘Available’ and ‘Cherry Tree’ with the live debut of the new record‘s title track ‘Laugh Track’, with the audience singing back every word of old and new alike. Wherever there were screaming fans, dishevelled and debonair frontman Matt Berninger was right there screaming back – sometimes face-to-face in a frantic embrace. Though jokingly referred to as an unkempt professor by his bandmates, he acts more like an impish fae creature with a thirst for mischief. Clambering over light fixtures, launching red solo cups, and carving through the crowd to the back of the arena with an impossibly long mic cable trailing behind. 

The stunning ‘Space Invader’, and the Dessner brothers’ duelling guitars, ended the night on an explosive high (a little while after curfew). A brand new song holding a spot in setlists usually reserved for big fan favourites, and fitting utterly perfectly, just sums up how exquisitely crafted The National’s live shows are. Having a unique setlist every night is a delight in itself, but what takes it to the next level is the knowledge that whatever hand the band deal you is a winning one. They have a repertoire so packed with melodic melancholia and feral existential angst that whatever songs they pull out of a hat are sure to culminate in one of the best live music experiences around. Every time The National release new music their power grows thanks to simply having more material to draw from, which makes a bumper year like 2023 feel like a golden age.