Live Review: The National at Terminal 5 [10.11.07]

The paint was still drying at the Bowery Presents’ newest music venue Terminal 5 as a sold out crowd made their way inside the massive midtown space to witness The National play the inaugural show. Signs posted around the club encouraged us to explore the three floors, and boasted "bars and restrooms on every level!" Despite the clubs’ classy chandeliers and lounge areas filled with brown leather couches, perhaps my companion put it best when he said, “this place looks like a club where a murder would take place in a bad 80’s movie.” I had to agree. Maybe it was all the blue lights?

When the band took the stage, singer Matt Berninger commented that it was nice to play the first show at the new space because “you guys are judging this place more than us.” Not that he has anything to worry about- the groups’ most recent record, Boxer, presents some of the most refined and bracingly effective melancholy rock anthems that the group have ever composed, and has rightfully been abundantly praised.

The National, composed of Berninger, along with brothers Aaron & Bryce Dessner and Scott & Bryan Devendorf (and Clogs’ violinist Padma Newsome at this show) opened the set with “Start a War”, singing “We expected something/something better than before/we expected something more.” From my spot in the crowd, as I looked around at the cavernous space above me, constantly distracted by white noise from revelers in the multiple bar/lounge areas humming in the background, I knew what he was talking about. I expected something more too.

That’s not to say that the National didn’t put on an excellent show, as usual, and despite my disappointment in the venue, songs like “Slow Show” and “Ada” still drew me in to their messy narratives (“this is a song about social anxiety”, Berninger told us of the latter). After all of his down-trodden lyrics, it does feel like something of a triumph to witness Berninger twist his mouth into a playful smile, and he, along with the rest of the band, did seem very humble and excited to be playing for the large, enthusiastic crowd. Funny that I had him pegged as a jerk after the lyric from 2005's Alligator, “Karen/put me in a chair/fuck me and make me a drink”. He’s more than redeemed himself in my eyes with the exquisite songs on Boxer ( even the trumpet and trombone-fueled instrumental climax on the haunting “Fake Empire" alone), and he doesn't seem to be ordering girls around anymore either, according to the lovely “Gospel” – “hang your holiday rainbow lights in the garden/ and I’ll bring a nice icy drink to you”.

Coming back for their encore, Berninger kept his word and did in fact bring a nice icy drink for us, popping the cork on a bottle of champagne and wishing Terminal 5 a happy birthday. After ceremoniously spilling some bubbly onto the stage, he handed the rest of the bottle down into the crowd for some lucky audience members to imbibe.

I really couldn’t think of a better band to christen Terminal 5, (heck, I’d go see the National inaugurate a parking lot), but in my fantasy world, the band will stick to playing cozier spaces in the future.



[Photos by Mucow via Flickr]