The National - Club Downunder

(Photo by Abbey Drucker. L to R: guitarist Aaron Dessner, singer Matt Berninger, drummer Bryan Devendorf, guitarist Bryce Dessner, and bassist Scott Devendorf)

Brooklyn quintet The National performed to an unusually responsive crowd at Florida State's Club Downunder Tuesday night. Touring in support of the recently released Boxer, The National exhibited its craft of atmospheric sounds, driving beats, and chilling, emotional lyrics to a sizable crowd (70+) of mostly college-aged young adults.

Previous visits to Tallahassee yielded significantly smaller turnouts for the group, a fact recognized by singer Matt Berninger early in the set. This time around, the band was embraced by an energized core of young people near the stage, who jumped up and down and danced frantically around Berninger whenever he ventured into the crowd.

One of the noted hallmarks of The National sound is a competing dichotomy of rhythm section versus accompaniment. What makes for a fantastic live experience is the seemless combination of a driving, almost dance-y rhythm section and a floating accompaniment in the form of guitars and keyboards. Berninger is in a sense the lukewarm water of the music, asserting his lyrics sometimes very rhythmically, other times floating along with the guitars.

The other striking thing about The National's live sound are the dynamics. Many bands tout themselves as the loudest thing around, others introduce loud sections with tiny sections of quiet brooding, and still others distinctly separate "soft" songs and sounds from "loud" ones. The National moves effortlessly from one plain to another, and the mix was so remarkably refined at Club Downunder that listening without earplugs was a viable option, even in trying to keep track of every sound that was emanating from the group. That said, when The National wanted to rock out, it certainly rocked out, complete with a touring violinist who went violently insane at certain times throughout the performance.

All of the musicians in the group are an artful, talented bunch. Drummer Dryan Devendorf rivals Larry Mullen Jr. as best human portraying a robotic drummer. Although his movements are slight, Devendorf's drumming is hyponotic and precise. Both guitarists flaunt picking and lead lines drenched in reverb and chorus, as well as very clean, crunchy tones. Berninger ties everything together with a strong baritone that prevails even during the noisier sections. When everything comes together and ascends out of the softer sections, it seems like the sounds expand the physical space of the club itself, pushing everything outwards.

The live show was definitely a thing to behold. The first time I saw The National (also at Club Downunder), I left feeling genuinely concerned about singer Matt Berninger. The emotion put into each National show is a thing rare to behold in any band.

The National performing "Fake Empire" - The Late Show with David Letterman - July 24, 2007

Guitarist Aaron Dessner mentioned that the intial chord structure for "Fake Empire" (the opening track on Boxer) was created the last time that the band was in Tallahassee -- on the piano in Club Downunder's hospitality room.