On Saturday night I headed over to Brooklyn Academy of Music to see My Brightest Diamond and The National. The show was in the Opera House at BAM and it certainly is a grand space, fitting for what the National had in store.
My Brightest Diamond opened up with her unique vocals and haunt-y music. She played Golden Star off her 2006 release Bring Me the Workhorse, an album she actually just retooled and re-released under the title Tear It Down. Her band consisted of 3 violins, a cello, and standup bass. She played her thick strumming on three different guitars. There were five on stage, but she didnt use them all. She also played a song, the title of which Im not sure, in which she forwent the guitar for a lamellophone an instrument Im very fond of. Near the close of the set she sang a song from a French opera in English, and then she sang another song in French. Her voice, which ordinarily seems an oddity to me, singing in French, immediately made sense to me. A Chanteuse. Ah ha, now I see.
The National came on stage with many instruments and enough people to play all of them. While it seemed that Shara Worden had an elaborate set up, The National put her to shame. There was, I think, a flute, violin, cello, oboe, bassoon, grand piano, a trumpet, and two trombones plus an instrument Ive never seen before, it looked like a stretched out saxophone?
The National are great, they arent my favorite music ever, but I still really respect their talent and what they stand for. It happens all too often in New York City that punk teenagers with three songs on myspace are bestowed with all the hype and excitement. That of course fades, but I wonder sometimes if its a bigger waste than we think to spend so much time and energy on music that essentially, is hollow and disingenuous. Anyway, old man Kate having said her peace, I will say that the National puts on a great show- full of energy and confidence. Theyve really gotten their comeuppance, the show was sold out and people were going bonkers. Their set was comprised mainly of songs off of Boxer, we heard Start a War Slow Show Racing like a Pro Squalor Victoria and Apartment Story among others. There were still some remnants of the past. They played Baby Well Be Fine and Secret Meeting off of Alligator and there was some screaming to be heard. Secret Meeting especially sounded great, felt like a crescendo, a mini-climax mid show.
As for the more rowdy moments of the show, the crowd went nuts when Sufjan Stevens came on and played keys for the song he co-wrote with the National Ada. And of course the closing number of Fake Empire had the boy and girls out of their seats. Good show, really talented people up there and appreciative fans that know how to stick with a band. Nice things to see.
