The National, Brixton Academy | reviews, news & interviews
The National, Brixton Academy
The National, Brixton Academy
Lead singer is out of sorts in a show that smoulders but never catches fire
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
It just didn't happen: The NationalKeith Klenowski
I spent a long time waiting for this gig to take off, but eventually realised that it wasn’t going to happen. To begin with I thought the band were just pacing themselves, playing a slow-burning set that would eventually explode into life, opening with the modest thrum of “The Runaway”, and following it with the similarly restrained “Anyone’s Ghost” and “Mistaken for Strangers”. But in the end, although The National moved up through the gears and finished the show with a big warm finale, still, it all seemed a bit flat.
I spent a long time waiting for this gig to take off, but eventually realised that it wasn’t going to happen. To begin with I thought the band were just pacing themselves, playing a slow-burning set that would eventually explode into life, opening with the modest thrum of “The Runaway”, and following it with the similarly restrained “Anyone’s Ghost” and “Mistaken for Strangers”. But in the end, although The National moved up through the gears and finished the show with a big warm finale, still, it all seemed a bit flat.
As the show progressed, the tension between band members became palpable
Explore topics
Share this article
Add comment
The future of Arts Journalism
You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!
We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d
And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.
Subscribe to theartsdesk.com
Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.
To take a subscription now simply click here.
And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?
more New music
Bob Dylan, Royal Albert Hall review - cracked ritual from rock elder
A glorious mixture of mask and authenticity
Rachel Chinouriri, Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow review - a formidable and genre-hopping talent
The singer lifted elements from throughout pop history during an exciting set
Album: Jon Batiste - Beethoven Blues
Beethoven's hits reimagined by the American musical celebrity
Album: Silkroad Ensemble with Rhiannon Giddens - American Railroad
American railroad history retold in a song cycle
Interview: Roy Haynes, Jazz Drumming Giant (1925-2024)
The jazz legend reminisces, from Satchmo to Metheny
Album: Dolly Parton & Family - Smoky Mountain DNA - Family, Faith & Fables
Forlorn hope, and a beautiful expression of family, from the American heartland
Amyl and the Sniffers, O2 Academy, Birmingham review - rowdy Aussies let loose
Melbourne pub rockers set Sunday evening alight
Album: Tomorrow X Together - The Star Chapter: Sanctuary
From heavenly pop to reggaeton heat, TXT's musical universe knows no bounds
Music Reissues Weekly: The Yardbirds - The Ultimate Live at the BBC
New ways to see this most significant of British bands
Le Vent du Nord, Cecil Sharp House review - five extraordinary musicians
Joie de vivre, thanks to a bracing wind from Canada
Album: Garfunkel & Garfunkel: Father and Son
Art for Art's sake
Tucker Zimmerman, The Lexington, London review - undersung old-timer airs songwriting excellence
Rare and welcome appearance from superb octagenarian American singer-songwriter
Comments
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...