The Green Man Festival - 15th, 16th, 17th August 2008

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Shazwellyn

1 posts

The National - How Great Their Green Man performance was!

Aug 18, 2008, 12:47

I have to share my delightful experience at the Green Man festival this year! What an adventure I have had! The main reason for going to Green Man was specifically to see the National play. I missed them at Glastonbury festival so was grateful to see that Green Man had booked them for their last promotional gig of the release of 'The Boxer' album. I can not recommend this album enough, especially if you are into indie music. This band walk uniquely in the shadows of Editors, Interpol and Joy Division type genre. If you like dark, meloncoly music with great twists of desperate frustration, autistic rifts, lyrics and the type of music to slit your wrists to - then The National more than lives up to this!

Their performance was second to none. I can honestly say that this gig was the best I have ever been to. Matt, the lead singer, belted out great emotional songs that not only rocked the main stage, but interacted with the audience with great courage. This performance built into such a crashendo, that Matt plunged into the audience whilst belting out 'Mr November' (from the Allegator album). Of course, he was mobbed by the surge of secret admirers of cult followers, who had also attended Green Man for this band. People touched his hair, kissed him, smothered him with love whilst screaming the lyrics for this hard core tough number! I was there! What balls this guy has - no fear! He even pulled a lad out of the audience to join him on stage. ~For a 'unknown' band, far right of mainstream, everyone seemed to know the lyrics - it seems there are lots of secret followers who come out of the woodwork, just like me! How great is that! I thought I was the only one! hehehe.

After the gig had finished, I was fortunate to meet the band. They were all so very down to earth and lovely - especially Matt who invited me, my husband, my son and a fellow audience member we had got to know during the gig, backstage for drinks and a chat. Matt was looking forward to going home to NYC to see his wife (5 months pregnant) and the birth of his baby. He also mentioned that the band were planning a new album, so something to look forward to in the future. Prior to his musical career, he told me that he used to be a Graphic Designer - sure signs of an Aspergers way of thinking - not to mention his 'awkward movements' on stage, not so disimiliar to Tom Smith of Editors and, of course, the late, great Ian Curtis of Joy Division. I was completely overwhelmed by the whole experience - thanks Green Man xx

Bridget