I clearly remember the first time I saw The National. It was September of 2007. They were on tour in support of their 4th studio album, Boxer. I had recently began dating someone who loved this band. This show was one of our first dates together, and it was also the first time I had ever seen a show from the very front of the stage. There was no barricade at this performance. So, the audience lined the stage and I was front and center. It was as if the band was performing just for me. I became lost in the music and forgot that there were hundreds of people standing behind me.

That was the night that I fell in love with The National.

The second time I saw the National was at Merriweather Post Pavilion the following summer. They were opening for Modest Mouse and R.E.M. I remember being so proud that they were performing at this venue; however, sadly – Merriweather was quite empty since their set time was rather early. I remember thinking, “They have no idea what they are missing!” The National performed a short 10 song set list, ending with one of my favorite songs, “Mr. November” from their album, Alligator. This was also a memorable performance for me because it was the first show that I ever photographed at Merriweather!

Over the last 12 years, I have seen The National perform 7 times and watched them progress from the 930 Club, to Merriweather, to The Anthem. I’ve also had the pleasure of photographing them along the way. I think this adds to the connection that I have with this band. The National has taken a steadfast hold in my life and will always be considered one of my favorite bands.

Together, the band has produced eight full length albums in the 10 years that they have been together. The line-up has remained consistent throughout their years together which is remarkable. Another unique component to The National is that the band is comprised of two sets of brothers aside from Matt Berninger (lead vocals).

With a catalog as extensive as The National’s, you never know what you will hear at one of their performances. The band always throws in a song you might not expect to hear. The band is just kicking off their current tour and have only performed a handful of festivals recently. While their set list may focus on their latest release, I Am Easy to Find, you can still expect to hear favorites such as, “Don’t Swallow the Cap”, “Fake Empire”, and “Mr. November”.

The tour consists of mostly European dates; however, they will be returning to The Anthem on June 19th. Not surprisingly, this show has sold out.

I have so much pride for this band and I am grateful for having found them very early in their career. As a result, I have been able to watch them grow from a small band that very few knew of, to selling out The Anthem. Enjoy some photos of The National from over the years that I have photographed them, as well as, some videos of a few of my favorite songs by The National.