The National Continues To Keep Things Fresh 

Berninger and company treat Madison to new song and old gems

Matt Berninger sauntered onto the stage at The Sylvee in Madison, Wisconsin, Tuesday night like he was the host of a proper dinner party. In a stylish black suit and white dress shirt, Berninger looked cool and composed between sets. Once the music begins, however, the spirit overcomes him and he seems almost manic — a little bit David Byrne, a little bit Michael Stipe, a little bit Morrissey and all types of rock-and-roll theatrical.

As the lone member of The National who isn’t paired in the band with a brother — identical twins Aaron and Bryce Dessner brandish guitars and keyboards while brothers Bryan (drums) and Scott Devendorf (bass) hold down the rhythm section — Berninger gives voice to the band’s songs with his voice and his flailing antics. His arms often wander about in the air or he pulls at his hair or he looks like he’s trying to evict a demon from his skull. None of this is ever a distraction, but rather just an added method of expressing raw emotion.

Not that Berninger needs more than his voice. His is, in my opinion, one of the best of a crop of modern, vulnerable crooners. Tuesday’s set included a good mix of the band’s rockers (“Mistaken for Strangers,” “Bloodbuzz Ohio,” “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness”), but I feel Berninger is best during the band’s quieter, more brooding songs.

“First Two Pages of Frankenstein,” the band’s 2023 release, is a beautiful, dark, and melancholic masterpiece. The band leaned heavily into the new material with “Once Upon a Poolside,” “Eucalyptus,” “Tropic Morning News” and “New Order T-shirt” the first four out of the gate — all well-received. They even debuted a brand new song, “Smoke Detector” — a seven-minute banger heavy on guitar solos from both Dessner brothers.

Perhaps more intriguing is that 20 shows into the current tour, the band continues to dust off old gems not played on the road in nearly 10 years. The Madison crowd is the first since 2014 to hear “Fireproof” (from 2013’s “Trouble Will Find Me”) and the first since 2015 to experience “Runaway” (from 2010’s “High Violet”).

The show covered all bases during its 3-plus hour duration. I doubt any fan — whether they’ve been along for the ride since the turn of the century or they are newly won-over Swifties — left The Sylvee disappointed.

Props, as well, to production designer Michael Brown on the fabulous stage and light design.

The current North American leg of the tour wraps up with two sets at the Homecoming Festival on Sept. 15 and 16 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The band then heads to Europe for 12 shows before returning to the States in November for two dates in California and three in Texas. Head to americanmary.com for more information or follow along on Facebook, Instagram, or X Pro.

Opening the night in Madison was New Zealand’s The Beths, who it would seem were raised on 1990s fem grunge rock. Lead singer Elizabeth Stokes channeled Kim Deal and the late Dolores O’Riordan as the band churned out buzz guitar melodies akin to the likes of Belly and Veruca Salt.

The Beths have been tagging along with The National since Aug. 1, bringing their giant inflatable trout along for the ride. The fish graces the cover of their latest album, 2022’s “Expert in a Dying Field.” Their lively set featured mostly material from that release, a deluxe version of which will be released Sept. 15. Most likely on that deluxe reissue with be “Watching the Credits,” a bouncy track that, for me, was the highlight of Tuesday’s set and was in stark contrast to the headliner’s more dark and broody content.

The Beths continue along with The National through Aug. 16. Learn more at thebeths.com or do the social thing: Facebook, Instagram, X Pro, Tik Tok.

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The National Set List 

Once Upon a Poolside

Eucalyptus

Tropic Morning News

New Order T-Shirt

Mistaken for Strangers

Bloodbuzz Ohio

The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness

Fireproof (first performance since 2014)

The Geese of Beverley Road

Apartment Story

Conversation 16

Abel

Alien

Grease In Your Hair

Smoke Detector (live debut)

Day I Die

Runaway (first performance since 2015)

England

Graceless

Fake Empire

Encore

Light Years

Weird Goodbyes

Mr. November

Terrible Love

About Today

The Beths Set List

Future Me Hates Me

Knees Deep

Out Of Sight

Watching The Credits

When You Know You Know

Less Than Thou

Uptown Girl

Jump Rope Gazers

Silence Is Golden

Expert In A Dying Field