The National

[russycarps]

Wish I'd gone to see Nick Cave there though. He headlined didn't he?

Yea, was good. Really loud. Much better than the glastonbury gig that same year.

Thom Yorke stunk the place out with a solo set at midday, you'd have loved it.

[Zoo Music Girl]

Yea, was good. Really loud. Much better than the glastonbury gig that same year.

Thom Yorke stunk the place out with a solo set at midday, you'd have loved it.

Bet I would!

I imagine Latitude to be a bit like that Kenwood House Suede thing. Am I right?

[russycarps]

Bet I would!

I imagine Latitude to be a bit like that Kenwood House Suede thing. Am I right?

Yeh pretty much. Though in fairness this was 5 years ago so maybe it's different now. Best word I can think of to describe it is "nice".

Id go again if the line up was stellar probably

[Tuna]

not really, maybe the pyramid field and the popular areas, but who the hell wants to hang around there??

there's plenty of areas at glastonbury that are a million miles away from being like latitude. Otherwise why would we still go?

you only get the back of the mainstage like that at latitude tho. and that only lasts until about the subs, whereas at glasto they're there throughout (stones and cave this year, fucking hell)

but places like the sunrise arena and the word arena have no picnic blanket twats. sunrise (the one in the woods) is fucking glorious, spend most of my time there

[Tuna]

ah, if you last went 5 years ago that makes a bit of sense, russy. i've gone the past 3, and theres been a definite increase in the number of 18-30 year olds, reflected by the tiny amount of night activity that now occurs

edit: that being said, the current announcement is going to attract w*nkers

Edited December 11, 2013 by Tuna

[russycarps]

ah, if you last went 5 years ago that makes a bit of sense, russy. i've gone the past 3, and theres been a definite increase in the number of 18-30 year olds, reflected by the tiny amount of night activity that now occurs

edit: that being said, the current announcement is going to attract w*nkers

fair dos, there was certainly a shortage of 18-30s back then. Even I didnt feel that old there!

but yeh, I didnt think it was a bad festival - far from it - I just felt like a bit of a knobhead drinking out of my smuggled in bottle of rum when everyone else just didnt seem up for it. But it was the sunday in fairness.

[Tuna]

nah its much more relaxed now, can light up in the middle of the mainstage and no audible tuts

[Dog Burger]

Big hint from Aaron that they'll come back for another European tour or European festivals this year here:

http://drownedinsound.com/news/4147284-the-national-to-support-neil-young--its-going-to-be-a-total-honour

Apart from supporting Neil Young, what does 2014 hold for the National? What are your goals and plans for the year ahead?

Well Matt’s younger brother Tom has done a movie – Mistaken For Strangers – which comes out in early spring, so that’ll be a priority. There’ll be a lot of events and stuff around that. We’re also off to Australia and Asia on tour, New Zealand as well, and then I think we will come back to Europe at some point, not just for the show at Hyde Park. But as far as new music and things like that, I’m not sure we’ll really have time or be focussed on new National songs, although there’s always a lot of discussion about new ideas. So we’ll see.

[Zoo Music Girl]

Good news Although I suppose we already knew they'd be pretty active in Europe around then, what with the Northside announcement...

Still not on the rumours page though, are they? In a way I hope they are a "surprise" addition when the full line-up comes out. I just can't get that excited about them being there until I know I will be too

If they announced another gig (something cheaper than the Neil Young thing, with them headlining) then I'd feel much better about it. I could cover my bases by getting a ticket for that in the meantime. I feel much better about the prospect of Arcade Fire headlining now I have a ticket for Earls Court, for example, and if I was definitely seeing The National too I'd feel there was slightly less at stake!

It's quite ridiculous when you consider that I saw both bands only last month as well. I'm stupidly greedy when it comes to my favourite bands.

I'm excited Mistaken for Strangers will be getting a wide release though Was worried I'd missed it!

Also: "Our Ally Pally shows [this year] were some of our favourite shows ever, there was just this wave of energy from the audience." This makes me happy. Although I didn't feel that much energy from the audience myself.

[Dog Burger]

Good news Although I suppose we already knew they'd be pretty active in Europe around then, what with the Northside announcement...

Still not on the rumours page though, are they? In a way I hope they are a "surprise" addition when the full line-up comes out. I just can't get that excited about them being there until I know I will be too

If they announced another gig (something cheaper than the Neil Young thing, with them headlining) then I'd feel much better about it. I could cover my bases by getting a ticket for that in the meantime. I feel much better about the prospect of Arcade Fire headlining now I have a ticket for Earls Court, for example, and if I was definitely seeing The National too I'd feel there was slightly less at stake!

It's quite ridiculous when you consider that I saw both bands only last month as well. I'm stupidly greedy when it comes to my favourite bands.

I'm excited Mistaken for Strangers will be getting a wide release though Was worried I'd missed it!

Also: "Our Ally Pally shows [this year] were some of our favourite shows ever, there was just this wave of energy from the audience." This makes me happy. Although I didn't feel that much energy from the audience myself.

Sort of the exact opposite of how it makes me feel! Can't imagine they felt too much of a wave from me, unless it was an intoxicating tsunami of Morgan's Spiced vapour.

Edited December 13, 2013 by Dog Burger

[Zoo Music Girl]

Sort of the exact opposite of how it makes me feel! Can't imagine they felt too much of a wave from me, unless it was an intoxicating tsunami of Morgan's Spiced vapour.

You're going to be regretting that gig forever aren't you?

I was giving it some energy but everyone around me was pretty lifeless. A woman even said to me that I seemed like the only other fan there! Probably because I was dancing like a loon or standing there with my mouth open trying not to cry.

[Dog Burger]

You're going to be regretting that gig forever aren't you?

I was giving it some energy but everyone around me was pretty lifeless. A woman even said to me that I seemed like the only other fan there! Probably because I was dancing like a loon or standing there with my mouth open trying not to cry.

Until I put it right, yes.

I believe I was jumping around, too. I was chatting to some bloke next to me who wanted to go crowd surfing (at a National gig!), and I think I kept shouting for them to play Slipped. There were too girls next to me, I think, who seemed to be big fans. I wonder if I was anywhere near you?! If so, sorry.

[Zoo Music Girl]

I don't know. I don't think so but I had a bit of a tunnel vision thing going on and was completely in my own little world. I was stage right, a few rows back, but I moved steadily closer throughout.

[Dog Burger]

I don't know. I don't think so but I had a bit of a tunnel vision thing going on and was completely in my own little world. I was stage right, a few rows back, but I moved steadily closer throughout.

I can only speculate as to where I was and try to piece together the memories. I believe we arrived during This Is The Kit, and the bastard I was with went to get more beer and jagermeister. We came in from stage left and got quite close to the front before being thrown out. I came back in from the left, and worked my towards the centre-front (I think). At some stage I appear to have taken this picture - which from youtube research of the lights and visuals was during About Today. Strangely, I seem to be in the front row. I have no idea how that happened.

[Zoo Music Girl]

Amazing pic!

Jesus what a nightmare though. I'd be devastated if I couldn't remember that gig (sorry). I drank more than I should have and so bits of it are blurry but I remember it being fucking incredible. And About Today was ace.

[Dog Burger]

Amazing pic!

Jesus what a nightmare though. I'd be devastated if I couldn't remember that gig (sorry). I drank more than I should have and so bits of it are blurry but I remember it being fucking incredible. And About Today was ace.

I'm very happy for you. Really, I am.

[Zoo Music Girl]

If it makes you feel any better, Glastonbury 2008 was my The National debacle. I was less of a fan then but walked all the way over there on my own to see them. I'd had something that didn't really agree with me and all I could think about was that it was freezing cold so I sacked off The National to go and buy a hoodie.

So we all make mistakes. Good hoodie though - still got it.

[Dog Burger]

If it makes you feel any better, Glastonbury 2008 was my The National debacle. I was less of a fan then but walked all the way over there on my own to see them. I'd had something that didn't really agree with me and all I could think about was that it was freezing cold so I sacked off The National to go and buy a hoodie.

So we all make mistakes. Good hoodie though - still got it.

I didn't go to that one either. Glastonbury 2010 was the first time, strangely. Then the Academy in Bristol that same year, and then the Ally Pally shambles. That's the only times I've seen them.

[Zoo Music Girl]

Well you're still two up on me then! Missed 2010 too. Looks we're both epic failures on the uber-fan front.

[Zoo Music Girl]

Thinking about that gig has just got me hovering over the "buy tickets" page for British Summer Time. Was hoping it would be sold out by now!

[Dog Burger]

Keeping my powder dry. I'm confident enough they'll do either a British festival or a UK tour this summer or autumn.

Plus at a minimum of £66 for a one-day affair, it's too expensive to do as well as Glastonbury and Denmark.

Also, it won't be their crowd, and I checked and the curfew is 10.30. Neil Young will probably do two hours, which means they'll be on about 7 in the evening and may only get an hour.

If it does prove to be their only UK gig of the summer, which I think is unlikely, I don't think the chances of picking up a spare or unwanted ticket on a forum some time over the next seven months are that remote.

Holding fire.

[Zoo Music Girl]

Keeping my powder dry. I'm confident enough they'll do either a British festival or a UK tour this summer or autumn.

Plus at a minimum of £66 for a one-day affair, it's too expensive to do as well as Glastonbury and Denmark.

Also, it won't be their crowd, and I checked and the curfew is 10.30. Neil Young will probably do two hours, which means they'll be on about 7 in the evening and may only get an hour.

If it does prove to be their only UK gig of the summer, which I think is unlikely, I don't think the chances of picking up a spare or unwanted ticket on a forum some time over the next seven months are that remote.

Holding fire.

You're right, of course.

So fucking tempting though.

[Dog Burger]

You're right, of course.

So fucking tempting though.

I know, especially when you're riven with obsessive night terrors of the sound of the echoey opening toms and slide guitar of Don't Swallow The Cap powering into existance as a burly shaven-domed knucklehead in a high-vis jacket manhandles you out of a fire exit....not that I am, of course... *twitch....

[Zoo Music Girl]

I've shut the window. When I next look at it, I expect all the tickets to be sold out.

[Dog Burger]

I've shut the window. When I next look at it, I expect all the tickets to be sold out.

No, still on sale...