The National

[Dog Burger]

Personally, I think they're about the same size as Portishead or Orbital. But that's just me.

mrtourette and Dog Burger, were either of you actually at the gig where Matt supposedly said that? Just wondering...

Yeah I was there, but I was too drunk to remember it...

[mrtourette]

Personally, I think they're about the same size as Portishead or Orbital. But that's just me.

mrtourette and Dog Burger, were either of you actually at the gig where Matt supposedly said that? Just wondering...

No, I'm just going on what was reported.

[fightoffyour]

Doves v Neil Young is not something to be discussed here...

I like the national and doves just about equally on record I'd say. But I've seen both play glastonbury and doves have smashed it everytime, putting on fantastic memorable gigs. Whereas the national were pretty forgettable. You never see anyone reminiscing about their 2010 set on here do you....

And if you cant put on a perfomance at the best festival in the world, then you aint all that. All the best bands rise to the occasion at glastonbury. The national failed in the only test that matters.

Therefore, doves win.

Ah that 2010 set was fantastic.

Also watching the recording of their set from 2008 headlining JP was what got me into them in the first place, and got me going to my first Glasto the next year.

Good reminiscing..

And Doves 2009 was bloody brilliant too.

Edited January 29, 2014 by fightoffyour

[Dog Burger]

I agree their own shows are ace, but that glastonbury gig was just, blah. Even my friend who is a bigger fan than me was a bit disappointed.

He doenst think doves are better though I must admit

Go on man, hand over the crack pipe.

[mrtourette]

|I think The National's 'size' and popularity has grown a lot this last year, and they're at the point in their career where it's really happening for them - ironically this is happening after 15 years of relative banging their heads against the wall and at a point where they'd just started to talk about winding it down and concentrating on their family lives.

But I'd say two nights at the Ally Pally at 7,500 a night, headline shows across multiple European festivals this summer, touring with the Foo Fighters in America, their soundtrack work, the imminent release of the film Mistaken For Strangers, the 6 Music headline slot, and their large and high-quality back catalogue are all indicators that they're at the point where they could be 'big enough' to do this gig.

They're an odd one, in the right circles (mainly the ATP crowd) they're very big but to the average punter they're nobody. Like you say they've played big venues and headline festival shows but there's still some naggling feeling that their broad appeal (or lack of it) to non-fans holds them back from these decent UK slots. Third on the main stage at R&L is probably the biggest mainstream slot they've played and I imagine it was considerably outside their comfort zone.

[Dog Burger]

They're an odd one, in the right circles (mainly the ATP crowd) they're very big but to the average punter they're nobody. Like you say they've played big venues and headline festival shows but there's still some naggling feeling that their broad appeal (or lack of it) to non-fans holds them back from these decent UK slots. Third on the main stage at R&L is probably the biggest mainstream slot they've played and I imagine it was considerably outside their comfort zone.

I agree to some extent, but I think this might be the year that - within reason - they begin to outgrow the 'ATP crowd'.

[stocky3000]

Get them on the other for the sunset slot
Magical!
(Unless they clash with the sub of arcade fire in which case I'm there)

[mrtourette]

I agree to some extent, but I think this might be the year that - within reason - they begin to outgrow the 'ATP crowd'.

Yeah could be. I thought 2011 was that year after all the acclaim that High Violet got (and which lead to that R&L slot), I got the impression that the last album wasn't as well received but they continue to build an impressive array of bookings and prime slots at festivals.

[Winslow Leach]

OK, scrap that, Massive Attack are TBC for Sunday Other.

[Dog Burger]

OK, scrap that, Massive Attack are TBC for Sunday Other.

Who's doing the other two days? Haven't really kept up with it this year.

[Winslow Leach]

Who's doing the other two days? Haven't really kept up with it this year.

Haven't been announced, but I said The National on Sunday would be good.

Then we got Massive Attack, which is, if possible, even better.

[Dog Burger]

I see, I think The National, Pixies and Massive Attack would be a great three.

[MEGABOWL]

They're an odd one, in the right circles (mainly the ATP crowd) they're very big but to the average punter they're nobody. Like you say they've played big venues and headline festival shows but there's still some naggling feeling that their broad appeal (or lack of it) to non-fans holds them back from these decent UK slots. Third on the main stage at R&L is probably the biggest mainstream slot they've played and I imagine it was considerably outside their comfort zone.

And to a very small crowd with them not looking very comfortable. I was at both that and their 2010 Glastonbury set and the difference in their mood was palpable (you can always tell with them I think)

[mrtourette]

Absolutely, it wasn't their scene. But if they're going to make this leap from ATP darlings to mainstream festival big-hitters they're going to have to get used to it.

Edited January 29, 2014 by mrtourette

[Dog Burger]

Absolutely, it wasn't their scene. But if they're going to make this leap from ATP darlings to mainstream festival big-hitters they're going to have to get used to it.

I'm not sure ATP darlings is entirely fair - Trouble Will Find Me shifted 75,000 copies in the first week of release. I'm not sure you'd fit 75,000 hipsters into Butlins.

[Tuna]

I think you guys are ignoring the fact that ATP attracts a shit ton of dads, too.

[Tuna]

Doesn't really change the point though.

[Dog Burger]

Interestingly, the Trouble Will Find Me sales in the first week were about 25,000 (or 50 per cent) more than High Violet, at a time when album sales are, I would imagine, declining quite heavily.

Edited January 29, 2014 by Dog Burger

[mrtourette]

Makes sense, High Violet received a lot of promotion well after it's release due to the various album of the year polls and awards. People becoming fans on the back of that exposure would explain the higher initial sales of the new album compared to that one. Still, it's impressive to maintain the same fanbase numbers after a time away.

[Dog Burger]

Makes sense, High Violet received a lot of promotion well after it's release due to the various album of the year polls and awards. People becoming fans on the back of that exposure would explain the higher initial sales of the new album compared to that one. Still, it's impressive to maintain the same fanbase numbers after a time away.

I'd imagine Trouble Will Find Me has picked up too, considering its similarly high end-of-year poll ratings, the tour with the Foo Fighters and the extensive touring it's receiving. I couldn't find any figures for this, however. I'd say they've substantially increased their fanbase numbers rather than maintained them, based on this and anecdotal evidence from at least one person a month now telling me they 'really want to get into the National' and then asking which album is best to start with. It would seem, too, that in the period between High Violet and Trouble Will Find Me, album sales have been falling on average by around 20 per cent a year - which makes the 50 per cent increase even more impressive

Edited January 29, 2014 by Dog Burger

[mrtourette]

Neil has posted somewhere that Pixies most likely to headline Other. Maybe clashing wih Arcade Fire.

I think he actually shied away from that and made a point of saying that all he knew was that Pixies weren't on before Arcade Fire. If that's the case then yeah headlining the Other seems most likely, but he made a point of distancing himself from that conclusion.

[mrtourette]

Friday Other does make sense other than it seems bizarre to put them up against Arcade Fire. Could they drop as low as third Pyramid on the Friday? Either that or Other headliner on the Saturday to contrast a crappy 'legend' that everyone seems to be after.

[Dog Burger]

Came across this today: Bret Easton Ellis, the author of American Psycho, explains how he fell in love with The National and interviews Matt Berninger.

http://podcastone.com/program?action=viewProgram&programID=592

[Zoo Music Girl]

Why can't they play Sunday? I did read the posts but I missed that point somehow.

[mrtourette]

Why can't they play Sunday? I did read the posts but I missed that point somehow.

Pixies? They're supporting Arcade Fire in Ireland.