The National Tonight @ Black Cat

[The National v. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah]

Fuck. Yes.

Many people would have laid down, given up at that point. Blood was all over my lucky T-shirt, my nose was split open, and of the most concern was my comrade-in-arms laid up on a hospital bed. We kept on going. Knocked out a CAT Scan, an X-Ray, watched Frateralus hit on some nurse types, and at the last possible second, made our escape. Left the hospital, hopped in the car and bolted to Albany. On the way up, I spit blood, pondered the presence of internal bleeding that could consume me before I saw Cedric and Omar kick it at the Pepsi Arena, and raved about The National. Sure, we caught TV On The Radio the night before, and we were on the way to see The Mars Volta and Red Hot Chili Peppers, but The National was still on the horizon. That was Saturday morning.

Fast forward to today and I have a scab that runs the length of my forearm from that same streetfight I reluctantly entered last Friday night. On top of that I have a chipped tooth (maybe two, my tongue is still deciding) and an eye that is a sweet mix of purple and yellow. In the mirror this morning I noticed that there is also some yellow from a bruise I did not even know I had on my forehead. Luckily, my hands and knuckles are pretty sore as well. Maybe it wasn't as one-sided as it felt.

None of it matters. We're alive.

Tonight it is upon us. The National absolutely slayed Black Cat the last time they played here. Slayed it. The show remains the standard of excellence to this day. I can promise you several things if you attend tonight's show: the drumming is top notch, the energy is feverish, and the songs speak for themselves. Alligator may be the best album of '05 and "Mr. November," "Secret Meeting," "Lit Up," and "Abel" would definitely find their way onto my list of the top songs of last year.

Live Black Sessions
MP3: The National - "All the Wine"
MP3: The National - "Cherry Tree"
MP3: The National - "Mr. November"

Black Cat
THUR OCT 26
THE NATIONAL
w. NETHERS, DEVASTATIONS
$13 mainstage 8:30
[Tickets]