The National Add 5th NYC Date

[Photo Credit: MySpace]

First four are sold out, I think (the 29th is the one possibility). Tickets to the June 1st show go on sale today at 12. A look at the new album at Billboard reveals the reasoning behind Bowery Ballroom over Webster Hall:

"The choice was between doing two shows at Webster Hall or multiple shows at Bowery Ballroom, and I think we felt playing Bowery would be a more fun and intimate way to introduce these songs to our audience in New York," [Aaron] Dessner says. And we're excited about having different openers each night."

While I cringe at the news that Sufjan Stevens is in the mix...the whole violence behind the bridge sounds like something right up my alley:

"Boxer" features a guest turn by Sufjan Stevens, who plays piano on "Racing Like a Pro" and "Ada." Padma Newsome helped arrange trumpet, flute, clarinet and strings, while Doveman's Thomas Barlett chipped in on keyboards and Marla Hansen sang backup on a number of tunes.

"I don't really have favorites, but there is one song where I beat the crap out of my guitar behind the bridge, and at the moment I find the violence of this playing to be very cathartic," Dessner says.

You can read more of the Billboard article here. Review the bidding...

NYC
May 28: Bowery Ballroom, w/ The Broken West *SOLD OUT*
May 29: Bowery Ballroom, w/ Doveman // Tickets
May 30: Bowery Ballroom, w/ My Brightest Diamond *SOLD OUT*
May 31: Bowery Ballroom, w/ Elysian Fields *SOLD OUT*
Jun 1: Bowery Ballroom, w/ The Philistines Jr. // Tickets

US/Canada
Jun 2: Johnny Brendas Philadelphia
Jun 4: Cabaret Montreal
Jun 5: Opera House Toronto
Jun 6: Magic Stick Detroit, Michigan
Jun 7: Metro Chicago, Illinois
Jun 8: 400 Bar Minneapolis, Minnesota
Jun 9: High Noon Saloon Madison, Wisconsin
Jun 11: Duck Room St. Louis, Missouri
Jun 12: Headliners Music Hall Louisville, Kentucky
Jun 13: The Earl Atlanta, Georgia
Jun 14: Bonnaroo Music Festival Manchester, Tennessee
Jun 15: 20th Century Theater Cincinnati, Ohio
Jun 16: The Basement Columbus, Ohio
Jun 18: Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, Ohio
Jun 19: Rex Theater Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Jun 20: 9:30 Club Washington DC
Jun 21: Middle East Downstairs Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 25: Casbah San Diego, California
Jun 26: El Rey Theater Los Angeles, California
Jun 27: Bimbos 365 Club San Francisco, California
Jun 28: Berbatis Pan Portland, Oregon
Jun 29: Richards on Richards Vancouver
Jun 30: Neumos Seattle, Washington

The Boxer has been leaking everywhere from Radiohead message boards to Smashing Pumpkins message boards. Interesting. I'm a man of my principles and I won't dabble until it drops. The word is it knocks Alligator on its ass. And that's saying something.



MP3: The National - "Lit Up" (Remix)