The National

The National will perform in the capital for the very first time on Sunday 25 February 2024. It will be part of the opening weekend of the highly anticipated Aotearoa New Zealand Arts Festival.

“The world’s most influential band”, according to The Telegraph, The National have been together since the turn of the century. Over the years, the five musicians have evolved into the darlings of the indie-rock scene. They’ve produced 10 albums, achieved multiple number one selling records around the world, and won a Grammy Award (Best Alternative Album) for ‘Sleep Well Beast’ (2017).

In April, The National released their ninth studio album ‘First Two Pages of Frankenstein’, featuring a lineup of guest musicians that will make you swoon, including Phoebe Bridgers, Sufjan Stevens, and Taylor Swift – who claims The National as her favourite band. ‘First Two Pages’ received a five-star review from NME who proclaimed, “This is The National at their absolute best.”

Four months later, they surprised fans with ‘Laugh Track’, a companion record to ‘First Two Pages’. This album featured guest appearances by Phoebe Bridgers, Rosanne Cash, and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. The Independent described it as “shimmering” and “hard to resist.”

Beautiful, painful, and transcendent by turns, The National’s songs explore human experiences in an honest yet poetic way. They’re known for their evocative and personal performances. “They are so expert at what they do, and make such a clear and direct connection with those who love them, that it is impossible not to get carried away on waves of pleasure,” says The Guardian.