Head and the Heart concert

One running generality of my concertgoing experience in DC is that the audiences are generally tepid and flat, more interested in texting to their friends that they are at a concert than they are in getting into the music. So, while the perfomances are often ace, there is not much from the audience to feed off of. In some cases, it's because no one knows the music very well (British Sea Power, Camera Obscura). In the National's case, I have no idea. Everyone seemed to know their stuff, but they only really got into it on Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks.

Last night's Head and the Heart concert...good heavens, it was like a Dashboard Confessional concert circa 2005. All stereotypes of the "DC crowd" have been shattered. The 9:30 club was packed to the gills, and when Head and the Heart came out, huge cheers, from the opening notes, people began grooving, and then, shockingly, the entire audience sang loudly along to every song on the album. For the three new songs, everyone shut up and listened intently.  

And it's understandable why. THATH killed. Incredibly, the vocals and harmonies were more impressive than on the album. The energy level was off the charts. I'm pretty sure that grown men cried during Josh McBride, one of the new songs. (Not me, obviously. I have no tear ducts.) Speaking of the new songs, I'm thinking of the last time that I have liked every new song that I've heard from a band and I'm coming up empty meaning that THATH are on a Cal Ripken kind of run at history.

Although the entire concert was a highlight, I would have to say that Lost in My Mind, Rivers and Roads, and Josh McBride were the highlights of the highlights. And THATH seemed pretty gracious about the outpouring of love for them. Charity, in particular, seemed like she was overwhelmed and seemed on the verge of crying. That just added to the greatness of the concert.

I'm going to tentatively say that it was the best concert I've seen in DC. BSP may have matched the energy, but the crowd at THATH pushed it over the top.

And here's a video of Josh McBride in it's awesomeness from somewhere in Austin, TX

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