(all photos by Keith Klenowski, full image gallery at the bottom of the post)
The National are back. And it’s not like they really ever left. The band that grew up in Ohio but did most of their musical maturing in New York returned to the Buckeye state Monday night showcasing their latest and possibly greatest album to date, High Violet.

The band never really felt like they were gone though, because the music they have been churning out every two to three years keeps them right in front of those of us that follow their work, and like fine wine, the guys and their work keep getting better with age. Of course, the diehard fan inside some of us will point out that the boys have not been in Ohio for a show since their Fountain Square appearance in 2008 leading up to the presidential election and their last paid show in Ohio was probably a year or so before that one. And when they finally do come back, it’s to Columbus. That didn’t stop alot of Cincinnatians from making the two hour drive north, on a Monday night no less, to take in the set.

And it felt like a homecoming, as it usually does when the guys are close to home. They dedicated songs to a half dozen friends and family members throughout the night and seemed at ease throughout the night despite a rare non-sellout and some thick humidity. Of course, the dedications are to the advantage of the rest of us in attendance, because the loyalty the band shows to their friends and family means some rarities popping up in the set. Among them were “Wasps Nest”, dedicated to Sally Dessner, (Bryce and Aaron’s mother) and “Available” dedicated to a great high school friend who helped connect the guys during their days in Cincinnati.

Of course the new material shone as bright as any of the heartfelt dedications or shout outs. High Violet live was a new experience for me, and it played as well if not better than the album I have had on repeat for months now. Of course plenty of previous albums were well represented too, with live favorites like “Fake Empire”, “Mr. November”, “Abel” and “Squalor Victoria” sounding crisp and clean. It’s hard to say much negative about The National right now. They play live like a band in mid-career stride and seem to be enjoying every minute of it. So even if we don’t get them all the way back home during this tour, it sure was nice to see them do their thing on Ohio soil.