The National are back on tour for the first time since 2019. At their European debut in Pamplona, Spain, the band around Matt Berninger presented three new songs. They have the beautiful names “Grease In Your Hair (Birdie)”, “Tropic Morning News (Havisham)” and “Bathwater (Mount Auburn)”. Fan recordings of the new songs have not yet appeared online – or have already disappeared.
The National haven’t announced a new album yet, but they do say they are working on new music. A recent Instagram post said with greetings from the rehearsal room: “It’s great for the seven of us to finally be back together in a room working on music both fresh and familiar”. Back in March, guitarist Aaron Dessner explained that their next album would go back to their classic sound and carry a lot of energy.
The full setlist in Pamplona read as follows:
The National just posted their setlist from their concert in Pamplona and if the Manchester gig is anything like this I will simply evaporate pic.twitter.com/hxpxVog5Bz
— Dan Ahern ? (@danahern96) May 29, 2022
‘Don’t Swallow the Cap’
‘Mistaken for Strangers’
‘I Should Live in Salt’
‘Blood Buzz Ohio’
‘I Need My Girl’
‘This Is the Last Time’
‘The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness’
‘Grease in Your Hair (Birdie)’
‘Light Years’
‘Slow Show’
‘guilty party’
‘Day I Die’
‘Tropic Morning News (Haversham)’
‘Pink Rabbits’
‘rylan’
‘England’
‘Graceless’
‘Fake Empire’
‘About Today’
encore:
‘Bathwater (Mount Auburn)’
‘Mr. November’
‘Terrible Love’
‘Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks’
Their tour will take The National to more European cities and festivals in the coming weeks. In June they will give three concerts in Germany:
- June 13 Hamburg, Stadtpark
- 15 June Berlin, Spandau Citadel
- 16 June Gelsenkirchen, Amphitheater
Este final del concierto de The National in Pamplona ha sido un locurón ? pic.twitter.com/oXsxX0UMYq
— Josean Rodriguez (@Kotxean) May 28, 2022
The National’s current album I AM EASY TO FIND was released in 2019. Before and after that, they toured Europe again and again. Read our review of their concert in the Max-Schmeling-Halle in 2017 here. Singer Matt Berninger released his solo debut SERPENTINE PRISON in 2020. Guitarist Aaron Dessner worked as a producer and musician on Taylor Swift’s albums FOLKLORE and EVERMORE.