On Friday night, I ended up going to see one of my favorite bands of the moment, The National. They played The Santa Barbara Bowl, with the guests, Portugal. The Man.

I got there, and as I began the long walk up the hill, raindrops started to fall. Living in Santa Barbara, rain is rare, and the chance of it becoming a problem was slim. I got to my spot in GA (the pit), jut in time to secure a position in the second or third line of people. Portugal. The Man, was playing just as I got there. They are a rock band from Alaska. I was not expecting to like them very much, but they put on an amazing show, rocking out in their rain jackets.

As the sun set and darkness took over, they set the stage up for the main act. When The National came on, of course, everyone was screaming, as they went into their first song. They played almost all of my favorites, starting with some newer ones, and leading into the older classics. The show got better as it went on (and as the lead singer’s wine bottle emptied out a little more.) About half way through the show, the rain started to pick up. By the time they were playing the song, “I Need My Girl,” it was completely pouring. Some people took this as their cue to leave, while the rest of us splashed and danced, singing along with the band. It rained on and off for the rest of the night.

The show was amazing, because they are such talented musicians, and the lead singer is a great performer. He ran all over the place, through the pit, hanging off the walls, and even up to some seats. They ended the show with an acoustic song, almost drowned out by the sound of the audience’s voices. It was a really special night, and I am so glad I got to go.

Here is their final performance at The Bowl

Feel free to leave comments with how much you liked or disliked this song, or request songs for me to listen to.

x Eva