The National Performs at RiotFest

I had a great time at RiotFest. I knew that it would be fun, but I had no idea that I would find a couple of bands that I really liked. I will have more on them tomorrow. Today I would like to share a couple more photos of The National as they closed out the evening. It is weird how a festival works. All day long you enjoy each session of a particular artist. When the artist that you came to see is up next though you start to wish for the set to end. I have nothing against the Flaming Lips. In fact I think that they put on a great show. The National was next though so I couldn’t wait for them to get off of the stage. Even after they went long The National still did not get up on stage. It turns out that they were racing to the event after getting stuck in Ottawa. They did not perform the whole set that they intended to perform, but they did put on a great show while they were on stage. We really need to go out and see them when they have their own show. Rumor is that they will be working on a new album soon so maybe we will see them when they tour for that one.

The Setlist

When I see a show I don’t write down every song that is sung by the artist. I don’t even really try and group them in order in my head. You remember the highs and the lows of the show. Thanks to a fan who posted an Instagram photo of the setlist that she got after the show I can show you exactly what they performed that night. The songs with the line through them were cut from the show.

• Don’t Swallow the Cap
• I should live in Salt
• Blood Buzz
• Afraid of Everyone
• Squalor Victoria
• I Need My Girl
• This is the Last Time
• Ada
• Slow Show
• Pink Rabbits
• England
• Graceless
• Fake Empire
• Mr. November
• Terrible Love

More on Photographing the Show

As I said earlier I had my Canon G16 with me at the show. It is a great camera, but at the end of the day it is still a point and shoot. I could adjust my settings though so I was in control of the exposure. This is a big deal with the wide range of lights at a rock show. You don’t want the camera to expose for the bright spotlights. You want to balance the light yourself. Most of the shots here were taken during the song England as the show was winding down. For most of the show I tried to enjoy it, but at some point the photographer in me comes out, and I have to make some photos. Most of the photos are also of the lead singer Matt Berninger. For the most part he was the closest to me, and I was really at the mercy of my small zoom. I made a few photos of Aaron Dessner who was in front of me, but he was so close to the mic, that from my angle you could not see his face very well. I would love to photograph the band with my 5D and my L lenses. Anyway here are a couple of bonus photos from the show.