9/13/24
Forest Hills Stadium
Sometimes Forward is the Only Way Back
A spectacular late summer night in Queens with a killer lineup, early start time, some good friends, and located in a classic tennis center - an ideal combination for my tastes.
Lucius took the stage at 530 on a Friday with the bright sun reflecting off Jess and Holly's sparkly gowns. These two have an infectiously groovy sound. They are also quite popular as guest singers as evidenced by their joining both the War on Drugs on "I Don't Live Here Anymore" and The National on "Rylan". Their closer "Genevieve" left me wanting more.
The War on Drugs delivered a potent set to a crowd still filtering in, daylight in the sky. The band was celebrating the release of their latest album 'Live Drugs Again'. Favorites included a soaring "Harmonia's Dream" and the pensive "Occasional Rain"
"I got swept up in a world so strange
One you'd never even recognize
Oh, but I slipped away
Now I'm a stranger and I don't know why"
The National has slowly become one of my favorite live bands. It's their deep catalog. The catchy and poignant and mysterious lyrics. And the way the @postmoderndrummer drives the beat - like the rocking "Abel" and "Graceless". @mattberninger is always on the move, he owns the crowd.
Other Highlights: The glow of the hipsters cell phones lighting up the stadium on "Light Years". "Bloodbuzz Ohio" with stage fog surrounding the band. The piano on "Fake Empire" gave me goosebumps. It always does.
As the stadium hit curfew at 10, the band played the last few notes of the acoustic "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks" with the crowd singing along.
"All the very best of us
String ourselves up for love"
The end of a great match.
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