I just happened to catch The National last month as both they and I were rather randomly passing through Switzerland. Such a cool and intimate (only about 2000 people) outdoor summer festival and they were truly in magnificent form.

As someone who was also at the Kings Arms gig a couple of years back, standing beside the freakishly tall Oliver Driver I can testify to the #1 trophy spot. The small setting and the intensity of their live show were spell-binding. I just love this band and can't seem to get their latest CD out of my car stereo. I have a near pathological obsession with tracks 2 and 8. Almost wish I was going again at the Powerstation.

Although living in Europe still has huge advantages. In the space of a month I saw LCD soundsystem, Massive Attack and Fat Freddy's in Paris, The National, Faithless, Iggy, Motorhead (?) and Peaches in Switzerland and then Hot Chip and Arcade Fire in London.
However to cap off that wanky paragraph, it has rained the last two days and before we know it, it will be dark at 4:30pm.