In August 2024, American indie-rock band The National—led by Matt Berninger and the Dessner brothers—performed at Way Out West, the cozy festival in Gothenburg's Slottsskogen park, where their set headlined Saturday alongside Pulp and PJ Harvey. Captured professionally, the show caught the band in full emotional power: Aaron and Bryce Dessner's guitar textures backed Bryan Devendorf's drums, while Berninger's velvet baritone and signature crowd dives created intimate connection even with a massive audience. Starting late evening, it became one of the strongest in their career—a mix of melancholy and catharsis, with new tracks alongside classics, and Berninger even assisting fans with signs. This performance reminded why The National remain one of the most piercing indie-rockers of their generation.
Setlist: