NY Mag celebrates 40th with The National
Friday night New York Magazine, my favorite weekly, celebrated their 40th anniversary at Hammerstein Ballroom with performances by comedy group STELLA and Brooklyn-based music acts Grizzly Bear and The National. Smart idea on NY Mag’s part — everyone who bought a ticket automatically became a subscriber.
I’m gonna try and forget the “comedy” ever happened. It was awkward. Same with Grizzly Bear. I like their music, but it wasn’t much of a performance. I couldn’t detect any emotion or theatrics, things that make concerts fun to watch. Better to just listen to them sitting at home on the couch with a mug of hot chocolate.
The National was the bright spot of the night and there were some super fans in the house. More than a few people in my near vicinity knew every word to every song. I had my fingers crossed all night, hoping they’d play “About Today.” Never happened. Here’s a live version from YouTube. Artsy video, beautiful song.
