Matt Berninger, lead singer of The National, returned to Webster Hall on Friday, May 30, to promote his album, Get Sunk, released earlier that day.
His performance last October at the same venue was a quieter, seated show – an interview with writer Amanda Petrusich followed by a short acoustic set for The New Yorker Festival. This time, the sold out show was standing room only.
While all of the members of The National are from Cincinnati, the band was formed in Brooklyn in 1999, and they’ve remained connected to New York over the years. They last played New York (Forest Hills) in September 2024 during their Zen Diagram Tour. While none of the band members still live in New York City, guitarist Adam Dessner and bassist Scott Devendorf live in the Hudson Valley and on Long Island, respectively. Berninger recently relocated from Los Angeles to Connecticut.
Singer-songwriter and bassist Julia Laws, also known as Ronboy, played an opening set of eight songs. Laws sings back-up vocals on eight of the tracks on Get Sunk. During Berninger’s set, he welcomed to the stage Scott Devendorf of The National and old friend and collaborator, guitarist Mike Brewer. The songs were classic Matt Berninger – too complex to be simply melancholic and introspective. He has spoken openly about dealing with depression and writer’s block during the pandemic.
This album reflects his emergence from that struggle with a little bit of humor and hope. With their applause and whistles of appreciation, it felt like the crowd was cheering Berninger on. They played a 16-song set and finished with an encore that included “The Alcott” (The National), “Blue Monday” (New Order cover) and “Inland Ocean,” the final song from the new album.
Get Sunk is Berninger’s second solo album after Serpentine Prison (2020). His U.S. tour ends with a June 1 show in Norwalk, Connecticut but continues in August in Europe.
Matt Berninger – Webster Hall, Manhattan – Friday, May 30, 2025
Setlist: No Love, Frozen Oranges, Breaking Into Acting, Distant Axis, Serpentine Prison, Silver Springs, Let It Be, Junk, All for Nothing, Nowhere Special, My Eyes Are T-Shirts, One More Second, Silver Jeep, Little by Little, Times of Difficulty, Bonnet of Pins.
Encore: The Alcott (The National), Blue Monday (New Order), Inland Ocean.
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