Pitchfork

Photos by Kathryn Yu

The second annual Brooklyn Next festival continued Friday night with the first of two performances by the NYC borough's ascendent sons the National at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Matt Berninger and his boys brought along horns, strings, woodwinds, and one extra special guest: Sufjan Stevens, who had graced the BAM stage less than four months prior for his "BQE" bonanza. Sufjan's magic hands worked the piano during Boxer knockout "Ada", much as they do on the album. And although a recent back injury left National guitarist Bryce Dessner seated throughout Friday evening's festivities, the performance nonetheless earned rapturous ovations.

My Brightest Diamond opened, and she and her string quartet and backing band easily won the evening's award for sartorial splendor.

The National have several scattered shows before their spring fling with R.E.M. and Modest Mouse, plus quite a few recently added festival spots beyond that. Check those and My Brightest Diamond's SXSW schedule below.

THE NATIONAL






MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND







THE NATIONAL








MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND




Inter-National:

03-09 Big Cypress, FL - Big Cypress Indian Reservation (Langerado)
03-13 New York, NY - The Kitchen (Bryce Dessner and Glenn Kotche)
03-14 New York, NY - The Kitchen (Bryce Dessner and Glenn Kotche)
03-29 Mexico City, Mexico - Indie-O Festival
04-25 Indio, CA - Empire Polo Field (Coachella)
05-11 Lisbon, Portugal - Aula Magna
05-13 Dublin, Ireland - Olympia Theatre
05-14 Dublin, Ireland - Olympia Theatre
05-15 Dublin, Ireland - Olympia Theatre
05-16-18 Minehead, England - Butlins Holiday Centre (Explosions in the Sky ATP)
05-23 Vancouver, British Columbia - Deer Lake Park *
05-29 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl *
05-31 Berkeley, CA - The Greek Theatre *
06-03 Denver, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre *
06-06 Chicago, IL - United Center *
06-08 Toronto, Ontario - Molson Amphitheatre *
06-10 Raleigh, North Carolina - Walnut Creek Amphitheatre *
06-11 Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion *
06-13 Boston, MA - Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts *
06-14 Wantagh, NY - Jones Beach Theater *
06-18 Philadelphia, PA - Mann Center for the Performing Arts *
06-19 New York, NY - TBA *
06-21 Atlanta, GA - Lakewood Amphitheatre *
07-11-13 Kinross, Scotland - T in the Park Festival
07-17-20 Benicàssim, Spain - Benicàssim Festival
08-05-09 Oslo, Norway - Øya Festival
08-07-09 Rees-Haldern, Germany - Haldern Pop Festival
08-08-09 Gothenburg, Sweden - Way Out West Festival
08-11 Copenhagen, Denmark - Vega

* with R.E.M., Modest Mouse

My Brightest Diamond:

03-13 Austin, TX - Volume (Paste/Stereogum SXSW party)
03-14 Austin, TX - Central Presbyterian Church (Asthmatic Kitty SXSW showcase)