Front runner for having the album of the year, the Brooklyn-based The National will have a concert directed by legendary documentarion D.A. Pennebaker. If you haven’t seen the 1965 concert film featuring Bob Dylan, Don’t Look Back I highly suggest checking it out. The film pioneered the cinema verite movement and is a remarkable account of the famous artist. Pennebaker was also behind the festival doc Monterey Pop and Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, the David Bowie doc.

Pennebaker and his wife, along with co-director Chris Hegedus will be filming The National on May 15 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. They will open the show and debut a short film of theirs before the concert. The event is a benefit for the Red Hot Organization, the AIDS-fighting charity, the same one that the Dessner brothers of The National raised money for with Dark Was the Night compilation. There are even special guests to be rumored and considering Sufjan Stevens and Bon Iver guested on High Violet, I can only imagine who else will show up.

The greatest part is the show will actually stream live on YouTube and be available to download a month later.

The National‘s High Violet is released May 11th. I highly encourage you to check it out.

Are you excited for a Pennebaker-directed National concert?

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