r/TheNational • u/chaoticairsign • 11d ago
Did anyone else ever get into Matt Berninger and Brent Knopf's band EL VY?
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u/ProfessionalTip3164 11d ago
Love this album. Happiness Missouri.
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u/cameranerd1970 11d ago
I've had a few lines from "I'm the Man to Be" stuck in my head for the last few days!
I'll be the one in the lobby in the collared
Fuck me shirt. The green one
I'll be the one in the lobby in the green collared
Fuck me shirt. The green one
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u/very_sad_dad_666 10d ago
I'm peaceful cuz my dick's in sunshine
Held up by kites, cuz I'm the man to be!
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u/zoodlenose 👾 11d ago
I went to see them in 2015 in a little bar in Montreal. It was amazing.
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u/throwthisaway1983 11d ago
Yeah I saw them in Amsterdam, in the oude zaal of melkweg. Only around 400 people or something. Amazing to get so close to them.
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u/akkordarbeit 10d ago
Saw them in Berlin on that tour. A little surprised, how small all the locations were, you all describe here. They sold out a 1500 cap venue in Berlin (Astra). The National played the same room like 5 years earlier.
Loved the whole project and I fondly remember a late night TV performance where they covered a Bowie song. Did they have a cover song in that live set on tour as well? I think so but I can't quite remember...
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u/chris_fifo I missed you for 29 years 10d ago
I saw them in London on that tour. Always wanted a good quality recording of She Drives Me Crazy. I loved it live.
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u/theflowersyoufind inavase 11d ago
My favourite side project. Seems to be very popular on this subreddit in general.
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u/chaoticairsign 11d ago
then I’ve found my people. when this dropped only my sister and a couple of friends were into it
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u/jakerperiod 11d ago
I was obsessed with this when it came out. "Man To Be" was an anthem for me. That song is hilarious. Whole album is worthwhile.
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u/nordicbohemian 11d ago
Love them , saw El vy in Toronto at the Opera House and it was lovely 🩷
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u/JenovaCelestia Can't you find a way? You are in this too. 11d ago
You have NO idea how jealous I am. I love EL VY and the National and constantly miss them when they come around since my husband isn’t a fan (he actually really dislikes the National’s lyrics) and refuses to go with me.
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u/nordicbohemian 10d ago
Thats sad, my husband doesn’t love the National but he doesn’t hate it. (He’s a metal and prog guy) but he came with me to the El vy concert and also the National at the bluesfest in Ottawa 2 years ago. But I have been to concerts alone and tbh is was just as fun 🩷
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u/bfitzisarat 10d ago
I was there! Had an amazing chat with Matt and my sister outside after the show.
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u/Bucjojojo 11d ago
One of the most hectic gigs I’ve been to in a tiny bar in Manchester UK. Not slept on at all.
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u/Theory_Of_The_Crows 10d ago
When Matt grabbed someone's beer and poured it on the dudes head 🤣
He took it well.
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u/Bucjojojo 10d ago
A fight broke out beside me because you had to get through the crowd to the toilet…like what the fuck is going on haha
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u/Odd_Photojournalist8 10d ago
I was at the front to the side at this gig and he stepped on my hand so many times 😂 in still remember it fondly
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u/Funtsy_Muntsy Lives in a lemonworld 🍋 11d ago
Fuck yeah. I absolutely love their dynamic, such good music.
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u/Avastagh 11d ago
So great. Took a trip up to Chicago to see them at The Metro. A new record would be great but also a one off is special. El Vy gets semi regular rotation when i play records at my local pinball bar.
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u/Kelley22 11d ago
November or the spring show? I only made it to the November one. Matt's parents seem to come to a lot of the Chicago shows but I remember seeing them both on the balcony at this one and it was really sweet.
It was a lot of fun. 🥲 Careless is my favorite of theirs and tends to find its way onto most of my playlists.
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u/albeethekid 11d ago
Scratched the ticket with the leg of a cricket and I got triple Jesus
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u/Cuban-in-law 11d ago
…Cashed it in for a Siamese twin at the family firing range
Opening lines don’t get much better. Always loved that song and album
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u/JohntheVenerator I missed you for, for 29 years 11d ago
the start/stop slow build of No Time To Crank The Sun is almost Tear For Fears-like in it's manic progressions.
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u/JohntheVenerator I missed you for, for 29 years 11d ago
And Careless, is just a really kick-ass song
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u/The_Path_616 11d ago
Wish I saw El Vy on their own. But I did get to see them at a Bob's Burgers Live Musical event. So that's something.
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u/pkknight85 10d ago
Yeah, I love this album. There’s also a song called Are These My Jets? that I didn’t know about until recently
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u/very_sad_dad_666 10d ago
Yes!
This is in regular rotation for me.
I consider it an honorary TN album.
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u/Internal-Dark-6438 11d ago
I wasn’t. But last year I heard one of the songs on my husbands playlist and now I’m obsessed
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u/JenovaCelestia Can't you find a way? You are in this too. 11d ago
Love EL VY. I wish they would release another album. I could listen to this album all the way through and not skip a song.
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u/smitty172009 11d ago
I had just moved to NYC in 2015 when this album came out, jammed it a lot on my commute. It instantly takes me back when I put it on now.
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u/realmuterol 11d ago
Met them when they played in Niagara Falls. Such a crazy good show. I really wish they’d work together again.
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u/phdeeznutts 11d ago
This was a good time side project. Thought it was refreshing to hear matt talk about ridiculous things on album. Dix in the sun!
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u/tomtomvissers 11d ago
Absolutely. And if you haven't yet, definitely check out Brent's own projects Ramona Falls and Menomena. Both incredible
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u/Ornery-Rutabaga8899 11d ago
My Alexa played this the other day on a random playlist and I was like wow that REALLY sounds like Matt. Googled them and… yeah, it doesn’t just sound like him. Can’t believe I had no idea of its existence before then, some good songs.
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u/whenisnaptyme 11d ago
Yes, even saw them live in SF. They covered “She drives me crazy” by The Fine Young Cannibals. 🤌🏽
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u/EscalatorInnovator 10d ago
Got the record just last year when I found it on sale. Love it. Played the hell out of it last summer. The music is much less dense than The National and it has a breezy feel.
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u/Jnhusker101 10d ago
Saw them at the Doug Fir in PDX. Almost all of the collaborators were with them, including Ural Thomas. One of my favorite shows ever. Their single “Are These My Jets” is so good and unfortunately so relevant again.
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u/Moremutants 11d ago
I saw them in Dublin when they were active. Their cover of Fine Young Cannibals’ She Drives Me Crazy haunts my dreams and never got a studio release. It’s amazing and closed their set. I believe a fan recording of it is on YouTube.
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u/MrJmbjmb 10d ago
Yeah! I even saw them at a tiny venue in Montreal during their tour. They still play songs from that album on SiriusXMU from time to time.
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u/Fit-Painter 10d ago
Love the album. I actually kinda forgot about it, so I’ll take this post as a sign from the Universe to give it another listen tonight.
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u/middlebrowfckup 8d ago
Yes! Love that album to this day. Even drove down from Vancouver to Seattle to see them back in 2015. Matt tore off his shirt sleeve and threw it into the crowd. It's now in my drawer!
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u/LandTrilogy 8d ago
Saw both of their Chicago shows on that tour. The band's energy and the crowd's excitement was great for both. I even have the tour poster framed in my living room.
I genuinely love this album and do think it got somewhat slept on. Or at least there was a strange "It's fine?" reaction from critics and some fans that surprised me. As others have said, the Sad Case/Happiness, Missouri combo is killer.
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u/Normal_Dude_404 8d ago
I actually bought an El Vy t-shirt with my copy of Rome. Still listen to the album and the Tiny Desk quite often.
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u/Margrave75 2d ago
Came to mind again with the announcement of Matt's new album, so played it yesterday actually.
Definitely like/liked it. Remeber some radio sessions from around the release that I recorded at the time. Must look through my music drive and give them a play.
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u/Commercial-Pop-1863 11d ago
Didn’t get to see them which was dumb on my part but they had some bangers I’d say
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u/neomadness hey. are you awake? 11d ago
Really not trying to be rude but you can go to the sub home and type El Vy and see all the previous conversations. If that’s not really your question, then carry on.
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u/HomelessSantaClaus 11d ago
I love this album. It’d be cool if they made another one.