The Icon Festival Stage at Smale Park (Cincinnati, OH)
09/15/23 - 09/16/23
Everyone has their own definition of home. For some, home is a place. For others, it can be a cool breeze or a lovers’ glance. For indie-rock “sad dads,” The National, home is Cincinnati, Ohio in all of its midwest romance. Back in 2018, The National put on their inaugural Homecoming Festival, and made plans to return to Smale Park in Cincinnati for round two in 2020; however, with the pandemic sweeping the globe, the band was forced to cancel the festivities. Now, three years later, The National make their triumphant return to their hometown for two glorious nights of music from a perfectly crafted lineup of artists.
The first day of the festival was kicked off strongly with Cincinnati natives Carriers who delivered a chill early afternoon set consisting of songs mostly from their 2019 album, Now Is The Time For Loving Me, Yourself & Everyone Else. It was amazing to see so much energy from a crowd at two in the afternoon. Next to take the stage was a group with one of the best stage presences I had ever seen: Bartees Strange. With a complex sound packed with punk and R&B influences, Bartees and his band took the crowd by storm. People who were sitting on benches in the back of the park quickly made their way closer to the stage during the band’s set. The sound was simply irresistible.
More and more fans began filling out the park. By evening, when the air turned cool, the lawn in front of the stage was packed shoulder to shoulder. Heads banged during The Walkmen’s electric rock and roll set. Voices joined to sing with Patti Smith and Her Band, who gave arguably one of the most energetic sets of the night. The sun dove below the horizon line, and it was finally time for the main event.
The National walked humbly on stage after being presented with the key to the city. They performed their 2010 album, High Violet, in its entirety, and then another full set of songs old and new – most of which came from their most recent album, First Two Pages of Frankenstein. After a nearly three-hour-long performance, day one came to an end.
The second day of Homecoming Festival began with The Drin, who delivered a meaty punk performance that sent the crowd roaring. It was a sunny Saturday in Smale Park, and the festival-goers were out enjoying the various food venues in the park, as well as visiting The National: Archives photo exhibition that was presented inside. The crowd swayed with indie goddess, Julia Jacklin. Snail Mail’s crunchy guitar tones and romantic girl-whine rang throughout the park. Weyes Blood made everything feel like a movie. Nineties sonic-punk group Pavement took the stage before The National’s second performance of the weekend, and announced that it was the last Pavement show for a while, if not indefinitely.
When The National walked back on stage, there was a feeling of harmony amongst the crowd. Everyone marveled as the band performed the ten-year-old record, Trouble Will Find Me, in its entirety. It was a celebration of how far the band had come, and an homage to how far they have yet to come. During their performance, The National announced the release of another new album entitled Laugh Track. They closed the set with some of their well-loved classics, and the sun fell on a beautiful weekend in Smale Park.
