Last night (September 12), two East Coast-based bands took over the Bank of New Hampshire Pavillon as The National and The War on Drugs kicked off their Zen Diagram tour. The two revered bands are set to tour most of North America this fall, with their first stop landing them at New Hampshire’s premier outdoor venue. Both bands are coming off critically acclaimed releases, with The National releasing two LPs in 2023 and The War On Drugs continuing to promote their 2021 LP, I Don’t Live Here Anymore, and their freshly released live album that hit streaming services today (September 13). With two colorful discographies to explore, both setlists could be filed under career-spanning as both bands kick off their new tour with a bang.
The War On Drugs kept things humble with a nine-song setlist that explored the corners of their career. They kicked things off with “Brothers” from their underrated Slave Ambient LP, the only time they touched on the 2011 release. They broke up most of their setlist between their 2021 release and their 2014 classic, Lost in the Dream. Tracks like “Harmonia’s Dream” and the title track from I Don’t Want To Live Here Anymore made an appearance, while hits “Burning” and “Red Eye” snuck their way into the performance. The remainder of The War On Drugs’s set focused on songs from their 2017 LP, A Deeper Understanding.
The National put together a sprawling 22-song set for the first night of the Zen Diagram tour. Rather than focus on their two most recent releases, the band dug deep and touched on almost every album in their discography. The main focus was on their critically acclaimed 2013 album, Trouble Will Find Me. Hits like “Don’t Swallow The Cap” and “I Need My Girl” were lifted from the album, while deeper cuts like “Sea of Love” and “Graceless” also made an appearance. The band then pulled out songs from albums like High Violet, going as far back as their 2003 sophomore effort, Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers. The National hit every corner of their fanbase with performances of newer songs like “Alien” from 2023’s First Two Pages of Frankenstein and the title track from their 2004 release, Cherry Tree. The band wrapped things up with a three-song encore that included “Mr. November,” “Terrible Love,” and “About Today.”
With night one done, The National and The War On Drugs continue their trek across North America. Their next stop lands them in Queens, New York, at the Forest Hills Stadium, and then it is off to Massachutes for a stop at the Xfinity Center. The Zen Diagram tour will also make stops in Philadelphia, Toronto, Seattle, and Los Angeles. You can check out the full setlists, tour dates, and footage from last night’s show below.
