For years, fans of the National have insisted, “You have to see them in concert,” and with Rome, the Brooklyn-via-Ohio band delivers the next best thing - a 21-track double album, recorded live, raw, and unfiltered at Rome’s stunning Cavea at Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone in June 2024. Mixed by longtime collaborator Peter Katis, it captures the energy, artistry, and unrelenting talent that have defined the band's performances for the past 25 years.

Spanning more than two decades of songwriting, Rome showcases reimagined classics like “Bloodbuzz Ohio,” “Don’t Swallow The Cap,” and “Fake Empire.” But it doesn’t stop there. Sharpened performances of newer favorites, including “Eucalyptus,” “New Order T-Shirt,” and the envelope-pushing “Smoke Detector,” highlight the band’s ever-evolving sound. It’s a live document that proves no song is static in the National’s hands, and every track takes on new dimensions under the stage lights. The setlist, which highlights the band’s depth, dives into lesser-played gems and fan favorites alike. The opener “Runaway” sets the tone immediately, while deeper cuts like “Lemonworld” and “The Geese Of Beverly Road” cast fresh light on overlooked moments in their catalog. A tour de force pairing of “Humiliation” and “Murder Me Rachael” bridges eras as if they were always meant to go together, and the encore brings the house down with anthems like “Mr. November,” “Terrible Love,” and the rousing singalong closer, “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks.”

What makes Rome truly special though is its immediacy. Each song, each moment even, brims with the urgency and intimacy of a band playing as though everything is on the line. Yes, it’s a nice souvenir for the concertgoers, but it’s also an essential piece of the band’s discography, fitting nicely alongside their studio albums as a definitive moment in time.

The National, led by Matt Berninger’s baritone and backed by brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner and brothers Bryan and Scott Devendorf, have built their career on exploring the human condition with sweeping musical gestures. With Rome, they remind us why their live shows have become legendary. If you can’t see them in concert, this is the next best thing.