Stream ‘The National: Juicy Sonic Magic, Live in Berkeley, September 24-25, 2018’

The National has always had a knack for storytelling and the band tackled an amazing one with Juicy Sonic Magic. The Cincinnati five-piece released the story of legendary taper Mike “The Mike” Millard on cassette for Black Friday Record Store Day around Thanksgiving but have now shared it on streaming just in time for Christmas.

Millard gained cult fame from taping concerts by Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan and more in Southern California in the 1970s and ‘80s by sneaking then bulky taping equipment into shows with the help of a friend and a wheelchair. The story so intrigued producer and archivist Erik Flannigan that he decided to try and recreate Mike’s methods by taping The National during a two-night stand at the storied Greek Theatre in Berkely, California.

The National were very receptive to the idea, as lead singer Matt Berninger explains in a documentary short about the project, mainly because of The National rhythm section Bryan and Scott Devandrof’s affinity for the Grateful Dead and Phish and the taper culture that surrounds those bands. The result of the taping experiment is called The National: Juicy Sonic Magic, Live in Berkeley, September 24-25, 2018. Stream it and also check out the documentary short below:

Tracklist:

Night 1 – Sept. 24th 2018

1. Nobody Else Will Be There
2. The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness
3. Walk It Back
4. Guilty Party
5. Don’t Swallow the Cap
6. Bloodbuzz Ohio
7. I Need My Girl
8. Green Gloves
9. Brainy
10. Slow Show
11. All the Wine
12. I’ll Still Destroy You
13. Dark Side of the Gym
14. Day I Die
15. Carin at the Liquor Store
16. Graceless
17. Rylan
18. Fake Empire
19. Light Years
20. Mr. November
21. Terrible Love
22. Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks

Night 2 – Sept. 25th 2018

1. Light Years
2. The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness
3. Walk It Back
4. Guilty Party
5. I Should Live in Salt
6. Don’t Swallow the Cap
7. Afraid of Everyone
8. I Need My Girl
9. This Is the Last Time
10. Wasp Nest
11. Born to Beg
12. Sorrow
13. Apartment Story
14. Pink Rabbits
15. England
16. Day I Die
17. Rylan
18. Fake Empire
19. About Today
20. Lemonworld
21. Mr. November
22. Terrible Love
23. Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks