Members of The National to Release Multimedia Collaboration Next Year

The National are going to do some experimenting – I hope they make eatable phones, so that I get even angrier when I lose mine. What is (unfortunately) actually happening is that members Aaron and Bryce Dessner will perform the Long Count, right here in London at the Barbican Theatre, on February 2-4 (via NME). The Long Count is a multimedia experiment, which involves the Dessners working with visual artist Matthew Ritchie.

“Described as “an abstract orchestral-rock song-cycle” about the beginning of time, as well as a 12 piece chamber orchestra, the Dessner twins will be joined for the performance by Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond and Kelley Deal of The Breeders. Matthew Ritchie’s animated film will play throughout the show.”

“The Long Count looks into the story of the ‘hero twins’ in the Popol Vuh and the Mesoamerican calendar, which is supposed to end on December 21, 2012 as well as the ‘rituals of baseball’. It pays special attention to the World Series win of the Cincinnati Reds in 1976, which was the year the Dessner twins – who are from Cincinnati – were born.”

Well, you may be multi-millionaire rock stars, but I’m from Toronto, and we’ve won 2 World Series since your Cincinnati Reds did – so I win, right?