For a band that outsiders see as dark, brooding, and very serious, The National‘s shows always feature a handful of light-hearted and silly moments to break up the mood a bit.

Saturday night the Dirty Projectors touched on the last two albums, 2009’s Bitte Orca and this year’s fantastic Swing Lo Magellan, and a couple songs from their collaborative album with Bjork.

Thursday night wasn’t the first time that the Dirty Projectors have ever played the Black Cat, but it was possibly the first time that a lot of those Black Cat patrons had seen the Dirty Projectors. That the band has raised its profile in the wake of album-of-the-year contender Bitte Orca was not lost on the musicians, as they alternately rose to the occasion and second guessed their decisions. Not two songs after singer/multi-instrumentalist Angel…

Two years ago, Travis Morrison tipped us off to the wonder that is the Dirty Projectors, telling us they saved his relationship with rock ‘n’ roll after he saw them play at the Black Cat. After last night, we know why. Frontman Dave Longstreth has assembled an unbelievably talented band, including three woman whose ability to harmonize a) with him, and b) with each other in peculiar keys is truly a work of fate. Or…

Monday >> Not every band can pull off the feat of traveling with and playing a turn of the century Vittrolio Grammaphone, playing the saw, or convincing you that the theramin is a real instrument. But Portland band Norfolk and Western seem to be bear this burden with ease and a bit of quirk. This band plays a mix of folksy, whimsical and occassionaly dark rock music, using an eclectic array of instruments and revolving…