In late April I visited Cincinnati to attend the first ever Homecoming, a festival headlined and curated by The National that also featured Father John Misty, Feist, Alvvays, The Breeders, Julian Baker, Moses Sumney, and many other great acts. I had a really good time! When I was there, I also had the chance to sit down with Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner in their tour bus, and talk about the band’s future. Lately, the band members have been involved in various activities, including writing a musical based on Cyrano de Bergerac and a collaborative album with another artist that they don’t want to name yet. Matt and Aaron discussed those projects with me, as well as their feelings about their hometown, Matt’s tendency to occasionally forget lyrics, and the greatness of their 2007 album Boxer. It’s an essential listen for any National fan