The National will return to their home of Cincinnati to play at the aptly named Homecoming Festival this year. They plan to perform the entirety of their breakthrough album, Boxer. Father John Misty and The Breeders will also headline the festival.

It’s always special when bands play full sets of their albums. Brian Wilson toured around the country two years ago performing Pet Sounds in its entirety. Sometimes albums simply need to be listened to as a single piece, regardless of whether its a live performance or listened to at home.

Boxer is The National’s fourth studio album. Released in 2007 off Beggars Banquet Records, the album sold 300,000 copies in the U.S. and debuted at #68 on Billboard 200. The album gained immediate attention and acclaim from critics and fans alike. Paste called it the album of the year; Pitchfork clocked it in at #17 in their Top 50 list. It’s included in numerous albums-of-the-decade lists because it evokes the essence of those early years in the new millennium. It will be a treat for fans of the album to hear it played live in its entirety.

The Breeders and Father John Misty will also perform. The Breeders formed in 1989 with Kim Deal of Pixies at its helm. Consistent lineup changes has left deal as the band’s only lasting member over the years. The Breeders’ debut album, Pod, was critically acclaimed but not commercially successful. Their last album, Last Splash, is best known for its hit, “Cannonball.”

Josh Tillman toured and worked with just about about everyone in the industry before taking up the moniker Father John Misty. He’s worked with Fleet Foxes, Beyonce and Lady Gaga, to name a few. Tillman is also known for his habit of micro-dosing LSD to offset his severe depression and anxiety. This habit often earns Misty the affectation of ‘trippy’ even if his music is fairly straight forward. Others in attendance will be Feist, Future Islands and Lord Huron. This year’s Homecoming festival has a great lineup and should not be missed!

Photography Credit: Boston Lynn Schultz