Matt Berninger News

On February 21, 2020, Brainiac: Transmissions After Zero, the feature-length documentary about the seminal 90's band Brainiac, will be released on DVD, I-Tunes, Amazon, Vimeo and others after its year long run on the international festival circuit. The film was directed by Dayton native and Brooklyn based filmmaker Eric Mahoney (Madly, North Dixie Drive), edited by musician Ian Jacobs (Monograms) and made its world premiere at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival. The DVD will include over 40 min. of bonus material featuring rare live performances, unseen interviews, deleted scenes and more. MVD Entertainment Group will be distributing the film in all territories.

Continuing a tradition that began in 2017 with “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” Phoebe Bridgers has released a song just in time for the holidays. This recording - “7 O'Clock News/Silent Night” - features Fiona Apple, on joint vocals with Bridgers, and Matt Berninger (The National, El Vy) in the role of “newscaster.” Produced by Tony Berg(guitar), Ethan Gruska (keyboards) and Phoebe Bridgers (vocals, guitar) it was recorded at Sound City Studios in the San Fernando Valley. The track is available today via Dead Oceans. 100% of the profits from this recording are being donated to Planned Parenthood, as inspired by the song's “newscaster” Matt Berninger, co-founder of the 7-inches For Planned Parenthood project. 

The New Group announces full casting for Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, with Jennifer Damiano, Ana Nogueira, Joél Pérez and Michael Zegen joining, as previously announced, Duncan Sheik, in this world premiere production. Arriving as part of The New Group's 25th Anniversary Season, this production features Book by Jonathan Marc Sherman, Music and Lyrics by Duncan Sheik, Additional Lyrics by Amanda Green and Choreography by Kelly Devine. Scott Elliott directs. Previews begin January 16 in advance of an Official Opening Night on Tuesday, February 4.

Renowned songwriter and Walkmen co-founder Walter Martin will release his new album The World At Night on January 31st via Ile Flottante Music. Produced by multi-instrumentalist Josh Kaufman (The National, Hiss Golden Messenger, The War On Drugs), the album is Martin's most richly orchestrated and grandly cinematic collection to date, as well as his most poignant. Today he shared two new songs from The World At Night: 'The Soldier,' a vivid character portrait sung from the perspective of his 96-year-old grandfather-in-law, and 'That's All I Need,' a burst of humor and celebration about familial love.

Today, The National has released Juicy Sonic Magic via Americanmary.com, a 10-minute mini-documentary in conjunction with their Black Friday Record Store Release of the three-cassette box set entitled The National: Juicy Sonic Magic, Live in Berkeley, September 24-25, 2018. Directed by David DuBois, the film tells the story of late, great concert taper Mike “The Mike” Millard and an homage to his work that was undertaken by archivist and producer Erik Flannigan, who attempted to recreate the legendary taper's methods by using the same vintage cassette deck and microphones Millard employed in the '70s to record The National at two Greek Theatre concerts last year. Watch the minidoc below and find a record store near you at recordstoreday.com.

Craft Recordings is thrilled to announce The Memphis Masters—a limited video series celebrating various albums from the iconic Stax Records label, showcasing its enduring musical legacy, as well as its influence on Memphis, TN. Created in partnership with Memphis Record Pressing and Memphis Tourism, and directed by Andrew Trent Fleming of TheFilmJerk Media, the multi-part series was shot in several locations around the city—also known as the home of blues, soul and rock 'n' roll—including such historic landmarks as Sam Phillips Recording Service, Royal Studios and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. With interviews spanning multiple generations of artists, The Memphis Masters offers insight from the likes of Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Grace Potter, Matt Berninger (The National), Walshy Fire (Major Lazer), Steve Selvidge (The Hold Steady) and producer Boo Mitchell—all of whom were inspired by the label's music and the albums being reissued. The Memphis Masters also includes interviews with Stax legends like Steve Cropper, Big Star's Jody Stephens, James Alexander (the Bar-Kays) and Booker T. Jones, plus longtime label publicist Deanie Parker and songwriter Bettye Crutcher, who share their memories from the label's heyday.

The cleverest part of adaptor/director Erica Schmidt's new musical based on Edmond Rostand's classic CYRANO DE BERGERAC is that the two times a character makes mention of the title fellow's very large nose, there is a pause before the word, making it clear that the speaker was about to say something else, but thought better of it.

Renowned songwriter and Walkmen co-founder Walter Martinannounced today his new album The World At Night will release on January 31st via Ile Flottante Music. Produced by multi-instrumentalist Josh Kaufman (The National, Hiss Golden Messenger, The War On Drugs), the album is Martin's most richly orchestrated and grandly cinematic collection to date, as well as his most poignant. Dedicated to his dear friend and late Jonathan Fire*Eater bandmate Stewart Lupton, it balances soul-baring intimacy with sophisticated arrangements as they walk a delicate tightrope between despair and hope, faith and doubt, security and uncertainty.

The New Group's Cyrano is playing a limited Off-Broadway engagement through December 22 at The Daryl Roth Theatre, where it just celebrated opening night!

The New Group's Cyrano is playing a limited Off-Broadway engagement through December 22 at The Daryl Roth Theatre.

On Monday, November 4, Ann Harada, Crystal Lucas-Perry, John Cameron Mitchell, Taylor Schilling, Wallace Shawn and Fred Weller will appear in a one-night-only reading of Maxwell Anderson's Bad Seed, to benefit The New Group, as the company celebrates its 25th Anniversary Season.  Cynthia Nixon directs.  This benefit reading supports New Group/New Works, The New Group's play and musical development program. 

Get a first look at The New Group's Cyrano currently playing a limited Off-Broadway engagement through December 22 at The Daryl Roth Theatre

Today, Matt Berninger, of GRAMMY-winning band The National, alongside acclaimed singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers have released a new video and song, 'Walking On A String', which was written specifically for Between Two Ferns: The Movie by Berninger in collaboration with his wife, writer Carin Besser and musician Mike Brewer. It was recorded at Sound City, CA with Walter Martin (guitar) and Matt Barrick (drums) of The Walkmen and produced by Bridgers, Tony Berg and Ethan Gruska. The track has officially been released by esteemed indie label Dead Oceans and can be streamed now. The music video was directed, shot and edited by Tom Berninger and Chris Sgroi.

Toronto's annual Dream Serenade benefit concert is back for its sixth year supporting and celebrating the Toronto community of children with developmental and or physical disabilities and their caregivers. This year, on Saturday, November 2 at 8pm, the concert will feature sets from Matt Berninger (lead singer of The National), July Talk, Barenaked Ladies, Hayden, Shad, U.S. Girls, Donovan Woods and very special surprise guests. Once again Dream Serenade will take place at Roy Thomson Hall, sister venue to its regular home at Massey Hall while it undergoes an historic revitalization.

Due to popular demand, The New Group has announced an extension for Cyrano, with Ritchie Coster, Josh A. Dawson, Peter Dinklage, Hillary Fisher, Josh Franklin, Christopher Gurr, Blake Jenner, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Nehal Joshi, Grace McLean, Erika Olson and Scott Stangland.

Works & Process, the performing arts series at the Guggenheim, presents The New Group: Cyrano Adapted & Directed by Erica Schmidt, with Peter Dinklage, Blake Jenner, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner of The National on Saturday, September 28, 2019 at 7:30pm. Music Director Ted Author will accompany the performances on piano.

The National has announced the release of a live three-cassette box set, Juicy Sonic Magic, from their September 24th and 25th, 2018 Greek Theatre shows in Berkeley, CA at the end of their Sleep Well Beast tour. The Berkeley shows were taped by producer and engineer Erik Flannigan using The Mike Millard Method, which replicates the vintage analog recording equipment the legendary taper used in the '70s and '80s. The triple cassette limited release will come out November 29th exclusively as part of Record Store Day Black Friday. Both Flannigan and The National's Matt Berninger spoke to Relix about the upcoming release, which will be accompanied by a short documentary of the same name about Millard and the process of taping the Berkeley concerts from the audience, directed by David DuBois. Record Store Day Black Friday releases are available only at independent record stores starting 11/29.

The New Group announces full casting for Donja R. Love's one in two, featuring Jamyl Dobson, Leland Fowler and Edward Mawere. 

The New Group presents Cyrano, beginning October 11, ahead of an official opening night on November 7. Cyrano is adapted by Erica Schmidt from Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, with Music by Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner of The National, Lyrics by Matt Berninger of The National and Carin Besser, and Choreography by Jeff and Rick Kuperman, directed by Erica Schmidt.

Works & Process at the Guggenheim is pleased to announce its fall 2019 season. Since 1984 the performing arts series has championed new works and offered audiences unprecedented access to leading creators.