Through an eclectic 10 album run, we've seen Cinncinati Five-piece, The National, grow from scrappy garage-rockers of the Brooklyn scene to elder statesmen of alternative music; recently taking younger acts such as Phoebe Bridgers, Sufjan Stevens and Taylor Swift under their all-too experienced wing.

From playing dingey backrooms, drunk-tanks and basements for a niche crowd, to packing stadiums of ecstatic fans, it's suffice to say that the band have had quite the journey. How did we get here? I'm not entirely sure! But if one thing is for certain, thankfully, The National have aged like a fine wine.

Indie-rocker support, Soccer Mommy had audiences captivated, as Sophia Alison's soaring and moody vocals seemed to reach every vast corner of the arena; she worked her way through a lively selection of enchantingly chorusy tracks — including a fantastic cover of Sheryl Crow's 'Soak Up the Sun.'

Then it was time for the main event...

Gracing the stage to an overwhelming crescendo of applause, out strolled frontman Matt Berninger in a black suit, trailed by laid-back twin guitar duo, Aaron and Bryce Dessner, drummer Bryan Devendorf, and bassist Scott Devendorf.

Soaking in the atmosphere for a beat, the band set straight to work, opening on a wistful cut from First Two Pages of Frankenstein, 'Once Upon A Poolside.' Waxing sentimental over a lush bed of synthesised strings, swooning backing vocals and a tender piano riff, Berninger already had the audience hanging on his every word. The band, however, truly came into their own with 'Eucalyptus.'

The National at 3Arena. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Conjuring up a stratospheric wall of sound, twin guitarists Aaron and Bryce, have never sounded better. Even in a venue as cavernous as Dublin's 3Arena, the incomparable fuzz of the duo sounded huge as the band charged through the track.

Strutting across the stage with a Jarvis Cocker-esque flamboyancy, Berninger's energy was contagious. In a blur of shouted vocals, mumbling and snatches of the idiosyncratic, the frontman vaulted into the audience, a grey-bearded drop disappearing in an ocean of frenzied fans.

The National at 3Arena. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Looking up from his road-weary firebird for a moment — a beaming Aaron Dessner gazed out at the audience, musing: "We love Dublin, we've had some of our best gigs here!"

The band then ran through a spate of iconic hits; from a brilliant rendition of 'Don't Swallow the Cap' dedicated to supports Soccer Mommy, the contemplative 'Bloodbuzz Ohio,' to explosive fan-favourite, 'Abel' from 2005's Alligator.

The National at 3Arena. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Berninger's stage presence truly cannot be overstated — he really is that good. In his sheer energy, expressiveness and vocal ability, the rather unassuming 52-year-old remains a frontman for the ages. Even in the gigs more placative moments provided by the gorgeously minimal lilt of 'I need My Girl' and plucky, piano-led, 'Pink Rabbits,' from 2013's Trouble Will Find Me; the band's beguiling presence never lost the crowd.

The National at 3Arena. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Following 'Pink Rabbits,' the band immediately launched into crowd-pleaser, 'England.'

In a moment of banter following a vocal slip up, Berninger apologized to his fellow bandmates, urging members of the crowd to "look around and apologize to someone next to you." In response, guitarist Aaron quipped, "it might be boring if we start being nice to each other, so we should probably stop that, right?"

The band then live debuted new material from their 10th studio album, Laugh Track, which dropped unexpectedly this Monday, 18th of September.

"we put out another record a couple days ago..."

"People seem to love it, so we're gonna play a couple tracks from it," Aaron Dessner said — a hailstorm of thunderous cheers in response.

The National at 3Arena. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

With 'Hornets,' Berninger's heartfelt vocal was beautifully complimented by a dreamy brass section and effortless phrasing from the Dessners. Meanwhile, the electrifying 'Smoke Detector,' featuring stellar guitar work, a drum machine beat, and an irreverent spoken-word section, was an undeniable standout. These new tracks were amongst my favourites of the night, carrying a renewed spirit we haven't seen from the band yet.

'Graceless,' saw Berninger take to the crowd once more — accompanied by a jubilant chorus of distorted guitar and brass — at one point fully disappearing, enveloped by the crowd.

Closing off the show with the superb 'About Today,' the band returned shortly after for a five song chorus. 'Space Invader', "a song about space," as Aaron put it was another standout, as a piercing cacophony of drums and wailing guitar near drowned out the brooding murmurs of Berninger.

"Thanks everybody, this has been so cool," said Aaron, as the band reached the conclusion of the gig, with Berninger reciprocating the sentiment, saying, "This has been a blast, thank you..."

The National at 3Arena. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

With the energy at its peak, the band rounded off the set with a glorious acoustic sing-along rendition of 'Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks,' the final track from High Violet. A concert mainstay since 2010, the moment felt like a nostalgic throwback to the band's early days — almost as if you were being intimately serenaded in a bandmember's sitting room during practise; with the swooning audience joining in for transcendent refrains of "I'll explain everything to the geeks."

Value for money at the very least, at a whopping 28 tracks, with their cinematic soundscapes and unwavering showmanship, The National affirm the lasting impression they have made upon the face of alternative music — proving, without any shadow of a doubt, that they still have it.