This post was updated June 4 at 9:02 p.m.

As The National unflinchingly traversed the depths of listeners’ anxieties and self-doubts, its indie empire held strong.

The alternative rock staple – composed of Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Scott Devendorf and Bryan Devendorf – electrified Griffith Park on Wednesday for the second Los Angeles stop of its tour celebrating the band’s album, “First Two Pages of Frankenstein.” Despite the tour’s peg to the group’s ninth album, the 26-song set list made space for shiny new songs and reliable classics, reminding the audience of the band’s poignancy and potency as an indie powerhouse with longtime fans.

The show opened with the anxious “Once Upon a Poolside,” where the stage’s lighting subtly shifted from white to pink alongside Berninger’s signature deep, velvet vocals about a relationship on the verge of destruction. While the more somber, piano-heavy track left the stage’s center screens unused, a swift energy shift occurred once the lyrics to “Tropic Morning News” began flashing hypnotically on the screen.

Alongside red and blue strobing flashes during the anthem of isolation, Berninger charmingly alternated between lifting and swaying his semi-stationary mic stand and grooving around the stage, a practice he carried on for the set’s other more exuberant pieces. With “Eucalyptus,” the frontman continued his pairing of emotive vocals and emphatic hand motions as he intimately pointed and directly crooned, “You should take it, ’cause I’m not gonna take it / You should take it, I’m only gonna break it,” to various audience members.

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Across the show’s eclectic, decade-spanning track list, Berninger frequently offered special dedications for certain tracks, including the emotionally anchoring “Sea of Love” for his daughter and the elegant “Quiet Light” for his director and frequent collaborator, Mike Mills. Similarly, for the band’s 2010 favorite “Bloodbuzz Ohio,” Berninger dedicated the track to several hometown friends of the Cincinnati-grown band, leading the theater’s seated crowd to excitedly stand up upon realizing what track was about to play.

“The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness” was met by similar cheers from the audience after its first few notes rang out. Among the harmonious marriage of applause, drum keys, strings, trumpet and even tambourine, Berninger interacted heavily with the crowd by pretending to talk on an attendee’s phone as he warbled the lyrics, “All night you’re talkin’ to God.” For its grand conclusion, the track closed with Berninger’s unrestrained, repeated humming of, “I cannot explain it, oh / Any other, any other way,” allowing the track to rise above its studio version with the newfound vulnerability of the invigorating rendition.

Given moments like these, the theatrical layer of Berninger’s purposeful interactions, expressions and tone shifts allowed The National’s discography to not only match the instrumental excellence of its recorded works but also excel in a live format. Berninger’s stage persona exuded spontaneity and authenticity – from each pose to the conversational tone with which specific lyrics were transmitted, which ultimately furthered the closeness between audience and artist.

The band saved its strongest string of back-to-back tracks for the conclusion of its main set. This fitting final trio included a transcendent performance of “England” enlivened with harmonious trumpets, keys and strings, followed by “Graceless” and “Fake Empire.” For the majority of “Graceless,” Berninger wandered as far from the stage as his wired mic would let him. He wove through the pit and concluded in the right center section, where he swayed and jostled with audience members while repeatedly belting out the track’s concluding lyrics.

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From the track’s steady, euphoric piano and drum backing to its lavish lyricism, “Fake Empire” and its triumphant, hope-inducing finale served as a satisfactory concert closer. However, several minutes later, The National returned for a pleasing five-piece encore featuring primarily older works by the band in addition to 2023’s “Your Mind is Not Your Friend.”

After the devastatingly beautiful “Light Years” came a passionate, rock-heavy performance of “Mr. November.” While the rendition would have served as a more than worthy closer, the group had one last trick up its sleeve. Even after the decorative lights and vibrant on-screen visuals went black, the band concluded with an acoustic performance of “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks.”

Alongside trumpets, tambourines and acoustic guitars, Berninger opted for no microphone as he encouraged audience members to sing along. Even with the crowd’s participation, the force of Berninger’s vocals allowed him to remain audible and guide the intimate, campfire-esque folk conclusion. Across the group’s career, which spans over 20 years, other bands have desperately tried to reinvent themselves with flashy trends and elaborate production. The National masterfully resists this with a raw, stripped-down show that reminds listeners of the band’s roots.

Ultimately, with its gut-wrenching lyrics and vulnerable vocal performances to match, The National’s live presence was anything but graceless.