PROSPECT HEIGHTS — If Mayor Michael Bloomberg has a mopey side, he's got a chance to indulge it tonight when he heads to a concert by Brooklyn angst rockers The National at the Barclays Center.
The mayor is expected to greet bike riders who pedal to the concert and take advantage of the arena's new bike valet parking service.
The Barclays Center's foray into bicycle parking will coincide with a concert by indie darlings and hometown band The National, known for anthemic ballads that strike a chord with angsty young men.
Bloomberg and Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan will be on hand to witness the bike valet rollout and members of the band are expected to use the service themselves, according to the mayor's office.
If he sticks around for the show, he may want to bone up first on The National's uniquely grave take on life in New York City, where venturing outside the house can send one plummeting into an emotional free fall.
Herewith, DNAinfo created a quick and dirty primer on The National's most melancholy music, and threw in a few tunes by bands with similarly tragic tunes. Find the playlist here.
