The National
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New York City’s, The National, play brooding melancholy pop, known for its simplicity, directness and dark humor. Supporting act, Owen Pallett, is a Canadian tune smith, known for ornate violin-heavy pop. The two bands teamed up for a fall tour of the United States and commissioned a slew of artists to create posters for each of the shows. This poster is for the their stop at Kansas City’s historic Uptown Theater. For our contribution to the series, we wanted to create a poster that referenced both acts musical style and visual language. The type treatment was created first, and nods towards both groups design heavy aesthetic. We wanted the poster to be airy, with just the right balance of white space, rhythm, and grit. The playful fluorescents and shapes are countered by the almost dreary painterly elements, making for a poster is that both bright and obtuse with shades of darkness.