Matt Berninger, the distinctive voice of The National, will perform his first ever solo shows in Australia and New Zealand with intimate concerts in Sydney and Auckland.
by Paul Cashmere
Matt Berninger, best known as the commanding baritone voice and principal lyricist of The National, will step onto the stage alone for the first time in Australia and New Zealand this year. The American singer-songwriter has announced two intimate performances, including a debut solo appearance at Sydney’s iconic Sydney Opera House as part of Vivid LIVE and a special concert inside Auckland’s Holy Trinity Cathedral.
The shows mark a rare opportunity for audiences to see Berninger outside the context of The National, the influential indie rock band he co-founded in the late 1990s. For these performances, Berninger will focus on his solo work, particularly his 2025 album Get Sunk, while also revisiting selected material from across his career.
Get Sunk, released through Concord Records in May 2025, is Berninger’s second solo album and a deeply reflective body of work. The record arrived five years after his debut solo effort Serpentine Prison and expands on the themes that have long shaped his writing, introspection, relationships and the subtle emotional tensions of everyday life.
Across the album, Berninger explores the complex constellation of people who influence a life over time. Parents, partners, siblings, old friends and fleeting acquaintances all appear in songs shaped by memory and observation. The album was written during a period of transition following Berninger’s move from Los Angeles to Connecticut, a relocation that introduced new landscapes, shifting seasons and a renewed sense of creative focus.
Berninger’s songwriting has always leaned toward quiet detail rather than grand declarations. As the voice of The National, he helped craft some of the most enduring records of the past two decades including Boxer, High Violet and Trouble Will Find Me. His lyrics often circle themes of identity, anxiety, love and self-doubt, delivered through a voice that has become one of the most recognisable baritones in modern alternative music.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1971, Berninger studied graphic design at the University of Cincinnati where he met bassist Scott Devendorf, one of his future bandmates in The National. Before the band took shape, Berninger pursued a career in advertising. The decision to walk away from that profession in his thirties and pursue music full time proved pivotal. The National would go on to become one of the defining American indie bands of the 21st century.
While the band’s career continued to expand internationally, Berninger also began exploring projects beyond The National. In 2014 he teamed with Brent Knopf of Ramona Falls and Menomena to form EL VY. Their album Return To The Moon, released in 2015, showed a more playful side of Berninger’s writing and vocal style.
His first solo album, Serpentine Prison, arrived in 2020. Produced by Booker T. Jones, the album leaned into classic soul and orchestral textures, offering a more stripped back and personal approach compared to The National’s layered arrangements. Songs such as the title track revealed a songwriter comfortable exploring vulnerability without the weight of a full band framework.
Away from music, Berninger’s creative life has intersected with visual art and film. His brother Tom directed the documentary Mistaken For Strangers, which chronicled life on tour with The National. Berninger has also appeared in film projects and collaborated with artists including Phoebe Bridgers on the song Walking On A String for the film Between Two Ferns: The Movie.
His personal life has often informed his songwriting. Berninger is married to writer Carin Besser, a former fiction editor at The New Yorker who has contributed lyrics and backing vocals to numerous songs by The National. The couple have one daughter, Isla.
Matt Berninger 2026 Australia And New Zealand Dates
Thursday 28 May, Sydney, Sydney Opera House Concert Hall
Friday 5 June, Auckland, Holy Trinity Cathedral
Artist Presale: Wednesday 11 March, 12 noon local time
Handsome Tours Presale: Thursday 12 March, 9am local time
General Public On Sale: Monday 16 March, 9am local time
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