At the first of two not-so-secret secret shows, the National debuted songs from their forthcoming album, High Violet, to a sold-out crowd that was packed from the stage to the door. The show was announced on Monday morning, just a few hours before tickets went on sale, and it sold out in about two minutes. Clearly, the crowd was excited, and the band did not disappoint their adopted hometown.

Singer Matt Berninger roamed a crowded stage that featured a small brass section and a violinist/keyboardist, in addition to the regular lineup of brothers- guitarists Aaron and Bryce Dessner, drummer Bryan Devendorf, and bassist Scott Devendorf. The High Violet songs seemed to continue the more somber, pensive direction of their last record, Boxer, with more strings and horns and less raucous guitar.

While about half the set were new songs, the older songs the National played were definitely crowd pleasers: Boxer standouts “”Fake Empire” and “Start a War” (Berninger forgot the words, but, hey, these are warmup shows), Alligator opener “Secret Meeting,”and the frenetic, thumping “Abel.” “Fake Empire” in particular,showcases all the band’s strengths– it opens quietly with piano and Berninger’s distinctive baritone and slowly builds to a swelling, guitar and horn-filled crescendo– and is even better live than on record. During the encore of “Mr. November,” Berninger, clearly enjoying the show and the bottle of white wine he’d consumed, climbed the monitors, jumped to the floor, and ran through the crowd, mic in hand.

While the band will play Radio City Music Hall and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park Bandshell later this summer, the smaller venue seemed the perfect setting for the National to try out their new material. In bigger venues, the National’s songs, especially the quieter, slow-building songs, seem to lose impact and get lost in vast open spaces. In the intimate setting of the Bell House, the songs were felt to full effect.