(Photo Credit: Cristy Britt)
A perfect mood for a perfectly moody performance in the intimate and eclectically apropos confines of the Aztec Theatre, this performance showcased the best qualities of Conor Oberst’s evocative songwriting and the band’s powerfully emotional musicianship.
I had never had the privilege of seeing Bright Eyes in person, despite following their music since LIFTED was released in 2002. Oberst’s reputation for dramatic crowd interactions has been widely (if perhaps not always fairly) documented, so I was prepared for anything; however, the actual experience left me with the impression that any bad publicity from the past might very well be attributed to attendees’ unfortunate provocations, rather than the ability of the band to reign in their egos. This crowd, anyway, gave Oberst what he called a “good feeling,” and it was, for me, absolutely mutual.
The opening act, Hurray for the Riff Raff, was an incredible prelude, showcasing their Dylan-esque lyricism and hauntingly rich vocals throughout a moody but danceable set. At the helm, Alynda Segarra is a talent that will almost certainly be headlining shows and gracing festival lineups for years to come. The uniqueness of their voice is unforgettably reminiscent of classic country and western greats, while also projecting a new sense of Americana that could only come out of social and political turmoil. I’ll be looking to enjoy another live performance from them as soon as I can.
Before HFTRR played, Oberst jumped on the PA to ask for contributions to his Poison Oak Project, which harkens back to the track “Poison Oak” off 2005’s I’m Wide Awake, and It’s Morning. The lyrics to that song were one of the first times I’d ever heard any musician directly address the alienation felt by trans people, and Bright Eyes’ commitment to uplifting that community through this charitable project set the tone for an emotionally charged performance that I couldn’t help but feel empowered and uplifted by, too.
The setlist covered music from 10 different albums and they drew from early fan favorites like “We Are Nowhere and It’s Now” and “First Day of My Life” at the beginning of the show, but also played quite a few tracks off the newest album, Five Dice, All Threes. While the band has evolved and set different tones across their prolific catalog, the choices they made here felt like they told a perfectly cohesive story. Oberst delivered memorable performances of “Rainbow Overpass” and “Mariana Trench,” the latter of which he danced across stage enthusiastically to, before he took a breather to let their touring guest MiWi La Lupa perform a cover of Ted Hawkins’ “Sorry You’re Sick,” which brought tears to many eyes in the room with its heartbreaking honesty. Even if you’re not super familiar with Bright Eyes’ music, seeing them collaborate with such gifted guests is worth attending one of their shows for.
Bright Eyes did their own cover of Daniel Johnston’s “Devil Town,” which previously appeared on their rarities album, toward the end of the regular set and I was glad to hear them perform some of their more obscure material like this. In fact, the band treated us to a 3-song encore shortly after, which began with “At the Bottom of Everything,” a track I found out later hadn’t appeared on their live setlist since 2011. Even if this surprise was premeditated, I’ll chalk up the choice to the positive feelings shared between the crowd and the band. I don’t always leave a show thinking the audience became closer because of the experience, but I sure felt it after seeing these brilliant Bright Eyes.
The tour continues across the Southeastern U.S. with HFTRR in March and into the Midwest and Northeast in April with Cursive, before heading overseas in June. If you get a chance to catch a show on this trip, you’re in for a deeply gratifying night.
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