@victoriaaspurez

Upon a last minute request, I was able to see the legendary Bright Eyes this past Sunday. I had planned to go for a previous Chicago show, but was unfortunately unable to go. Almost a year and a half later,  I was able to attend in the company of previous station manager Cole Kincart and current station manager Olivia Mcmath. We discussed how packed the Metro was and that the band was playing a mix of music that real superfans would enjoy, rather than an album or the newest songs.

Lullaby for the Working Class, a somewhat precursor band to Bright Eyes opened the night. I had never heard them before, but upon first entering the venue I thought that Bright Eyes had started early. It’s hard to be oblivious to their similarities, but I enjoyed them nonetheless, a deeper and more elegant folky band than their counterpart. They essentially stayed on the stage when the Bright Eyes set started because the band is nearly identical. I had never seen Bright Eyes live, and didn’t have any expectation at all. My associations with Bright Eyes couldn’t help but stem from my high school listening of I’m Wide Awake, it’s Morning and the angst, emotion, and intensity I felt from it. However, my recent listening of Bright Eyes has not been frequent. However, I really enjoyed their newer album Bright Eyes, Five Dice and am a long-time hardcore lover of Oberst’s other project, Better Oblivion Community Center.

The set list varied heavily, covering many points and periods throughout Bright Eyes’ discography. The fans are committed, a majority of them knowing every word and intonation. The band is so talented, professionals who love doing what they do. On top of that, his band is completely bought in and in sync with Oberst himself. Conor Oberst sounds identical to his recordings, and his voice is completely unique, sounding worn and desperate at times. While up close taking pictures, I couldn’t help but notice he sings like he’s forcing his words out, but he means every single one like it’s the most important. He performs somewhat possessed, but his voice strikes in its oddity and emotion.

 My favorite of the show was “Laura Laurent”, a song that I’ve loved for a long time and played on my own radio show. He evokes the tortured feeling of Elliot Smith who he mentioned seeing at the Metro long ago, making it a beautiful full circle moment for Oberst who is now on the stage. The song itself is like Oberst is performing to a ghost, a mix of warnings and memories. Live, the song was enhanced by the sorrow of his singing and the quiet listening from the audience that amplified his voice further. The crowd came together to la la la until it ended, and I couldn’t believe I had heard it live.

Surrounded by a great crowd of fans, one thing I noticed during the show, that is undeniable, is the impact of Conor Oberst’s songwriting. The songwriting is nothing but raw, thoughtful, and evocative and it translates live passionately through Oberst’s vulnerable singing. I found the concert so impressive, a show of musicians who have become experts in performing with energy and specificity. I would definitely go again to see Bright Eyes, their setlist is long, intimate, and the performance is meaningful to all the fans who are eager to see them. 

Photos taken by Victoria Aspurez