Here's Conor!
For those whose well of nostalgia is pretty shallow--say, back to the pre-Lady GaGa days of 2006--the sudden inclusion of Bright Eyes at the Red Marquee should be a welcome surprise. Though Bright Eyes IS Conor Oberst, on his last two albums he's jettisoned the nom de singer-songwriter that graced his many albums since debuting at the age of 14 for his birth name. Can we expect those great old songs, like his only number 1 hit, "Lua"?
It probably doesn't matter. Of all the conventionally attuned singer-songwriters who've emerged in the last twenty years, Oberst can be said to be the one with the most viable career. There's a straight line from his early callow work to his latest country rock with the Mystic Valley Band. The mark of a great singer-songwriter is how far he can travel into himself without losing his listener. In pop, such a trait can be annoying, and though he's finally pushing 30, Oberst still sounds like someone trying to act older than his age. With his cracked singing voice and reckless verbosity, Oberst overcomes most people’s misgivings about his immature songs through the sheer audacity of his self-confidence. But Oberst doesn't wallow in ennui. He really does try to assume the attitudes of authorly personas. We've all become used to his exaggerated diphthongs and crisp consonants, so the seriousness of his sentiments are now easier to process on their own terms.
One of the great things about Bright Eyes as opposed to the Mystics is that it's a collective (rather than a band) that really knows Oberst's style and arranges accordingly. When they last played Japan at Summer Sonic two years ago, they filled the stage and the barn of Makuhari Messe with a gloriously full sound that didn't betray the intimacy of the songs. By all accounts, it seems Oberst is bringing a much smaller ensemble, but the Red Marquee is smaller, too. Still, I'd prefer it if he played the Field of Heaven.
-Phil
Comments
Is this definitely a Bright Eyes show, or just the FRF website labelling a Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band show wrongly?
Conor hasn't toured as Bright Eyes for ages, so it would be a bit weird (and GREAT) for him to do a Bright Eyes show suddenly...
Either way, this will probably be the best show of the festival for me.
Posted by: oioioi | July 6, 2009 6:51 PM
I can't say it's "definitely" a Bright Eyes show, but the Mystic Valley Band website doesn't list any Japan shows and there is a rather large break in their posted live schedule from July 21 in Athens, GA to August 22 in Los Angeles, CA. The Bright Eyes website and MySpace are sadly out of date.
Posted by: Jeff | July 6, 2009 11:47 PM
Well the Saddle Creek website lists ( http://www.saddle-creek.com/tours/schedulesbody.html%23brighteyes#brighteyes ) this as a Bright Eyes show, so it's very probable, possible, that it is a BE awakening.
Posted by: Alisa | July 9, 2009 1:28 PM
Please please please let it be a bright eyes show...
Pretty sure seeing a bright eyes revival at fuji would change my life forever.
Posted by: Luke | July 14, 2009 4:35 AM
I emailed the touring guy from saddle records and he says it's a bright eyes show, not conor oberst. YES YES YES!
Posted by: Luke | July 14, 2009 5:08 AM
Thanks for a good read. I will be returning.
Posted by: Nestor Mawk | February 21, 2010 12:50 PM
in my opinion lady gaga is yet another savvy performer, intent on gaining fame and wealth, in the manner of someone like madonna, both of whom create dance music with a somewhat artistic, highly fashion-centric, conceptul angle. if republicans have a problem with her, it is more likely because her imagery regarding sexuality and femininity raises the hackles on their pimply, chauvanistic asses, far more than any controversy over her artistic impact culturally and intellectually.
Posted by: red ring of death repair | February 24, 2010 8:34 AM
She is awsome ! Her style is so cool and fashionable . And her voice is good too.
Posted by: red ring of death fix | February 26, 2010 4:08 PM