Bright Eyes returned to Houston on Thursday for a make-up show, seeking redemption from fans left high and dry in February 2022. According to those in attendance, they succeeded.
Hailing from Omaha, Bright Eyes is an indie music act consisting of three permanent multi-instrumentalist members and a revolving door of supporting musicians, mostly drawn from their local scene in Nebraska.
The show got underway without too much hype beforehand. Frontman Conor Oberst took his place in front of a mic next to a piano while “An Attempt to Tip the Scales” played. He hid behind a mass of hair for the first couple of songs, concentrating on getting comfortable in the space.
He was all ready to go by “Down in a Rabbit Hole,” as was the eager Houston audience. They cheered on the fan-favorite off Digital Ash in a Digital Urn, and the band fed off their energy. Oberst busted out a harmonica near the end, and multi-instrumentalist Nate Walcott took out a trumpet, the initial notes almost drowned out by applause.
Oberst shed his flannel as he took a moment to welcome everyone, apologizing for the last time the band was in Houston before expressing how overwhelmed he was to see the house so full regardless. Houston accepted the apology through cheers. After taking a moment to let the cacophony dial down, he introduced the next song.
This song is about “the in-between times,” Oberst said. “I don’t know about your faith, but I grew up Catholic, and we called it purgatory. And I always felt like I was in purgatory.”
The band switched gears, playing the first notes of “We Are Nowhere and it’s Now.” Maria Taylor drove the song, managing to exclude power through her drumming while looking graceful as a swan under the shining lights.
By “Forced Convalescence,” the band had fully warmed up. Mike Mogis was having a blast on guitar from stage left. Oberst decided to join him while not singing, spinning a silly dance as psychedelic green flowers bloomed on the backdrop. His dancing all throughout the show is emotive and endearing, representative of the lyrics, and similar to my own when wine drunk, pacing my kitchen.
The song included in an exciting crescendo everyone got into. Oberst kicked down a mic stand in the heat of the moment, sending it crashing against the piano. The pit loved it, always happy to see a bit of controlled destruction. In between songs, he stopped by a tumbler for a drink. People good-naturedly chanted “Water! Water!” as he chugged.
Bright Eyes plays well, with Taylor and bassist Orenda Fink’s haunting vocals adding a new layer of depth for the listeners. In many ways, seeing them live surpasses the studio albums. But don’t misunderstand me, the experience is far from a traditional live recording. Oberst monologues in between nearly every song, offering commentary on everything from evil french fries, the parallels between New York and Houston, the pointlessness of switching to different guitars during a show and Texas’ wack abortion laws. But the audience doesn’t mind. If anything, it seems to be a big reason why they chose to see the band live.
Following a lovely rendition of “Jejune Stars,” the band moved on to some deeper cuts, choosing songs from a set of 54 reworked tracks they’d doled out over the years. They began with “Contrast and Compare,” originally from 2006’s Letting off the Happiness for Free.
Bright Eyes’ White Oak performance was the last standard show in their tour. Their next stop would be at a festival in Mexico, and then they’d all fly home. They were excited.
“You never know what’s gonna happen to those,” Oberst said. “Harry Styles is gonna put his skirt on me! I dunno. I digress. Do I regress? I do some sort of gress.” Despite claiming the opposite earlier in the set, his jokes seemed to land with the audience as they stifled their giggles during the beginning of “Poison Oak.”
“In your Polaroids you were dressed in women’s clothes- not like Harry Styles who does it for the camera, this is based on a true story,” Oberst interrupted the somber song, jarring the audience into laughter. “Just thought I would mention that.”
He continued with the song, moving down the stage to mess with Fink during an instrumental bridge until they stumbled apart.
Obersn took another moment to praise the city of Houston, marveling at how much it had changed and grown since the first time he’d visited it over 20 years ago. It reminded him of NYC, in a roundabout sort of way, enough that he mused about moving there.
They ended their set with “November,” a cover by Azure Ray in honor of the two members currently playing in Bright Eyes, then walked off-stage during “Another Travelin’ Song.”
The band returned after an extended pause, the audience didn’t stop cheering until long after the band had returned to the stage. They graciously thanked Houston for their patience, promising four more songs.
After opening with “Hit the Switch,” Obersn took a moment to address the elephant in the hall they’d been joking around all night.
“Last time I was here…I was a little drunk… After singing maybe two songs, I just started walking down the street, I don’t know which, and ended up at some bar. And then my tour manager found me… And I came to find out the band kept singing songs without me, and you so sweetly got on stage to help…. Is there anyone here that would like to sing this song?”
The audience laughed and smiled. The band was forgiven, and there were even some fans willing to sing a little Bright Eyes karaoke, for old time’s sake. Some were more eager than others. One young man launched himself onstage, much to Obersn’s confusion.
“I was pointing at her,” he laughed. “Fine, why don’t you both get up here.”
The original fan and a pretty young lady attempted to harmonize for “First Day of my Life,” the band’s most recognizable single, but it was immediately clear that the lady was the singer of the pair. Oberyn bid them farewell after the song, announcing their names as Brett and Nancy (although I thought I heard Leslie).
The next song was a cover by Nashville’s Gillian Welch, a friend of the band. Then, the night began to come to a close.
“It’s been a weird night,” smiled Oberyn, “It’s like coming back to the scene of a crime.” He asked one last time for forgiveness, making sure everyone had received a free gift bag. As part of the apology, Bright Eyes had passed out “Bright Eyes Love’s Houston” tote bags to fans as they entered the venue. They contained custom patches, baseball caps, and more. Anyone that had missed them on the way in was welcome to snag one on their way out.
The band closed with “Road to Joy,” getting really into it. Obersn knocked over an amp during the last song, then started rubbing guitar on it. A frazzled tech had to run out and pry him and the amp apart while the rest of the band continued building up the song. Call it what you will, but I thought it was pretty rock ’n’ roll.
Bright Eyes disappointed many fans in 2022, but Houston is nothing if not understanding. They were willing to give the band a chance at redemption, and Bright Eyes went above and beyond what most other artists would have even considered. So, if Obersen really does end up moving to Houston, he can be sure to receive a warm welcome.
I am a multimedia journalist with a passion for guitar-based music – be that rock-n-roll, bachata, or anything in between. When not in a mosh pit, I can be found knitting, collecting CDs, thrifting, journaling, or attempting to incite chaos among feuding global powers. I hold a bachelors degree in Broadcast Journalism and a masters degree in Mass Communication from the University of Houston, making me twice the Coog you'll ever be 😉
