Bright Eyes
Date: June 12, 2006 Nothing in the Past or Future When I last saw Bright Eyes, singer Conor Oberst was sabotaging his band's excellent effort with a sloppy, drunken performance that left me swearing off traveling to see them again. With their latest tour bringing the group to Ottawa for the first time, though, I gave Bright Eyes another chance; and this concert proved to be a redemption. Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals opened with a solo set that quickly detoured from its standard singer-songwriter openings into a spectacle that was as much improv comedy as music. Rhys employed looping techniques, as well as various instruments and noisemakers, at one point evoking woodland sounds from what had appeared to be stage props. His numerous comical rambles between songs included an extended departure on a fruitless search for his harmonica (which he unearthed after the show to wave at the crowd). While Rhys was definitely entertaining, I might have preferred more momentum on the songs, which always sounded good, whether sung in English or Welsh. At any rate, the Bronson Centre was suitably warmed up for Bright Eyes, who took the stage shortly. Although band cornerstone Mike Mogis was back, as was keyboardist Nate Walcott, the rest of the lineup differed from what I had seen before. Daniel McCarthy handled bass duties while Anton Patzner was prominent, with his violin playing colouring many songs in a different light. Although Maria Taylor employed a drumming style that seemed light, the drums were actually very sharp throughout what was a great sounding show. Of course, the success of the concert rested on singer Conor Oberst; and on this night, he was the equal of his capable band. Although he did not say much to the capacity crowd, his voice and playing were in fine form. The setlist definitely leaned on the recent release I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, with songs such as the steel-guitar-driven "Train Under Water," the sparse "First Day of My Life," and the reserved "Poison Oak" making the cut. The night was not all mellow, though, with the noisefest coming when Oberst switched to keyboards for a wild take of "Lover I Don't Have to Love." "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)" also had punch, while "Laura Laurent" saw Oberst engage the crowd for a singalong finish. The setlist may not have delved deep enough for the hardcore fans but it did offer a smattering from different sources, such as the EP track "We Are Free Men," as well as a couple of new songs, including the pleasant "Soul Singer in a Session Band." My favourite moment, though, came when the band went back to Wide Awake for a soaring, swirling rip through "Another Travelin' Song." "An Attempt to Tip the Scales" ended the main set but the night's other highlight was yet to come, as the encore concluded with a return from Gruff Rhys, who joined in on an extended jam that saw the band taking turn on vocals and solos. Overall, I think that I preferred the first time that I saw Bright Eyes in Montreal, touring for I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning but this concert surpassed the last that I saw from the band by a wide margin. <--Prev (The Dears) | Next (Canada Day 2006)-->Return to Concert ListReturn to Main Page |