Over the more-than-two decades of Bright Eyes, it’s almost impossible to measure the impact they’ve had on the indie genre, and their live shows just go to show you why.
I was honestly blown away by the groups’ presence. While I feel like the indie rock genre is sometimes known for a more stagnant stage performance, Bright Eyes created an orchestral storm with nine musicians on stage at once. Throughout the set big brass hits paired with a more traditional rock sound, alongside smatterings of synth and lap guitar. Frontman Conor Oberst spun and danced across the stage during their more upbeat tracks, an energy that honestly shocked me at first due to his intimate and reserved vocals on recorded tracks.
Their back catalog packs a similar emotional punch. Sometimes manically overjoyed, other times reflective, it seems that at any given moment Bright Eyes can make you feel a lot. Beautiful and devastating lyrics paired with grand instrumentals make for a sound that’s both reflexive and comfortably situated in the “now”. The set itself included tracks from every era, including “Mariana Trench”, “Lover I Don’t Have To Love”, “Ladder Song”, and a cover of Simon Joyner’s “Double Joe”.
Even with their longevity in the live scene, Bright Eyes continues to surprise and excite their listeners, both new and old. If you get the chance to catch them in a city near you, I can't recommend it enough, the energy they pour onto the stage is truly makes for an unforgettable show.