In our current moment of marketable nostalgia and an almost relentless amount of tours with bands using the anniversary of a landmark album to drive ticket sales, one could easily assume that the band who released at least one of the most celebrated albums of the early aughts would do just that. This was certainly on the minds of many in the sold-out crowd that filled Portland, Oregon’s Crystal Ballroom on Saturday, January 25th for the first of two Bright Eyes shows. Exactly twenty years ago to the day, Bright Eyes simultaneously released I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. Both albums, and especially I’m Wide Awake, catapulted the Omaha band to new heights and earned them an obsessive fanbase. But perhaps Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, and Nate Walcott, simply aren’t very sentimental or don’t view those albums as much of a defining moment as their fans do. In Portland, the band kept the anniversary celebrations relatively understated as they focused more on their latest album Five Dice, All Threes for a performance that was musically strong but didn’t deviate drastically from others on this tour. Depending on your devotion and expectations, it was either invigorating to see the band avoid the trappings of nostalgia or disappointing to brush over such an important milestone.
For anyone who has never seen a show at the Crystal Ballroom, it’s important to note that it’s one of Portland’s worst venues due in part to lousy sound and lousier, overpriced drinks, a low stage that makes it difficult to see the band, and the fact that they segregate the audience into drinkers and non- for all ages shows. This last piece makes for dangerously overcrowded shows that can ruin a concert experience when combined with the other factors mentioned, regardless of the venue’s historical beauty and famous bouncing floor (google it). Of course, this wasn’t the fault of Bright Eyes, who performed a nearly two-hour set that traversed a handful of albums, including their latest, as well as those anniversary releases. Unfortunately, didn’t make the show super enjoyable as the crowd (most of whom were over 21…duh) squeezed in, stood on tippy toes, and strained to find a slightly optimal viewpoint of the band. Out of what could be seen and heard, it was actually the new songs that had the most energetic live presence, starting with “Bells and Whistles” and “El Capitan,” both of which saw the band rocking out and were complemented by the double brass of Walcott’s trumpet and MiWi La Lupa’s flugelhorn. With a no-frills approach to performing that let the music speak for itself, the band took it back with a take on “Method Acting” that saw Mogis shining on mandolin.
In between songs, the fans screamed “we love you Conor.” The shaggy-haired singer must be jaded by so many years of adoration, and he plowed forward by donning his harmonica for a poignant version of “I Won’t Ever Be Happy Again” that included pretty guitar work and even saw the band needing to restart after scrubbing the intro. Eventually, Oberst almost casually acknowledged the 20th anniversary of I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn before dropping into “Gold Mine Gutted” and a version of the folksy favorite “We Are Nowhere and It’s Now,” with Mogis adding a rustic folksy richness on mandolin. The older, lesser-known tune “Happy Accident” was a charming, straightforward rocker and after a couple more new songs, including the barroom country punk of “Rainbow Overpass,” Oberst grabbed his acoustic guitar to lead the band through the highlight of the night – a beautiful cover of Warren Zevon’s “Carmelita.” Mogis alternated between instruments on nearly every song, swapping out steel guitar for mandolin and injecting the beloved tune “First Day of My Life” – which the crowd sang along to – with a wholesome banjo sound. Another standout moment came during the stomping I’m Wide Awake tune “Road to Joy” that marched forward with folk-rock abandon.
Despite playing a venue that dampened the overall experience, the members of Bright Eyes proved to be in fine form throughout the night. They have clearly moved past the gloomy news of recent show cancellations and locked themselves into a well-oiled tour routine. Though his banter between songs was inaudible (most likely the venue’s fault, not his), Oberst’s vulnerable but defiant vocals stayed strong throughout the performance. They were complemented by his band, who kept the energy relatively high. The amount of cell phones in the air for certain songs was a reminder that many in the audience were there to catch material from an album or two. While the band indulged this and paid adequate homage to their past, it was refreshing to see Bright Eyes looking into the future.
