I was expecting a good show, but I never thought I'd get a rock infused tour through the history of Bright Eyes. The show kicked off with a surprisingly energetic and crowd-pleasing opener with punk band "Titus Andronicus" including one song where the lead singer climbed a speaker and jumped to the upper box seat before finishing.
And that was just the first 45 min of the concert.
Bright Eyes opened with the long and cryptic narration that opens and accompanies "The People's Key" album, but instead of moving through the album song list, Oberst and his six accompanists ventured back to favorites from all of Bright Eyes' history. Remarking "This one's from a simpler time...the mid 90's" they even brought up "Falling out of Love at This Volume" from the less acclaimed and lesser known "Collection of Songs." So as I sat listening to some of my favorite music from 8th grade to sophomore year in college, I didn't find myself reliving the past, thinking of old friends, or the moments these songs remind me of (let's not go down that road please), but at how relevant and new they seemed. Whether it was "Lover I Don't Have to Love" or "Lua," each came across with a new and powerful energy. From "Poison Oak" to "Hot Knives" to "Four Winds" to "From a Balance Beam," each had a driving force never before realized. Each song was fresh and new with the driving beats of two percussionists or the mellow trumpeting showcased in "Lua." each song was once again new and exciting. Bright Eyes proved they can rock, and that they always could.
One of the best points of the show was the final encore. Ending with "One for you, One for me" was an obvious choice with its wide horizons and ethereal background music, but the real kicker was when fans began to jump onstage to run to an open-embracing Obersts' arms. Soon, the bouncers were overthrown and Oberst was swallowed in a sea of a hundred fans only to emerge, arms raised at the rear of the stage with one loud "Thank You" as he jumped backwards and ran off-stage. A dramatic, emotional, and affectionate goodbye on the possible final tour of the band I grew up loving. Thanks for the great show
Check out another review and source for photo:
http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/article-14371-bright-eyes-w-titus-andronicus-a-the-riverside-theater.html
No comments:
Post a Comment