Bright Eyes
Scala, London
14/02/2011

For a long time, going to a Bright Eyes gig has been something of a gamble. Depending on the mood (or inebriation) of mainman Conor Oberst, the quality of his shows would vary greatly. Not to mention that his more recent, country-focused albums didn’t quite have the raw emotional or musical edge of his earlier material. So much as you may love the records, live it often, at points, fell short. But not tonight. It’s the day of the release of the new Bright Eyes record, ‘The People’s Key’ – their best in years – and Oberst, along with his band, which tonight features two drummers, are celebrating in style. It’s also Valentine’s Day – a somewhat ironic day given that both Bright Eyes and support act Tim Kasher (from Cursive and The Good Life) have made their careers through angst-ridden, broken-hearted catalogues of songs.

The latter warms things up with a selection of songs from his recent solo album, deploying his usual lyrical wit and turn of phrase to devastating effect. Standing alone onstage, he manages to gain the attention of most of the crowd with his combination of black humour and heart-broken angst. “I want to have sex with all my old girlfriends again” he sings on a stunning version of ‘There Must Be Something I’ve Lost’. “I swear it’s just the familiarity I miss. Aww, fuck it – it’s just typical male conquest.” The crowd get a glimpse of the headline band when Kasher is joined by a few of them for the end of his set, but once the high-pitched female screams begin, it’s clear that Oberst is onstage. It’s an odd reaction – and one, as constant, whining shouts of “I love you, Conor!” fill the room at sporadic intervals, that makes this feel more like a Westlife gig, where people are more interested in the singer than the songs – but ignore it, and the brilliance of Bright Eyes’ performance shines through immediately.

From new songs ‘Firewall’ and ‘Shell Games’ through to stirring renditions of ‘Lover I Don’t Have To Love’, ‘Bowl Of Oranges’ and ‘Something Vague’ – perhaps the highlight of the night – Oberst and Bright Eyes are at the height of their game tonight. The band are tight, the setlist is varied and, as they scatter roses through the crowd at the start of the encore, the atmosphere is fittingly bittersweet and humorous. And as if that wasn’t enough, the four song encore of ‘An Attempt To Tip The Scales’, ‘Poison Oak’, ‘The Calendar Hung Itself’ and ‘One For You, One For Me’ finishes the evening on a wonderful high. He may have been doing this for over half his life, but it seems that, finally, Conor has worked out how to deliver the perfect live performance. It’s one that more than makes up for any failings in the past.

Mischa Pearlman