Conor Oberst Announces Solo record, Band, & World Tour

So, I have this idea for a practical joke to pull on the world. We announce that Conor is making a new record, a solo record, but there’s still a big band of co-conspirators who have their own projects, exactly like Bright Eyes, but we have him put it out on a new label and bill it as a totally new act!

Okay, so maybe it’s not quite so obvious, but really what’s the point here? Conor writes some great songs, and maybe this isn’t one of them (“Home sick as an astronaut” in the middle of a narrative about being a ramblin’ man) but I’m sure the record will be full of really great stuff. My question is, why is it filled out by a new band? This kind of feels like Cassadaga light to me. There’s a great moment around 3:20 that feels like the best parts of all fast Bright Eyes songs; a triple stacatto of crunchy guitars, drums, barroom piano, and Conor at his wobbliest. Then it goes away, and you start to wonder why.

Alright, so what’s the difference? New band, save for Trumpeteer, Ivory tickler, and arranger Nate Walcott. Meaning, in short, no Mike Mogis. Maybe you don’t really understand the weight of a person like Mike Mogis, but Bright Eyes sans the Mogis to me is terribly unexciting, to be bluntly honest. Who is in the band? Plenty of talented people like Alabama soul/rocker Taylor Hollingsworth, the very talented California folkie Nik Freitas, long-time Bright Eyes drummer Jason Boesel (again with the Bright eyes holdovers), the aforementioned Nate Walcott, and Macey Taylor on bass.

I guess we’ll all know soon enough how well this goes, because Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band is touring the whole entire world and playing super intimate venues. Here’s to hoping the rest of the record is a bit more of a departure from that other band Conor is in.

Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band 2008 Tour Dates

7/17 – Studo SP, Sao Paulo, Brazil (tickets onsale at venue only)
7/18 – Cine Arte Normandie, Santiago, Chile – Buy Tickets
7/19 – La Trastienda, Buenos Aires, Argentina – Buy Tickets
7/25 Billings, MT Bones Brewing – Buy Tickets
7/27 Calgary, AB Calgary Folk Festival – Buy Tickets
7/29 Vancouver, BC Richards on Richards – Buy Tickets
7/30 Seattle, WA Neumo’s – Buy Tickets
7/31 Bend, OR Midtown Ballroom – Buy Tickets

8/01 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
8/02 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
8/03 Santa Cruz, CA Rio Theatre
8/05 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour – Buy Tickets
8/08 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge – Buy Tickets
8/09 Carrboro, NC Cats Cradle – Buy Tickets
8/10 Norfolk, VA Norva – Buy Tickets
8/11 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero – Buy Tickets
8/12 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom – Buy Tickets
8/17 Saratoga, NY Saratoga Music Festival – Buy Tickets
8/22 Leeds, UK – Leeds Festival – Buy Tickets
8/24 Reading, UK – Reading Festival – Buy Tickets
8/26 Portsmouth – Wedgewood Rooms
8/27 London – Electric Ballroom
8/28 Manchester – Academy 2
8/29 Inveraray Castle, Scotland – Hydro Connect Music Festival – Buy Tickets
8/30 in Belfast, Spring & Airbrake
8/31 County Laois, Ireland – Stradbally Hall / Electric Picnic – Buy Tickets

9/2 Amsterdam – Melkweg
9/3 Brussels – Botanique
9/4 Luxembourg – Den Atelier
9/5 Zurich – Rote Fabrik
9/7 Munich – Backstage Werk
9/8 Zagreb – Studenski
9/9 Vienna – Arena
9/10 Prague – Roxy
9/11 Berlin – Columbia Club
9/12 Cologne – Gloria
9/13 Paris – Nouveau Casino

9/14 Larmer Tree Gardens, North Dorset – End of the Road Festival – Buy Tickets
9/25 Tulsa, TX Cain’s Ballroom
9/20 Omaha, NE Anchor Inn – Buy Tickets
9/21 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium w/ Jenny Lewis
9/23 Fayetteville, AR George’s Majestic Lounge w/ Jenny Lewis – Buy Tickets
9/24 Oxford, MS The Lyric w/ Jenny Lewis
9/25 Tulsa, TX Cain’s Ballroom w/ Jenny Lewis – Buy Tickets
9/27 Austin, TX – Austin City Limits – Buy Tickets

10/02 Melbourne, AUS The Palace
10/03 Brisbane, AUS Tivoli
10/04 Sydney, AUS Enmore
10/05 Sydney, AUS Great Escape – Buy Tickets

[mp3] Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band – Danny Callahan
[mp3] Nik Freitas – Sun Down