Bright Eyes performed at The Beacham Theater in Florida on March 7th as part of their North American Tour, with Hurray for the Riff Raff as the opening act. Last year, Conor Oberst, the lead singer of Bright Eyes, had to cancel the tour to focus on strengthening his vocal cords. This tour marks the long-awaited showcase of their new album, Five Dice All Threes, released in September 2024. I looked forward to an evening filled with lyrical brilliance and profound storytelling.
Hurray for the Riff Raff starts off the night with “Alibi,” a song from their release in early 2024 entitled The Past is Still Alive, bringing together folk and blues to inspire an indie sound. Lead singer Alynda Segarra captivates audiences with their spellbinding voice and relatable lyrics that resonate deeply with people's hearts. Their artistry has earned them widespread acclaim, as Alynda has a remarkable ability to connect with the audience on a profound level. A song that resonated with me was “Buffalo,” where the audience joined in singing “two weeks just to catch that buffalo.” I couldn’t stop humming it long after the show ended.
Before taking the stage, a recording came on the speakers from Conor about the Poison Oak Project. The Poison Oak Project is a charity benefiting and ensuring the care for LGBTQ individuals and helps promote an affirming world for queers living in America. By entering the giveaway, concert-goers had the potential to win some cool merchandise while at the same time supporting a wonderful cause. The first song Bright Eyes played was a single off the new album, Bells and Whistles, which had an overwhelming response from the audience, singing the words from the beginning, “I was cruel like a president.”
Bright Eyes performed some of their hit songs, including "First Day of My Life" and "We Are Nowhere and It's Now," which got the entire crowd involved. Between songs, Conor Oberst switched between various instruments, playing acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, and harmonica. At one point during the night, the crowd yelled "Happy Birthday" to Nate Walcott, who plays several instruments, including the trumpet, bass, and piano! Conor even said to Nate and the crowd that “It was the bassiest of birthdays,” which received a laugh from the audience. A special moment shared by everyone inside the Beacham was when Alynda, the lead singer of the openers Hurray for the Riff Raff, sang “Lua,” a personal favorite of mine, and even remained on stage to perform “Clairaudients.”
“Orlando, I have nothing but kisses and smiles for you,” Conor says before ending the set with a couple more, “Let’s not shit ourselves (To Love and to be loved).” He follows up with his closer, “One for you, one for me,” before bidding us farewell.
