Conor Oberst with Dawes at First Ave in Minneapolis, 6/1/2014

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Conor Oberst and Taylor Goldsmith
So far, the best thing about having moved to the Twin Cities is how many musical opportunities there are. For instance, Conor Oberst never plays two-night stands in Tulsa, Oklahoma. But on this swing of his Upside Down Mountain tour, he's doing that at First Ave.

I've seen Conor Oberst perform over 20 times, with five bands, in two countries, and nine U.S. states. One of the things that keeps me coming back is the other fans -- the serious ones. Showing up early to trade stories and figure out which shows you've attended in common is one of my favorite things about the experience. Last night's show didn't disappoint in this regard, and I'm sure tonight's won't either.

Oberst is on tour to support the solo album he released May 19. Rather than bringing the Mystic Valley Band (which seems to be more or less permanently disbanded), he's brought Dawes along to both open on the tour and be his backup band.

Dawes was not everything I was hoping for, though I confess I hadn't heard any of their music before the show. They reminded me, at moments, of the Eagles -- but without the string of radio hits and with a tad too much sentimentality for their age. The lead is very fond of serious guitar solos, during which he makes intense faces. They performed admirably as a back-up band, playing through the Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst, and CO+MVB catalogs with ease (except for minor issues during the intro to "Poison Oak",
for instance). There was somewhat more guitar soloing than I was used to.

Unlike MVB tours, the setlist featured songs from the Bright Eyes catalog. I particularly enjoyed the cuts from I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning. "We Are Nowhere and It's Now" has always been one of my favorites ("This is a song about the majority of your life that just falls through the cracks.") I was surprised and pleased to hear "Hit the Switch" ("This one's about the restorative, healing, magical properties of alcohol.") "Soul Singer in a Session Band" was also a highlight ("Some people don't believe in boxes. They don't even know what a fucking box is, to sit inside.")

The encore was absolutely fabulous. "Cape Canaveral" was a little weird with Taylor Goldsmith's guitar work. "Another Travelin' Song" and "Roosevelt Room" absolutely rocked.

I'm curious to see what shows up on tonight's setlist. I've never been to two nights in a row in the same town. Oberst's MO is to always start with the first cut from the new record, so we may see some repetition.

I'm still holding out for "June on the West Coast".

Setlist
Time Forgot
Zigzagging Toward the Light
We Are Nowhere, and It's Now
Moab
Kick
Old Soul Song (For the New World Order)
Artifact #1
Hit the Switch
Double Life
Oberst played an unusual amount of electric guitar at the show.
Bowl of Oranges
Danny Callahan
Ladder Song
If the Brakeman Turns My Way
Soul Singer in a Session Band
Hundreds of Ways
Desert Island Questionnaire
Poison Oak
I Got the Reason #2
___

Cape Canaveral
Another Travelin' Song
Roosevelt Room

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