One of the best parts of the 2019 musical year so far is Better Oblivion Community Center, the dreamlike collaboration between Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers. In January the powerhouse duo surprise released their self-titled debut album via Dead Oceans which has been on constant rotation for me ever since then. They’re in town this weekend for three sold out shows in Manhattan and Brooklyn and last night saw them kick off the run with a performance at Bowery Ballroom.
Following some great opening sets from both Lala Lala and Christian Lee Hutson (who also played with BOCC), it was time for the dynamic duo to hit the stage and they absolutely lifted out spirits opening with “My City” and “Big Black Heart” and turned things up a notch with their delivery of “Sleepwalkin’.” Considering their album clocks in just under 40-minutes, they stretched out the setlist with a cover of The Replacements’ “Can’t Hardly Wait” as well as reimagined versions of their own solo material. It was magical to hear them take turns singing parts of their own songs, adding new layers and dimensions to tracks like Bright Eyes’ “Lua,” “Lime Tree,” and “Easy/Lucky/Free” as well as Bridgers’ “Funeral” and “Scott Street.”
It was every bit as magical hearing Obsert and Bridgers sing and play side-by-side, with their songs gaining a little bit of punch and momentum live that sounded transportive in Bowery Ballroom, which was every bit as sold out as advertised, with fans watching sitting on the stairs, something usually not allowed by security.
It’s not known what will come next for the duo after this tour but I hope we can someday get another album and tour dates but if this is the only run, I am more than happy I got to see last night’s show, one of the early highlights of the year so far for sure.
Find a full photo gallery from all three performances from last night posted below, along with BOCC’s setlist.
Christian Lee Hutson:>
Lala Lala:
Better Oblivion Community Center:
Better Oblivion Community Center setlist:
1. My City
2. Big Black Heart
3. Sleepwalkin’
4. Lime Tree (Bright Eyes song)
5. Forest Lawn
6. Exception to the Rule
7. Can’t Hardly Wait (The Replacements cover)
8. Chesapeake
9. Dylan Thomas
10. Service Road
11. Little Trouble
12. Lua (Bright Eyes song)
13. Funeral (Phoebe Bridgers song)
14. Didn’t Know What I Was in For
Encore:
15. Scott Street (Phoebe Bridgers song)
16. Easy/Lucky/Free (Bright Eyes cover)
17. Dominos
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