Images: Conor Oberst, Pearl Charles October 3, 2016 at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas

When it comes to Brooklyn Bowl, I’m accustomed to weekend shows with packed houses and big name punk rock lineups (I’m looking at you, Offspring). So as I pulled up to the venue for Conor Oberst’s show on a Monday night, I really wasn’t sure what to expect. Being a fan of his for many years, I really never should have doubted his draw, and that of opener Pearl Charles.

Pearl Charles’ unique brand of slide guitar-laden Americana was a pretty great match for Oberst.  Much of the set was very focused on Pearl’s voice, with the singer belting out song after song with eccentric mannerisms while her drummer was way in the back, in a world of his own, seemingly having the time of his life. I especially enjoyed a cover of “Superstar” by The Carpenters (or a cover of Sonic Youth’s cover of the song, depending on who you ask), and I think it won them more than a few new fans.

While the crowd was chatting and grabbing more drinks, and the roadies were bringing out tons of instruments, taping down cords and making funny noises into all the mics, I noticed more and more people flooding in from the back. And as Conor and his band took the stage, that crowd went wild, throwing up their fists in unison, ready to sing along with every song.

I spent a lot of my adolescence listening to Bright Eyes (in secret… so I wouldn’t lose punk points), so with a set featuring a mix of Bright Eyes, Monsters of Folk and Oberst solo material, I was most excited to hear Bright Eyes favorite “Bowl of Oranges.” I will admit this version sounded a lot different than I remember it, more polished or maybe more mature. Either way, it was still great and brought back some memories.

I haven’t given Oberst’s new record Ruminations much play, so I admit to being blown away by new track “A Little Uncanny,” which is political, but unlike his Desaparecidos tracks (sadly absent on this night), it’s subtle enough not to put people off.  The song definitely made me want to give Ruminations a full listen. An Oberst/Pearl Charles duet of John Prine’s “Unwed Fathers” was another set highlight.

At his core, Conor Oberst is an excellent storyteller. He showed that off on this night, with a mid-set tangent about a bar he used to frequent in New York. Telling the tale of two really nice waitresses and a Japanese regular that he befriended, he had the crowd in the palm of his hand, as always. At one point, I heard someone scream, “Conor Oberst is a legend!!!” It elicited a shy smile from the frontman, but having seen the devotion he elicits from fans, along with one of the most fiery harmonica performances I’ve ever seen, I’m happy to add to that legend.

-Anthony Constantine | https://www.facebook.com/anthonycphotography