Performer: Conor Oberst
Type of music: Americana, singer-songwriter rock
About: Whether you know Conor Oberst as the backbone of Bright Eyes, the punk rocker in Desaparecidos or even from his work as part of the supergroup Monsters of Folk, Oberst has always tried to take on a somewhat different persona with his solo work.
His solo albums can be extremely stripped down (last year’s “Ruminations”) or a chance for some sonic experimentation (2014’s “Upside Down Mountain”) or even an opportunity to record with others (this year’s “Salutations”). Through it all, Oberst is able to turn a phrase and write with both bite and wit.
Now touring off the songs of “Salutations” (which is itself mostly a full-band reworking of the songs of “Ruminations”), Oberst is showing his love for performing live and bringing his songs to a mix of true-blue fans and exposing them to a new audience.
“I have always believed there’s salvation through music and love. At least for me,” Oberst told Jaan Uhelszk in a quote on his official website. “It’s gotten me through the worst of things. But I want it to be that way for the people who listen to it, too. I feel I always make an attempt, even when writing what is a pretty depressing number, to sew some silver lining into it. I think the secret to happiness is making yourself believe that happiness is possible. The first step in overcoming anything is to believe that you can do it. So in my songs there’s always a point where something pulls you out of the hole you’re in.”
You can follow Oberst on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Source: conoroberst.com
Discography (solo only): “Conor Oberst” (2008), “Upside Down Mountain” (2014), “Ruminations” (2016), “Salutations” (2017)
You might have heard: “You Are Your Mother’s Child” and “Too Late to Fixate”
Playing at SlossFest: Conor Oberst will perform on the Shed stage at SlossFest on Saturday, July 15 from 4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Sloss Music and Arts Festival takes place at the historic Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham July 15-16 and features 40 performers on four stages. Tickets can be purchased here.
