bright eyes - road to joy

road to joy with interview

[@oberstfan]

"I have my drugs I have my woman, they keep away my loneliness. My parents they have their religion, but sleep is separate houses." - One of the best lines ever

[@themonkeandthesnek9997]

A line that makes that has only made more sense as I’m at the tail end of my twenties

[@JondomediaKC]

*but sleep IN separate houses.

[@copernicusbarnhouse]

The irony is too on point

[@a.evelyn5498]

@Jondo Media Correcting a 15 year old comment.

[@Knonnynonny]

@@a.evelyn5498 👍 Never too late to correct a mistake. 🥳

[@culturetrash3686]

I saw this the night it aired when I was 14, then walked to the Best Buy near my house to buy I’m Wide Awake it’s Morning the next day. Still gives me chills.

[@goldenageofdinosaurs7192]

I got chills just reading it, man.

[@emilykmiecik5720]

Best album in the world (imo)

[@noisyfloorr]

the blueprint for that phoebe bridgers snl performance yesterday

[@theeleven42]

Jimi Hendrix kinda made that blueprint but you’re not wrong

[@briangardner2798]

came here just to link this in a quote tweet about that lol

[@chelseacollins3782]

that trumpet player, nate walcott, is the same guy who played trumpet in her set on SNL last night :)

[@briangardner2798]

@@chelseacollins3782 no fucking way lmfao that’s literally the best part of this video

[@noisyfloorr]

@@chelseacollins3782 i knOW!! it felt like an easter egg. disappointed he didn't smash his trumpet in phoebes performance tho

[@eloisewilliams3555]

Somehow i always end up here at 3am lmao

[@AsaMaseyMasa]

Don't we all Eloise!

[@mikeissjr]

Eloise Williams I feel that

[@steadyslayer]

christ its 3 am and im drunk

[@igod8054]

@Justin Yoho 4am Berlin here

[@mrrogerswannabe]

#metoo

[@jakerobert3118]

I was here at the filming with my best friend. The MC that warms up the crowd had kinda embarrassed my friend earlier in the evening and felt bad so he gave him a piece of Conor’s destroyed guitar. one of my favorite memories.

[@elirutter3075]

The whole band: trashes their instruments to dust Mike: I paid a lot for this Rickenbacker

[@jevinday]

I was gonna say I was gonna be real bummed if Mogis trashed that beautiful Rickenbacker, glad I wasn't the only one haha

[@amartinez4852]

I remember that boy!

[@IansSmirkingRevenge]

Wow. I don't think I have ever seen anyone smash a trumpet before. Great Performance.

[@Knonnynonny]

The Who WAS that trumpeter???

[@michaelmoraga2926]

Inspired!, badass, and utterly criminal.

[@mysterioussock]

One of my favourite lyrically written songs. "If you have to fight a war thats over nothing, its best to join the side thats going to win". Love everything hes trying to bring across here.

[@gulaggary613]

13 years later, imagine the boys on both sides in Ukraine. Talk about a war over fucking nothing.

[@mysterioussock]

@@gulaggary613 You are too right my man. World is full of madness.

[@maovslandlords9244]

@@gulaggary613 It's not over "nothing". lol

[@LAkadian]

​@@maovslandlords9244It always is. You're just too young to have learned that yet. You'll understand it one day.

[@fshoaps]

@@maovslandlords9244you’ve bought into the propaganda. we have been encroaching deeper, and deeper into Eastern Europe. It is only natural, and in fact commendable that Russia is doing something.

[@ystorm]

What is amazing to me is that not only is Conor a great song writer, its that people are still finding these videos, and enjoying them, and his work.. Wow...

[@GeneralCuster-zh7bl]

2023 and I’m still loving this.

[@PaperbackWriter909]

This is the greatest, and most powerful, television performance I have ever seen.

[@7H7GRm8jm4QCnjuQ]

PaperbackWriter909 same, think this every time I watch it

[@MsNatakins]

The sloppyness of everything just makes it even more rock and roll. It's raw. Not moulded into something that its not.

[@AutismAware417]

If you've never heard of these guys I suggest buying every album they have ever put out

[@a.evelyn5498]

Up until now still.

[@LAkadian]

I personally found People's Key a bit pretentious at times, but there were still 3 songs on that album that were so good that they'd still justify buying the album. "Ladder Song" alone is a friggin masterpiece.

[@loadedpainted7040]

​@LAkadian i used to not like most of the songs on that album but seeing them live changed my perspective. now i like hallie selassie, beginners mind, shell games, ladder song, jejune stars, one for you one for me. still one of my bottom tier BE albums but i enjoy it more.

[@Grasses0n]

Man I love old Bright Eyes performances. I'm glad I got to see them in 2007. It's crazy that Conor is in his 40s now.

[@joed129]

Conor did not give even a twelfth of a fuck during that interview.

[@BradleyPaulValentine]

If he didn’t give a fuck he wouldn’t have been there. A guy who works as hard as Oberst doesn’t just folly his way through things and end up magically successful. But that’s the rock star myth. Some people are really good at those kinds of interviews. Some aren’t. Conor seems like he’s really good at seeming like he isn’t.

[@joed129]

Bradley Paul Valentine Solid rebuttal, my jollies have been follied and there ain't no way I'm callin. Are you really calling me out for pointing out Conor's obvious apathy towards the interview?

[@jillianschantz]

Joe D I think it's pretty obvious he's fucked up on something. haha.

[@be9nz]

Jillian Patrick Conor has neurosis.

[@lprh505]

How did you find that out? Thats what ive been wanting to go to the doctor for to see if i have thats wierd.

[@Tintenfischchen]

Gosh, I think this is one of the videos I used to watch before going to my internship in eleventh grade. I always got up early so I would have an extra hour in the morning to watch all my favourite Bright Eyes videos before going to 'work'. Being an adult with a 9 to 5 job seemed so scary back then. Now I know it IS scary. Great...

[@culturetrash3686]

So much truth here

[@emilykmiecik5720]

Saw him life a couple days ago- still preforms this well. Sounds the same. Al time favorite lyricist

[@a.evelyn5498]

I saw him recently again too. Been seeing him since I was in late middle school & I’m 29 now.

[@joelglanton6531]

I think he's still good but the first time I saw him was in '05 and the last was last year and he absolutely does not sound the same lol

[@joelglanton6531]

Also he was faded beyond belief and phoning it in; it was sad honestly

[@RyanJohnson-tw2ch]

​@@joelglanton6531I saw that tour in Austin, he was a mess. It was right before he didnt finish a show in Tennessee I believe

[@justplainfilthy]

Damn Toby Mcguire killing it. You go spiderman!

[@Glosoli4]

Dude hahahahahahaha

[@theJakeEtheridge]

hahahahahah yas

[@johncoronity2011]

Toby McGuire a bit got shit on Connor Oberst

[@jflowers513]

“Sometimes I get mistaken for this actor And I guess that I can see it from the side” Lyric from “Hundreds of Ways” by Conor Oberst

[@daydrmnation]

This performance still gives me chills. Even watching it so many years later. Perfect in its imperfection.

[@dannnyc93]

My friend said she went to see him in 2005 and met him after the show, and he just nonchalantly said "I didn't really care about this show so I did a bunch of heroin beforehand"

[@Splashy151]

+dannnyc93 :(

[@ZwienerZ]

+dannnyc93 I know he did drugs, but never heroin. And how can anyone play live on heroin? Haha.

[@MrJetpackdude]

+ZwienerZ ever heard of Ginger Baker?

[@WestCoastIrk]

+dannnyc93 fuck it, right?

[@calebsandersvids]

dannnyc93 an icon

[@kathybatesmotel]

"I could've been a famous singer if I had someone elses voice, but failures always sound better, let's fuck it up boys, MAKE SOME NOISE!" everything about this entire clip is perfect. love.

[@BogusmanTheSwagman]

It's a shame they cut out the word 'fuck'. I get that it's TV but at least bleep it out instead of ruining the whole recording.

[@zigzack77]

one of my favorite videos on all of youtube. i never get tired of it.

[@laika6661]

‘No one plans to sleep out in the gutter, Sometimes that’s just the most comfortable place’

[@avocado9570]

The most beautiful video on KZbin

[@Jibjabsizzle]

the interview is so adorable at the end. connor seems so timid and withdrawn but he just lets everything explode through his music

[@futuredust1994]

i love how he sounds the same when he sings live and on a record

[@atotallyrandomperson3889]

Sounds exactly the same

[@atotallyrandomperson3889]

Wait I just realized I replied to a 9 year old comment

[@vhoang1029]

@@atotallyrandomperson3889 quick reminder it 10 years old now

[@Aloysius2113]

@@atotallyrandomperson3889 i always wonder where those people are now when i see really old comments.

[@kole6150]

@@Aloysius2113hmm i wonder what you did in the past 4 days

[@Julie88C]

This guy should have so much more recognition. He is pure art. I've never heard so much emotion all at once

[@jflowers513]

I watched this video so many times as a young teen. As a quiet sort of emo kid, I really looked up to Conor. I felt like I could relate to him in a lot of ways. He was a big inspiration for me. I’m nearly 29 now. Time flies

[@MrCiNiC]

Did that man just kill a bloody trumpet?

[@oshea90220]

lmao i died when he did that lol

[@TheNickSweat]

That shit had me rolling over here.

[@SplitAxisProductions]

Its war crimes deserved it

[@timothyneil5512]

He's so gorgeous.

[@frankie4020]

when he said Boygenius I immediately thought of Phoebe- probably no connection but 👁👄👁

[@rachel-xi7oj]

right what the heck

[@mad6582]

Same here I was like 👀 👀👀

[@synthmalicious7541]

Woah - I don’t know if it’s the same Phoebe but wow

[@piapiabee]

"Boy genius" is a common expression. That's why they called the band that...as well as being a joke that it's three women.

[@frankie4020]

@@piapiabee ik

[@cassiefleenor6412]

love it. he clearly found "the kid with the chemicals" right before this.

[@kielgraves8104]

Yeah no, that's anxiety, combined with being a kid and having to go on a talk show

[@AtheistLuvXmas]

@@kielgraves8104 That, plus the sweet sweet chemicals. 😁

[@mrsteffen4692]

@@kielgraves8104 actually thats the way he's supposed to sing

[@lj-wp3sf]

@@kielgraves8104 are you saying conor oberst was not high as shit during this

[@jevinday]

I thought he said to meet him here, but I'm not sure :/ I've got the money if you've got the time. You said "it feels good, so I'll give it a try"

[@lee32476]

It is almost 2024 and this song is still pertinent and a banger. Also this couldn’t have happened on a better show, Craig gets the energy better than any late nite host could have. Glad that Conor’s still out there writing beautiful angry protest music.

[@MrSomeSkeptic]

He could tell Conor wasn't gonna be the most comfortable in an interview format and cracked jokes around it. I just wish he had had more interesting questions for him. Being neurodivergent myself I know I'd just nod and agree like conor did unless an interesting question was asked. Not really the format for it. But I can tell now why I related to much to Conor's music.

[@alastaireastaugh5678]

I think the host is leaving him out to dry, cracking jokes at his expense, towards the end I think the audience get what’s happening and end up going the other way. I don’t doubt that the host is a fan of the music, I think it’s only half way through the interview he realises he’s totally got the wrong tone

[@BrianReedMusic]

Man, I don't blame them for smashing all their instruments. This was back when Bush was president.

[@drcav_photo]

What will they smash now that Trump is president? God help us all.

[@landonsmykil4154]

drewnobi we're going to have to hide our instruments I guess lol

[@morganghetti]

Weird how everyone quit giving a fuck about the wars when Obama got elected.

[@Paul-dw2cl]

morgan ghetti Thank you

[@oriloewinger7436]

Aged well hasn’t it?

[@TomHoldenMusic]

i love the guy smashing his trumpet. I bet he's the man. What a great video.

[@juliettest.laclaire8931]

I’ve listened to wide awake a million times and I always imagined him a grizzled older man, almost Leonard Cohen-esque but I watch this and he’s my emo boyfriend that I desperately need

[@loadedpainted7040]

really? that album sounds very 20-something to me.

[@elpantera45]

The way he plays guitar is amazing to me. Fingerpicking through the whole song while still keeping rythm. Awesome.

[@CooKidMcRib]

When the trumpet starts playing God Save the Queen at 3:23 ... chills everytime

[@christianlesurfmusic]

How did I never notice that

[@jcwrightson]

lol at the dude smashing his trumpet ;)

[@danyelldoesnot]

Checking in from 2022✌️

[@Isundir]

in his clumsy and honest way he did one of the best interviews ive ever seen.

[@HolyHubcap]

Seriously one of the best live performances ive ever seen

[@patrickhurley7029]

It's easy to look back at the façade of Bright Eyes and Conor looking back, and think of it as a bit fake even. I was just 13 when I started listening in 03, and I think it feels that way because his music was so identifiable to those growing up back then. As a 13 year old his music hit so hard, as I got older and now I'm in my early thirties, I don't see it the same way. But watching this reminds me of how much he really meant what he was saying, the emotion that's behind his music was so raw and he didn't stop evolving- so I really have to hand it to him on that as well. Such an amazing group and I'll listen to them/see them live any chance I get but that music exists so much in that time because he wrote so much about it, and where he was at in life was an incredibly real part of his music. Not well said and I'm not sure exactly what I said haha man, did I love Bright Eyes.

[@nightintheruts617]

You can definitely hear the Townes Van Zandt influence in alot of his writing, this was a great performance 👍

[@brighteyes498]

I love to see the smashed guitar after all these years still going strong. It's a silent promise from guitarists that The Who is awesome.

[@Tsumami__]

They played this as the final encore song at my first bright eyes concert back in the day and it was probably the best fuckin ending to a concert I've ever been to

[@culturetrash3686]

“I could have been a famous singer if I had someone else’s voice, but failure’s always sounded better, let’s fuck it up boys, make some noise.” Best. Lyric. Ever.

[@reclaimedandrested]

I remember seeing this the night it aired. They did the damn thing!

[@thedocileme4321]

Conor reminds me of Tobey Maguire and I can't unsee it

[@jasonsaroyan]

I guess that I can see it from the side

[@turbo_wrath]

When he turns into emo side..huh...hehe..me too..

[@suddenlywat]

During his emo phase in Spider-Man 3, yeah.

[@pauldechampignon2287]

Well I believe Conor was inspiration for Tobey.

[@curtisharris2617]

@@jasonsaroyan over a year has passed, and this comment has gone wildly underrated. Well done.

[@Emmajen]

aww connor is so awesome! his voice is so full of emotion.... so genuine

[@onarose013]

This takes me back. Wow. I resonate with Conor now more than ever.

[@documentarycow]

I watch this video like at least once a week just to keep my spirits up

[@NotLegato]

he has the most emo haircut of all time.

[@nickhopwood4925]

i think Adam Lazzara wins that

[@lprh505]

+Nick Hopwood Robert Smith FTW

[@eldonjamesnebriagabrownii8015]

Not Legato he invented it

[@Xskramz_archivistX]

Every one keep saying he look like Robbie valetino from gravity fall

[@cadec5638]

Bruh. Wud bout spider man 3

[@BrokenSouls]

I don't know anyone else, but I like the melancholy sound of Bright Eyes, and I love the lyrics. Its more of the meaning and the atmosphere it gives.

[@Amerzz789]

Oh my god I love him and I love his music more than anything else.

[@KhristinaaTTV]

I LOVE this.

[@Tyippe99]

Damn I love his live performances , always so intense

[@rachycakes03]

Genius genius genius. I love this song!!!! It has to be played ridiculously loud EVERY time. :)

[@TragicKel]

It's 2020 and this just might be the one thing that keeps me alive. Conor is a national treasure.

[@deathislife1993]

I absolutely love this performance. It helps I really like the song as well.

[@adamrobb27]

Anyone here after Phoebe Bridgers on SNL breaking her guitar?

[@drvonfrie]

The first thing I thought when I watched Pheobe was whether or not the trumpet player was gonna join her lol

[@adamrobb27]

@@drvonfrie I know!! I had the same thought, I was surprised they didn’t, would’ve been even more epic.

[@StrawberryCrush2000]

@@drvonfrie ah damn now i really wish they'd have done that

[@cmiller19523]

boy genius... coincidence? i think not.

[@loadedpainted7040]

@@drvonfrie 'the trumpet player' on phoebe's snl performance is nate walcott from bright eyes and this performance, if you didn't notice.

[@fineanwilliams3731]

He's so much better at interviews now that he's clean

[@morganghetti]

Finean Williams wuh

[@Thomes-Maisling]

No offence, but you missed the point IMO. It's all about the performance. The interview was unimportant compared.

[@fraukie1598]

@@Thomes-Maisling I disagree. He could achieve what not everyone can: Make people understand that drugs will eat you away, you and all the talent that means so much to yourself and lots of people.

[@verybadktty80]

I understand why some people don't get Bright Eyes. It is an aquired taste but usually those with open minds and a lust for thinking get it. I.e., brilliant people...I look at it as poetry. I love it. :)

[@nurseChii]

Been a fan for 11 years, was heartbroken when he retired Bright Eyes and constantly find myself coming back to this or Digital Ash and Fevers & Mirrors.

[@hoorayfortaraneh]

These guys really need to go on tour again together sometime soon

[@nancysotelo1423]

They’re in tour again!!

[@knesigtknasigt7336]

i'm rly drunk but......... conor oberst i love u

[@melloncollieandtheinfinite7585]

I'm totally sober but agree

[@melissamaloney5669]

I've always loved how he plays his music and interviews great musician!

[@susanware1988]

In 2024, i only just found out about this band just now; the singer certainly has a Brett Anderson from Sude kind of vibe (took me more than a decade to find out about both bands lol).

[@indigogo5925]

it's hard to look cook when ur smashing a trumpet

[@Jayyburddd]

Coulda thrown it down and stomped it, dude just stiffly knelt there lmao

[@hollysorensen1711]

I don't think they care too much about "looking cool"... They don't have to, they're amazing.

[@2011ESD]

He looked very cook. Fuck you

[@leniboda]

you need another interview for what Conor was truly thinking the whole time.

[@muahahaha101]

love this song..haha the interview is rlly funny but i lvoe connor and how he is so modest! also i love how he stumbles wen he talks...lol bright eyes rox!!

[@RealJPMcGrath]

here in 2022, I miss these days

[@rentfn]

Here because Phoebe Bridgers did this on SNL

[@johnnydondisco2864]

I just came back from that video and realized he literally did the same thing lol

[@davidesmx_]

I thought I was the only one hehehe

[@rachelblinn2667]

"CDs are wide awake morning and digital urn....ash in a digital urn." Yeah he's clearly such a big fan.

[@businessstudieswithsimatel6713]

Beautiful music, am still coming back for more rhythm

[@ExploreLearnEnglishWithGeorge]

I've heard this band once on radio and was totally intrigued by the style but I didn't catch their name ... now the puzzle came to completion by chance watching the movie INJUSTICE - a MUST WATCH for everyone who sees them self as a person who identifies as one who stands against injustice..."sometimes the brightest light comes from the darkest places"...

[@jdmfan4134]

*smashes trumpet furiously*

[@Vangabonders]

so much emotion

[@sarahgough5953]

Uhgg never loses its magic. A true artist.

[@edfmx86]

iconic performance. cant wait to see this band next week

[@OthersOrSomething]

I know it seems mindless and a total waste (I also would've loved to have owned that guitar), but for those of you who have never emotionally destroyed an instrument, it's awkwardly satisfying.

[@travismarshall633]

Easy fix lol I'm sure his guitar tech fixed later that night lol

[@KingOfCheezWiz]

@@travismarshall633 The electronics (pickups, volume and tone pots/pickup selector) are likely fine, the neck may be salvageable if the truss rod wasnt broken during the stomping (frets also could have popped out and thus would need to be refretted), but that body will never be more than kindling. That guitar is a bird in a Python sketch now.

[@MWorsa]

Nick Stephens I kicked and punched a failing subwoofer until it was dead, the piece of shit definitely deserved it. 😃

[@TheRealCheeze17]

Oh my god I feel his anxiety so hard in those last 30 seconds. Conor's like "Is this done can I get out of this chair now"

[@cristianschuster9458]

not only the last thirty seconds. He was fighting anxiety the whole interview. Hes a true musician. Give him and instrument and a microphone and he can go within himself and just open up in front of millions of people, but make him just sit there and talk, he just wants to gtfo lol.

[@whitneyb3340]

Honestly he is jumping out of the chair the whole time

[@jeremypr]

Conor had that 3-5 years of fame......crazy....was on late night shows....being interviewed, compared to Bob Dylan.…....selling out concerts.....this was the pique/pinnacle of his musical career, great story. cheers. He can always look back at this moment in time.

[@hanstone2662]

It’s so fucking hilarious to me that he breaks his trumpet.

[@romeokun3005]

this is the highest guy i have ever seen in my whole life

[@michaelv.8623]

i sneeze kinda loud ummm 🤨

[@MrBluetiger2000]

Agreed

[@kevinryan1359]

you never seen john frusciante vpro interview then.

[@terktark2691]

He looked really uncomfortable in that interview. Even I wouldn't have been able to make it that awkward.

[@heatherchavez9852]

I'm sure I could have, lol

[@huckerbees]

I think he might have been really stoned

[@bottlecap3211]

Lots of heroin

[@Huelogy]

@@bottlecap3211 people don't come back from heroin, you think it was H?

[@nateo7045]

It's hard to believe people so easily mistake anxiety for drugs. If anything the drugs would be curing the anxiety. Would've thought most Conor fans could spot anxiety from a mile away?

[@kaseybones]

No one ever plans to sleep out in the gutter, sometimes it’s just the most comfortable place.

[@tehnubster69]

I got to love the trumpet guy playing oh so seriously

[@earningnutria]

goddamn conor is such a genius

[@chippchipp1]

If you want to hear a *true* genius in the same type of genre, listen to Elliott Smith.

[@hollysorensen1711]

@@chippchipp1 Conor & Elliot are on the same level. Conor IS a genius and just as good as Elliot.

[@chippchipp1]

@@hollysorensen1711 they're both great, and I even prefer Conor's lyrics half the time, but melodically and harmonically, Elliott was just more advanced in his songwriting.

[@DoubleDeckerCoffin]

@@chippchipp1 Conor is my favorite songwriter of all time but Elliott was on some other level I can't even fathom.

[@chrisplummer1657]

hell of a performance

[@hottyatthedisco]

Amazing!!!!!!!!!

[@erlineandrews]

Ten years ago. Wow. I joined the bandwagon late. I started listening to him when he was 18. :)

[@cynthiacarey8426]

I love how god is censored but not damn 😂😂😂❤️❤️❤️

[@juanbernstein8130]

I love how he hates them all

[@whorrorhunni]

YES! Thank you!

[@ewwitzkatiie]

i never watched this whole thing through!! I love the interview! hes so awesome

[@StanleyCornfield]

10 year anniversary of this being uploaded!

[@croper91]

"Yeah, that was an extremely expensive guitar...that I smashed..."

[@HoppySabbathHomestead]

i adore him.

[@volcomstoneskate]

i love him. His songs save me