Tickets On Sale Saturday, June 9, at 10 AM

Omaha's own songwriting troubadour Conor Oberst leads the latest incarnation of Bright Eyes in the group's first-ever performance with an orchestra for their Hollywood Bowl debut on Saturday, September 29, at 7 p.m. The Los Angeles Philharmonic performs arrangements composed by Bright Eyes band member Nate Walcott, who also arranged the orchestral pieces on Bright Eyes' latest release, Cassadaga.

Bright Eyes' debut appearance at the Hollywood Bowl follows their sold out concert in May at Walt Disney Concert Hall, where the group performed classics from their eclectic repertoire, as well as acclaimed songs from Cassadaga, a release that lends itself perfectly to orchestral accompaniment.

This latest collaboration builds on the trend of non-traditional pairings produced by the Hollywood Bowl in the past beginning with the French pop duo AIR, which played at the Bowl with a full orchestra in 2004. Other such pairings that have bridged the gap between classical and other types of music include performances by Stereolab, Dead Can Dance, Belle & Sebastian.

BRIGHT EYES With a talent revered by critics for almost a decade, Conor Oberst turned 27 on February 15th and even without that in mind, it's hard to listen to Cassadaga without hearing a newfound sophistication to the Bright Eyes sound. Producer, multi-instrumentalist and permanent band member Mike Mogis has crafted a swirling, euphonious record, at times bursting with bombastic confidence and country swagger, and at others loose-limbed and mesmeric. Trumpet and piano player Nate Walcott, a Bright Eyes player since 2003 and now the third permanent member, is responsible for the cinematic string arrangements. The band's most confident work so far, this album is so full of soaring strings and female harmonies that it feels almost buoyant in comparison to previous releases. While many latched onto the smattering of political commentary in 2005's I'm Wide Awake..., Cassadaga is less blunt in its depiction of youthful exasperation in the Bush era. Oberst, the gifted guitarist whose impassioned prose tumbles out under stark stage spotlights, is still recognizable in every track, but the songs are rich with elaborate production, cinema-sized orchestration and, at times, sprawling, almost psychedelic, atmospherics.

One of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a seating capacity of nearly 18,000, the HOLLYWOOD BOWL has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922, and in 1991 gave its name to the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, a resident ensemble that has filled a special niche in the musical life of Southern California. The 2004 season introduced audiences to a revitalized Hollywood Bowl, featuring a newly-constructed shell and stage and the addition of four stadium screens enhancing stage views in the venue. To this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's concerts. While the Bowl is best known for its sizzling summer nights, during the day California's youngest patrons enjoy "SummerSounds: Music for Kids at the Hollywood Bowl," the Southland's most popular summer arts festival for children, now in its 39th season. Attendance figures over the past several decades have soared: in 1980 the Bowl first topped the half-million mark and close to one million admissions have been recorded. In February 2007, the Hollywood Bowl was named Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue for the third year in a row at the 18th Annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards; the Bowl's summer music festival has become as much a part of a Southern California summer as beaches and barbecues, the Dodgers, and Disneyland.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2007, at 7 PM

HOLLYWOOD BOWL, 2301 N. Highland Ave. in Hollywood

BRIGHT EYES

with the Los Angeles Philharmonic

Tickets ($20-$105) are on sale now at HollywoodBowl.com, at the Hollywood Bowl Box Office (Tuesday - Saturday, 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.), or by calling Ticketmaster at 213.480.3232, and at all Ticketmaster outlets (Macy's, Tower Records and Ritmo Latino locations). Groups of 10 or more may be eligible for a 20% discount, subject to availability; call 323.850.2050 for further details. For general information or to request a brochure, call 323.850.2000.

For more information about Bright Eyes, please contact Chloe Walsh at Chloe@pressherepublicity.com or 212 246 6240.

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