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Conor Oberst Bids Farewell to Mystic Valley Band at Outside Lands

Saturday was a big day for Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band. In fact, it was possibly their last day ever as a band, definitely the last day of their tour and they celebrated by playing not one but two sets at Outside Lands -- one at the festival proper in Golden Gate Park and one at downtown San Francisco's Mezzanine rock club for an official late-night show.

Oberst alluded to the end of the road for the Mystic Valley Band early on during the daytime set when he said, elusively, "Two more nails left to do in this pine coffin. The fork in it."

Later on, at the Mezzanine, he was a little more direct. "It's been a long adventure," he said. "And this is the end of the road." The Mystic Valley Band made two records with Oberst -- one released as a self-titled solo album and 'Outer South,' credited to the band -- over the past year-and-a-half. "Some of us refer to it as the 20 month nightmare," said Oberst, who quickly disclaimed that comment as a joke.

Joking or not, during both shows on Saturday the band covered material that came almost exclusively from those two albums, craftily avoiding any tunes from the Bright Eyes catalog. The one exception was when Oberst invited Jenny Lewis to the stage for a cover of her band's (Rilo Kiley) 'Portions for Foxes.'

The band threw it all on the table for their long goodbye -- a two-hour show from a band with only two albums. "We're all a little scared of what happens when the show ends," said Oberst. "We won't know what to do with ourselves."

It's OK that this is the end of the road, at least for now. For Oberst's next trip, his fellow passengers will include M. Ward, My Morning Jacket's Jim James, and Bright Eyes' Mike Mogis, touring as the supergroup Monsters of Folk. Bon voyage!

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Kneeko

Outer South is one of most poorly crafted records of the past decade. If MVB has called it quits for good, then that is probably for the best.

December 27 2009 at 12:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Kneeko's comment
stephanie

i hope you get raped

July 06 2010 at 10:39 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
tricia

Totally not a hater.
I love Conor Oberst whatever he does.

August 31 2009 at 8:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
tricia

So what is next?
A new Bright Eyes album?
Hope so!

August 30 2009 at 9:48 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to tricia's comment
Nikki

Shut up. This is the best band in the world. I MISS THE MYSTIC VALLEY BAND ALREADY. FUCK BRIGHT EYES.

I mean, I love Bright Eyes, but fuck MVB-HATERZZZ.


;_;
I'm just gonna go cry myself to sleep now.

August 31 2009 at 3:33 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply