Today, the self-titled debut by Better Oblivion Community Center is available on physical format, following its digital release last month.
The new band, formed by Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst, kept their plans under wraps for months as they wrote and recorded in Los Angeles in the summer and fall of 2018. By the tail end of the year rumors were swirling and a mysterious phone number appeared on social media platforms. Fans of both artists began receiving enigmatic brochures in the mail and a bus stop advertising the Better Oblivion Community Center appeared in their hometown of LA. Then, the album appeared, without warning, on streaming services, and within the hour the band were performing, for the very first time, on network television.
Produced by Bridgers, Oberst and long time Oberst/Bright Eyes collaborator Andy LeMaster, Better Oblivion Community Center features the work of several talented friends: Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist Nick Zinner appears on two tracks (first single “Dylan Thomas” and “Dominoes”) while Carla Azar (Autolux, Jack White) plays drums on half of the album. Dawes’ rhythm section Wylie Gelber and Griffin Goldsmith appear on the other half. Singer/songwriter Christian Lee Hutson contributes guitar and Anna Butterss provides bass. Zinner joined Phoebe and Conor for their live performance on Stephen Colbert, along with the touring band, Emily Retsas, Elizabeth Goodfellow, and Christian Lee Hutson.
Better Oblivion Community Center tour dates
03/08/19 Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre w/ # %
03/09/19 Las Vegas, NV – Bunkhouse Saloon # %
03/10/19 San Diego, CA – Music Box # %
03/11/19 San Luis Obispo, CA – Fremont Theater # %
03/13/19 Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom # %
03/14/19 Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom # %
03/15/19 San Francisco, CA – August Hall # %
03/16/19 Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge # %
03/17/19 Seattle, WA – Showbox # %
03/19/19 Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Bar # %
03/20/19 Denver, CO – Gothic Theater ^ %
03/21/19 Omaha, NE – Slowdown ^ %
03/22/19 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue ^ %
03/23/19 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall ^ %
03/24/19 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall ^ %
03/25/19 Cleveland, OH – Agora Theatre ^ %
03/26/19 Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre ^ %
03/28/19 Boston, MA – The Sinclair ^ %
03/29/19 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom ^ %
03/31/19 Providence, RI – Columbus Theatre ^ %
04/01/19 Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel ^ %
04/02/19 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer ^ %
04/03/19 Washington, DC – Black Cat ^ %
04/04/19 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle ^ %
04/05/19 Asheville, NC – Grey Eagle ^ %
04/06/19 Atlanta, GA – Terminal West ^ %
04/07/19 Nashville, TN – Cannery Ballroom ^ %
04/09/19 Austin, TX – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater ^ %
04/10/19 Dallas, TX – Trees ^ %
04/12/19 Santa Fe, NM – Meow Wolf ^ %
04/13/19 Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom ^ %
04/29/19 Helsinki, FI – The House of Culture
05/01/19 Oslo, NR – Rockefeller
05/02/19 Stockholm, SE – Berns
05/03/19 Copenhagen, DK – Vega
05/05/19 Berlin, DE – Columbia Theater
05/06/19 Cologne, DE – Kantine
05/07/19 Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso
05/08/19 Antwerp, BL – De Roma
05/10/19 Bristol, UK – Academy
05/11/19 London, UK – Shepherds Bush Empire
05/12/19 Manchester, UK – Ritz
# w/ w/ Sloppy Jane
% w/ Christian Lee Hutson
^ w/ Lala Lala