Saddle Creek

Two words: Conor Oberst. We'd put money on the fact that a whole bunch of people reading this just swooned at the mere sight of his name, because the Bright Eyes frontman has enjoyed (and at times suffered) a near-obsessive following for more tha a decade now. But the boy-faced Oberst ? once known as an extremely emotional artist, prone to drinking absurd amounts of wine onstage ? is now every inch the seasoned professional, thanks to a long-term dedication to his craft and the road. His original Omaha trio is here in support of its seventh full-length, The People's Key, which ? if we're to believe what Oberst told Rolling Stone in 2009 ? could well be the band's last. His songs remain as stirring as ever, so pat yourself on the back if you got tickets early.