Bright Eyes share first song in 9 years, confirm new album, give tour update

March 24, 2020

Bright Eyes are finally back this year with plans for their first tour in nine years, and they also recently revealed that they signed to Dead Oceans and had been working on new music. Now, their first new song in nine years is here. It’s called “Persona Non Grata,” and it’s a nice, mid-tempo piano rock song that’s unmistakably the work of Conor Oberst. Plus, it has bagpipes! Listen below.

The band also shared a statement, saying that they “just wanted to send our love and solidarity to everyone out there feeling alone, frightened and isolated. You are not alone. We are all in this together.” They also add that they’re releasing a new album this year “no matter what,” and that they’re “reassessing” their tour plans and “will keep you informed as things progress.” Here’s the full statement:

If all goes as planned, Bright Eyes will play NYC’s Forest Hills Stadium on June 20 with Japanese Breakfast and Lucy Dacus (tickets). All currently scheduled dates are listed below.

Bright Eyes — 2020 Tour Dates
05/14/20 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory #
05/15/20 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory #
05/16/20 – Tacoma, WA @ Temple #
05/18/20 – Sonoma, CA @ Gundlach Bundschu Winery #
05/19/20 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Santa Cruz Civic #
05/21/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium #
05/22/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
05/23/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
05/24/20 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
06/12/20 – Worcester, MA @ The Palladium *
06/13/20 – Syracuse, NY @ Beak and Skiff *
06/14/20 – Lewiston, NY @ Art Park *
06/16/20 – Bethlehem, PA @ Levitt Pavillion Steel Stacks *
06/17/20 – Burlington, VT @ The Green at Shelburne Museum *
06/18/20 – Portland, ME @ State Theater *
06/19/20 – New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall *
06/20/20 – Queens, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium +
08/14/20 – Oslo, NO @ Oya Festival
08/16/20 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega
08/18/20 – Hamburg, DE @ Grosse Freiheit
08/19/20 – Prague, CZ @ Lucerna Music Bar
08/21/20 – Berlin, DE @ Tempodrom
08/22/20 – Frankfurt, DE @ Batschkapp
08/24/20 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
08/25/20 – Cologne, DE @ E-Werk
08/27/20 – Vienna, AT @ Open Air Arena
08/28/20 – Munich, DE @ Muffathalle
08/29/20 – Zurich, CH @ X-Tra
09/01/20 – London, UK @ Eventim Apollo
09/02/20 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo
09/03/20 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland
09/04/20 – Dublin, IE @ Vicar Street
09/05/20 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Institute
09/06/20 – Salisbury, UK @ End of the Road Festival