Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst kicked off the tour for their Better Oblivion Community Center project this weekend. Their first show on Friday included a cover of The Replacements‘ “Can’t Hardly Wait,” along with some solo songs by Bridgers and Oberst, but the pair added another cover to their setlist the next night. In Las Vegas Saturday night, Bridgers and Oberst covered hometown heroes The Killers‘ 2008 classic “Human.”
While The Killers’ original track is up-tempo and glittering, Bridgers and Oberst dial the song back to reveal its melancholy core. When it comes down to it, the line between “human” and “dancer” is a pretty lonely and alienated place. It’s a testament to how great the song is that it can be a dance-rock anthem and an acoustic heartbreaker. Bridgers and Oberst’s covers, whether solo or performed with BOCC, are always killer. (I’m sorry.)
Better Oblivion Community Center are touring North America through March and April, and heading to Europe later this spring. Check out their upcoming North American dates below, and listen to their cover of “Human” above.
03/11 — San Luis Obispo, CA @ Fremont Theater
03/14 — Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
03/15 — San Francisco, CA @ August Hall
03/16 — Portland, OR @ Doug Fir
03/17 — Seattle, OR @ Neumo’s
03/19 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Bar
03/20 — Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
03/21 — Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
03/22 — Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
03/23 — Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
03/25 — Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
03/26 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr Smalls
03/28 — Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
03/29 — New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
03/30 — Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
03/31 — Providence, RI @ Columbus Theater
04/02 — Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
04/03 — Washington DC @ Black Cat
04/04 — Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
04/05 — Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle
04/06 — Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
04/07 — Nashville, TN @ Basement East
04/09 — Austin, TX @ Mohawk
04/10 — Dallas, TX @ Trees
04/12 — Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf
04/13 — Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom