Major Rock Band Cancels All Concerts After Medical Issue: Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst Experiencing Vocal Problems

Bright Eyes intends to get back on the road in 2025.

By Michael Hein

Indie rock legends Bright Eyes have canceled all of their shows for the rest of 2024, citing frontman Conor Oberst's lost voice. The band already canceled the three shows they would have played last weekend to celebrate the release of their new album, Five Dice, All Threes, and on Friday they announced that the other 43 concerts they had scheduled this year are postponed as well. They plan to get back on the road in 2025.

"Over the past week, Conor has undergone multiple tests to determine the cause of his recent vocal problems," Bright Eyes said in a statement published on Instagram on Friday night. "It's come to light that he has developed a condition that is exacerbated by excessive singing, requiring both treatment and recuperation. We are confident that with a successful regimen, and continued medical attention, we will be able to return to the road next year."

Five Dice, All Threes was released on Friday, Sept. 20 and is available to purchase or stream now. Days before the release, Bright Eyes announced that it would have to cancel the three shows it had scheduled for the big weekend due to Oberst losing his voice. However, some commenters on social media were concerned that there was more to it, noting that Oberst had been very inebriated at performances leading up to the release and had even made at least one unsettling comment about suicide on stage.

After the record release shows last weekend, Bright Eyes was scheduled to go on tour for the remainder of 2024 staring on Oct. 11. They would have played throughout the U.S. in October, including some festivals and other huge events. They have aleady been replaced on the bill for the Best Friends Forever festival, with more changes expected in the coming weeks. It's unclear if fans with tickets to those events will get to see Bright Eyes, or will simply get a refund. For other shows, either refunds or postponements are expected.

In November, Bright Eyes would have played shows in Europe including the U.K., the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Sweden and Norway. However, the band's schedule is already packed in the beginning of 2025, so it's hard to say when postponed shows will be rescheduled. The band kicks off the year in the southwest with back-to-back shows in Arizona and California, touring North America consistently through April. Ticketholders are advised to keep an eye on their email inboxes for news from venues, vendors or the band themselves. The latest information is available on Bright Eyes' website.

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