Bright Eyes have canceled all remaining 2024 tour dates to allow frontman Conor Oberst to heal from an unspecified condition impacting his ability to sing. Last week, the group scrapped the next three shows on their calendar, including a high-profile appearance at Chicago’s Riot Fest. A headlining gig next month at Las Vegas’ Best Friends Festival is also off the books, with Blood Brothers stepping in as a replacement.
“Over the past week, Conor has undergone multiple tests to determine the cause of his recent vocal problems,” the band says in a statement. “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.”
“We love our fans and are incredibly disappointed that we won’t be able to play these shows,” they add. “All tickets for headline shows will be refunded at point of purchase and we will keep everyone posted on plans for rescheduling.”
Bright Eyes played just three gigs earlier this month in support of their new album, Five Dice, All Threes. The group were planning to tour the U.K. and Europe in November, and an extensive 2025 North American itinerary is still scheduled to get underway Jan. 16 in Phoenix.
The new album is the follow-up to 2020’s Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was, the group’s first in nine years and debut for Dead Oceans after they spent more than a decade on the homegrown Omaha, Ne.-based Saddle Creek label.