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Conor Oberst Talks First Concert, Goes ‘Zigzagging Toward the Light’ on ‘Fallon’

Conor Oberst, "Zigzagging Toward the Light," first concert, 'Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'

Current SPIN cover star Conor Oberst has just released a new solo album, Upside Down Mountain. Last night on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the Bright Eyes mastermind performed the new LP’s rootsy “Zigzagging Toward the Light” backed by L.A. band Dawes — watch that above. As a Web exclusive, he also remembered “my first concert” — scroll down to watch that interview, or read what SPIN’s David Bevan wrote about that fateful gig in his exhaustive new Oberst profile

Oberst was just seven years old the first time he took a stage. His father played in a series of classic-rock cover bands on weekends and when the younger Oberst became especially fond of Ritchie Valens’ “Donna” by way of the 1987 film La Bamba, he was brought out to deliver lead vocals with the band behind him. Soon after, he learned some chords and covers with the help of his father and “pretty immediately,” Oberst was gravitating towards writing his own material.

//www.youtube.com/embed/ybyu4YROC_M