Bright Eyes is an American indie rock band founded by singer-songwriter and guitarist Conor Oberst. It consists of Oberst, multi-instrumentalist and producer Mike Mogis, arranger, composer and trumpet and piano player Nate Walcott, and a rotating line-up of collaborators drawn primarily from Omaha's indie music scene. Between 1998 and 2011, the band's albums were released through Saddle Creek Records, a Nebraska-based label founded by Justin Oberst and Mogis. In January 2020, the band announced their return, having signed with Dead Oceans.
The Faint is an American indie rock band. Formed in Omaha, Nebraska, the band consists of Todd Fink, Graham Ulicny, Dapose and Clark Baechle. The Faint was originally known as Norman Bailer and included Conor Oberst. He quit shortly after the band was formed, though the Faint continued to share a spot with Bright Eyes on Saddle Creek Records.
Saddle Creek Records is an American record label based in Omaha, Nebraska. Started as a college class project on entrepreneurship, the label was founded by Mike Mogis and Justin Oberst in 1993. Mogis soon turned over his role in the company to Robb Nansel. The label is named after Saddle Creek Road, a major street that cuts through Midtown Omaha, and the beginnings of a scene whose members included Justin's brother Conor Oberst, Tim Kasher, and others. Collectively, they were known unofficially as the "Creekers". Saddle Creek first appeared in print on a show flyer, offering to "Spend an evening with Saddle Creek" Saddle Creek became an incorporated entity as a result of a class project on entrepreneurship. Distribution is handled by Redeye Distribution.
Conor Mullen Oberst is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos, the Faint, Commander Venus, Park Ave., Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Monsters of Folk, and Better Oblivion Community Center. Oberst was named the Best Songwriter of 2008 by Rolling Stone magazine.
Timothy J. Kasher is an American musician from Omaha, Nebraska, and is the frontman of indie rock groups Cursive and the Good Life, both of which are on the Omaha-based record label Saddle Creek Records.
James Scott "Jimmy" Tamborello, also known by his stage name Dntel, is an American electronic music artist and DJ. Aside from his main solo project, Tamborello is also known as a member of the groups The Postal Service, Headset, and Figurine, where he is sometimes cited as James Figurine.
Todd Fink is the lead singer of the band The Faint. He attended Omaha's Westside High School.
Michael Riley Mogis is an American producer/engineer and multi-instrumentalist who, along with his brother A.J. Mogis, founded Presto! Recording Studios. Mogis currently runs ARC in downtown Omaha.
Her Space Holiday is the recording moniker of indietronic and indie rock artist Marc Bianchi.
Son, Ambulance is an American band based in Omaha, Nebraska. As of February 2015, they are again signed as "active" on the Saddle Creek website after being labeled "inactive" for an indefinite time.
Slowdown Virginia was an indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. Formed in 1993, the band recorded and released one album, Dead Space, on Lumberjack Records in 1994, the predecessor to today's Saddle Creek Records. After playing an influential role in inspiring the later formation of other Omaha bands like Bright Eyes, The Faint, and Desaparecidos with their energetic live shows and recordings, Slowdown Virginia broke up in the spring of 1995. A month after breaking up, Kasher, Maginn, and Pedersen regrouped with a new drummer to form Cursive. Omaha's mixed entertainment venue Slowdown is named in honor of the band.
Orenda Fink is an American singer, musician, and writer. Perhaps best known as half of the duo Azure Ray, Fink is also a member of Art in Manila, O+S, Closeness, and High Up, and has played with or appeared as a guest on records by Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst, Moby, The Faint, Pete Yorn, and others. She is married to Todd Fink of The Faint.
A.J. Mogis is a musician from North Platte, Nebraska. He currently plays bass guitar in the indie-rock band Criteria. His brother is Mike Mogis. Together, they founded Presto! Recording Studios and have recorded almost all the albums released by Saddle Creek Records as well as albums by friends' bands. They were also members of Lullaby for the Working Class. Criteria has so far released two albums.
inside/Absent is the third album by Broken Spindles, the solo project of Joel Petersen of The Faint and Beep Beep, which are all on Saddle Creek Records. It was released August 23, 2005.
Lagniappe is a compilation album released by the Omaha-based record label Saddle Creek, after the events of Hurricane Katrina. It is a benefit album, and all profits from its sale are donated to the Red Cross' relief efforts in New Orleans.
Criteria is an indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska, formed in 2003 when ex-Cursive founding member Steve Pedersen returned to his hometown after graduating from the Duke University School of Law. He spent six months in a friend's basement where he wrote all ten songs for his new project's debut album. He recruited the help of some old friends, A.J. Mogis on bass guitar, Aaron Druery on guitar, and Mike Sweeney of Beep Beep on drums. Their first album, En Garde, was released on his previous band's label, Initial Records.
Spend an Evening with Saddle Creek is a documentary focusing on the first ten years of the Saddle Creek scene in Omaha, Nebraska. It was released in 2005 by Plexifilm. It was directed by Jason Kulbel and Rob Walters.
The Show is the Rainbow is an American music act from Lincoln, Nebraska, United States, aka Darren Keen. For much of 2006, The Show is the Rainbow toured as a three-piece, with Javid Dabestani and Jim Schroeder playing alongside Keen. Currently, Keen is touring as a one-man band. The Show is the Rainbow plays an eclectic mix of rock, electronica and hip-hop inspired by artists such as The Faint, Frank Zappa, Nina Hagen, Les Savy Fav, Squarepusher and Beck. The Show is the Rainbow has gained a national following by means of near constant touring and energetic live shows that focus on audience interaction.
Gabardine was a band on Saddle Creek Records that was formed in 1996. Composed of members of Beep Beep, Broken Spindles, Head of Femur and The Faint, its members were Chris Hughes, Eric Bemberger, Ben Armstrong and Joel Petersen. Gabardine released one album, Gabardine, and had two tracks on the Saddle Creek sampler. The band broke up in summer 1998.
Beep Beep is a rock band from Omaha, Nebraska, on Saddle Creek Records. The band was formed in July 2001 by Eric Bemberger and Chris Hughes, formerly of Saddle Creek group Gabardine. Former member Joel Petersen plays bass in The Faint and also has his own electronica project, Broken Spindles. Their first album, Business Casual, was released August, 2004. A second album Enchanted Islands was released in March, 2009.
