We all have them: Those long-forgotten bands we once listened to in high school when we were convinced they were the coolest thing ever. A song comes on shuffle and you think, “Oh man does this bring back memories … I haven’t listened to them in ages.” I think I speak for quite a few in our generation when I list Bright Eyes as one of those bands.

Alright, who am I kidding? I most definitely do not consider Bright Eyes to be long-forgotten. I actually still listen to them an embarrassing amount. You could say I’ve had a six-year love affair with Conor Oberst’s voice ever since that fateful day that a friend first played Digital Ash in a Digital Urn for me on her car stereo. Oh the pure, unadulterated angst that once resonated so deeply in my sullen, teenage heart.

Somehow, despite my undying love for this band, I have never seen Bright Eyes play live. So when I learned of their upcoming show at the House of Blues March 3, I jumped at what may be my last chance to see them.

The show at the House of Blues is part of a tour for Bright Eyes’ new album, The People’s Key. This 10-track album is scheduled for release by Saddle Creek Records Feb. 15. I await the day eagerly. For the past few years, Oberst, the band’s songwriter and frontman, has been focusing on other musical projects, mainly the super-band Monsters of Folk and his own Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band. The People’s Key will be Bright Eyes’ first new album since the release of Cassadaga in 2007. It is also speculated that it will be their last, as Oberst has spoken of retiring the Bright Eyes name soon.

You can already give the track “Shell Games” from the new album a listen online. I have done so a few times, and I am very interested in the new direction this album seems to be taking. “Shell Games” has none of the signature alt-country elements of Bright Eyes’ previous material; it sounds much more modern, blending guitar, piano and even violins with electronic beats and synths, giving the song an almost glam-rock twist. And you know what? It’s damn catchy.

So with “Shell Games” and thoughts of fevers, mirrors and bowls of oranges in my head, I set off to track down tickets to an already sold-out show at the House of Blues. For this I turned to none other than trusty ol’ Craigslist. You should probably know that I may love Craigslist as much as I love Bright Eyes. Regardless of the recent scandals surrounding this website, I have always had relatively good luck with both selling and buying via Craigslist.

The only repeated annoyance I’ve encountered is buying concert tickets. Let me explain: Say you have tickets to a sold-out show, and you end up having another obligation that night that you just can’t miss. What do you do? Do you post your tickets on Craigslist for double the amount you bought them for so you can make a quick buck, or do you sell them at face-value so a fellow music lover can bask in the glory of an affordable live show?

While the latter does sound a bit idealistic, I have felt that I am being ripped off by people on Craigslist far too many times simply because I have no other choice and they have the upper hand. I suppose it is partially my fault for not buying tickets enough in advance to get them from Ticketmaster. But if you really think about it, more often than not, if you sell your tickets for way more than you bought them, you’re probably over-charging a college student who is just as broke as you. Where’s the good karma in that?

While being ripped off buying sold-out tickets on Craigslist is definitely frustrating, there comes a time, and a band, which inevitably cause you to abandon notions of saving money and getting the best deal because all that really matters is going to that show. For me, that band is Bright Eyes and that time is now. I couldn’t care less how much I overpaid for those tickets; I’m finally going to see Bright Eyes play live. And I don’t know about you guys, but my 15-year-old self would think that’s pretty freaking cool.

– Annie Henderson can be reached at [email protected].