Briefly, looks like Bright Eyes cut a deal with Polydor for distribution of his records to the world outside North America, according to this item in Punknews.org credited to Pitchfork (I include the Punknews link because it also includes some amusing reader feedback). Saddle Creek keeps North American rights. I have no idea what significance this has to the Creek operations. In the old days, Creek records were distributed in Europe by a variety of labels, including Wichita and Southern. Then Creek opened an office in the UK and a Saddle Creek Europe website, presumably to distribute Creek materials over there. Does this mean that Creek Europe won't be handling the two new BE discs that are slated for release this spring? Conor's publicist summed it up this way: "Bright Eyes have been on numerous labels outside of North America over their recording history and the move to Polydor is the newest endeavor to reach as many fans as possible." You can only conclude from that statement that he wasn't reaching the fans that he wanted to reach outside of our continent via Saddle Creek. Polydor is a major presence in Europe, handling acts like Scissor Sisters (huge over there, ignored over here), Eminem, Beck, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg and the Nirvana catalogue. It might have something to do with their connections to Interscope, Geffen and A&M, among others. Polydor goes way back. According to their (crappy) website, their acts have included The Who, Jimi Hendrix, the Bee Gees, Cream, Eric Clapton, James Brown, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and now Bright Eyes. How big a deal is this, and what's it really mean for Saddle Creek? Keep watching...

It should be a big week for the folks at The Saddle Creek Bar. Tonight, SCB hosts Eagle*Seagull w/Landing on the Moon and Kite Pilot. $5, 9 p.m. Also tonight, Now! Archimedes, Dance Me Pregnant and The Stay Awake at O'Leaver's. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Tomorrow night it's The Weary Boys and The Filter Kings at SCB for a whopping $10 -- the highest priced ticket I've ever seen at SCB, which usually charges $5. Meanwhile, at O'Leaver's, it's Midwest Dilemma and Lost Americans, $5, 9:30 p.m.

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