The show not only marked the group’s first live performance in roughly three years, but also gave those who have been desperately awaiting a follow-up content to Bon Iver’s self-titled 2011 album a sweet surprise. “I think it’s going to really be good for the festival”.
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The first-time event curated by Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and The National’s Aaron Dessner included a lineup featuring The National, Spoon, Sturgill Simpson, Blind Boys of Alabama, Phil Cook, Indigo Girls, Hiss Golden Messenger and others, and concluded the second of two days of music with the first full Bon Iver performance since 2012.
Vernon: Yes. There will be bands that made their own documentaries about themselves. Though the comparison to a religious experience was a touch of a stretch – unless the Staves’ hair-raising harmonies on “Lump Sum” qualified for you – the overall mood of those performing and the rest watching was definitely more muted and reverent than on his extravagantly decorated, emotionally blown-out 2012 tour behind Bon Iver, Bon Iver. While it’s been some time, we may not have to wait much longer to hear new music from Justin Vernon’s outfit. We saw it happen. Vernon went on to lament about how he feels big music festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo book the same acts, and that the focus of the promoters is more on making money and less on sharing and spreading new music. Local author and deep-voiced, deadpan festival emcee Michael Perry was Vernon’s “biggest mentor besides my parents”, while No BS! “My, my, my”, but soon the draw was too great, and Bon Iver ended their set with almost the whole audience singing along. The band played songs with near-album-sounding precision but left room for improvisation.
Vernon had some fun before “For Emma”, turning to the band and saying “D-flat”, before expanding on that with quotes from movies “Back to the Future” and “The Goonies”.
Located near the western middle of the state on Foster Farms, his Eaux Claires music festival (named after the French spelling) will host indie titans like Sufjan Stevens and acts as diverse as rustic troubadours Hiss Golden Messenger and the visceral psych-blues of Retribution Gospel Choir.
“Watch me for the changes”, he said, followed by, “You play another one of those, we’ll all be flat”.
Entering Eaux Claires under art from HOTTEA. Brass Band, earthy sax tones by Colin Stetson, and more.
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AP: Who are some of the people playing? It’s just kind of dream-worthy stuff. I’m just so thankful to my family and my friends and to everybody from this town.
