I have one criteria that pushes a show from good to great; if I leave feeling inspired to be creative. There is something in the human spirit that is spurred to creativity by the creativity of others. A perfect movie, a book that you flip over and start again after the last page, or something said from the heart that bypasses the brain and resonates, but particularly, at least for me, that something lives in music. In historic cases creative greatness inspired more greatness - The Beatles and The Beach Boys, Magic and Bird - but for the common man it stirs aspiration.
Hyperbole aside, that is largely how I felt after Bon Iver’s release show for ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’. It was a sight. The hometown crowd completely packed the smallish (read:intimate) venue that likely could have been sold out twice over as many were turned back into what was an abnormally cold night, even for northern Wisconsin. It was this particular incarnation of Bon Iver’s first time playing in Eau Claire, with Sean Carey on drums and backing vocals and wunderkind Mike Noyce on second guitar, auxiliary percussion, and backing vocals. And that guy Justin (Ben).
The sum of Justin’s reverb drenched vocals flanked by further reverb drenched harmonies combined with depth of instrumentation belying a three man operation produces a sound that seems bigger than the space it occupies. Simultaneously granting intimacy and evoking transcendence. Throughout show the audience was either rapt, studying the moment, or exuberantly participatory, mouthing words or chanting ‘what might have been lost’ as ‘The Wolves’ tore itself apart.
Bon Iver live is a separate but equal entity to the record, and that, in my estimation, is how it should be. The night seemed a fitting start to their first full-band national tour. Godspeed.
Here is a video of the song ‘Lump Sum’.
P.S.
As I have time and desire, I will try to post more of the show on youtube. Post your requests.
Also, here is an interview our friend Scott did with Justin for his radio show.
Comments 8
Very awesome.
Posted 14 Feb 2008 at 2:45 am ¶Guys,
Posted 15 Feb 2008 at 3:50 pm ¶The video looks really good. You made good use of both of the cameras. Also, the sound came out pretty well. Overall, this is the best video of anything I have seen, ever.
give me some “skinny love”
Posted 15 Feb 2008 at 4:50 pm ¶Dude. This was such a great show.
We need Stacks.
And for you to make audio files and release that recording, because you’re not going to get a better sounding recording than with a crowd of 160 who was respectful all night. I’d really love to see the video of Wolves, too, because I love how that gets worked up live. And Noyce’s soloing during Blindsided is excellent.
Posted 16 Feb 2008 at 4:06 pm ¶Thanks for posting that video… seeing him plug in that other guitar at the end is a real tease.
Posted 19 Feb 2008 at 12:24 pm ¶Was such a wonderful show and I truly agree with your sentiment, I left the show feeling numbingly happy.
It’d be great to have the wolves (I thought the crowd singing the chorus was gonna be corny and it was eerie and fantastic) and blind sided (because the guitar work was phenomenal) both up on youtube.
or actually if you have the whole show, be a friend
it’s a great way to share bon iver with first time listeners.
Posted 22 Feb 2008 at 2:30 pm ¶post The Wolves
Posted 22 Feb 2008 at 3:01 pm ¶Yea, that show was incredible.
Posted 03 Mar 2008 at 2:36 am ¶Post a Comment