Bon Iver is a thing. Bon Iver is a wonderful Wisconsin thing.
To most people, Bon Iver is Justin Vernon – the man, the myth, the legendary Wisconsin musician who recorded an epic album while hibernating in a cabin in our own northwoods. But on Saturday night, it was clear that Bon Iver has become, in Justin’s own words, “something bigger.” No longer a solitary man grieving with his guitar, Justin made it a point to announce that Bon Iver was a thing – something he attributed to his Eau Claire roots. “Growing up around here, you learn that you are not one thing. You are a part of something bigger,” he explained, after stating how good it felt to be back home on Wisconsin soil.
On, Wisconsin! Bon Iver's last stop here was back in 2008 at the Barrymore, so he was well overdue for a Madison show. The Orpheum's majestic-but-cozy setting was a fitting venue for Bon Iver's homegrown sound. And if you hadn't seen Bon Iver since his last show in Madison, you were probably surprised by the number of people on stage. Justin was accompanied by a slew of talented musicians, yielding an array of brass & stringed instruments. The ease with which Justin & crew could transition from the quiet, haunting emotion of For Emma tracks like “Re: Stacks” to the orchestral anthems of Bon Iver like “Holocene” was impressive. The highlight of the show for me was the last song (pre-encore), the audience-interactive "The Wolves (Act I and II)."Hearing the crowd sing "what might've been lost" before howling together in the outro provided a beautiful choir of Midwestern voices emanating from within the Orpheum.
The encore included a clap-happy rendition of "Skinny Love" (which seemed to satisfy the bros standing next to me), as well as the beatboxing-Bjork cover “Who Is It” that they’ve been peddling on this tour (we love you, Reggie). With four Grammy nominations (Best New Artist, Best Alternative Music Album, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year), as well as legions of fans at sold-out shows across the country, the rest of the world is starting to know what we do - Bon Iver is a wonderful (Wisconsin) thing.
There's no denying that Bon Iver evokes emotions. The guy standing next to me summed it up well when the house lights came on: “Well, I only cried twice.”
The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, it is another gorgeous Monday, fit for another great show at the Crystal Corner tonight.
Through locking ourselves in the barn on Irish Lane, tossing some ideas around, as well as a few choice beverages to...
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Artist: Alchemilla
Hail From: Boston
Song: 'The Wheel'
Album: Diamonds From The Penny Arcade
Sounds Like: Hole, Pearl Jam
In Their Words: "Alchemilla had been trying to write a ballad for a little while but it wasn't happening. There...
The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, it is another gorgeous Monday, fit for another great show at the Crystal Corner tonight.
Through locking ourselves in the barn on Irish Lane, tossing some ideas around, as well as a few choice beverages to...
Hey everybody, we were thrown for a loop by the twist this week, but were able to make one of our "oldie but a goldie" songs fit the mold.
We have a few songs that we have played consistently over the years, and we are very happy that we will be...
We just received word of what this weeks twist is, and...oh boy. We need to take our "signature song" and cut it to only 2:30 without going over. Amberstein does not simply play 2:30 versions of our songs...so this could be interesting.
Last...
In 1984, Rockwell rose to number 2 for 3 weeks in 1984 with "Somebody's Watching Me." The backup singer for the song was Michael Jackson. How did Rockwell get Jackson to help him? Well, Rockwell's real name is Kennedy William Gordy and he...
Have you heard the song "Rumble and Sway" yet on Triple M?
The singer sounds like a raspy blues dude who's definitely been around the block a few times....but surprisingly, Jamie N. Commons is only 23 years old!
He was born in England, but...
Last week, I decided I would try one new, healthy food a week, and asked my facebook friends to make some suggestions.
The first thing I tried was mango. I'm sure I've had other mango flavored things, and mango as part of something else, but...
There's only one thing that might be worse than the Neil Diamond/Barbra Streisand duet "You Don't Bring Me Flowers." And that's Jonathan Suttin doing his best crooning...doing both parts. Most unpleasant.
A lot of people liked this song...
Artist: Alchemilla
Hail From: Boston
Song: 'The Wheel'
Album: Diamonds From The Penny Arcade
Sounds Like: Hole, Pearl Jam
In Their Words: "Alchemilla had been trying to write a ballad for a little while but it wasn't happening. There...
