Saturday, December 17th 2011

Shows:  Bon Iver

Bon Iver Warms Chicago With Nuanced Evolution

By Paul Vinas

In 2008 Bon Iver was simply an alias for Justin Vernon, an indie folk singer with some well documented time on his hands. As critics and fans praised For Emma, Forever Ago, many wondered what would come next. Friday night at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, they eclipsed any expectations with a 17-song set that capped off an unbelievable year, and introduced us to a band that is only getting better. Given the growth and development on this year’s self-titled Bon Iver, the challenge to blend two different dynamics would bury most bands. The 2011 version of Bon Iver, now a 9-piece band, made it seem effortless while playing to an adoring crowd.

If you are a fan of the new album, it would be impossible to complain, as the entire record was played in small clusters. Opening with Perth, the military drum roll filled the venue. While most bands will have two guitar players, few have two drum kits. All the elements of Towers came together, from the meandering slide guitar to the subtle horns and shuffling drums, it has to be the next single. Creature Fear came next and the reaction was unbelievable. Starting with a haunting trumpet intro, the howls and acoustic guitar barely made it through the first verse before other instruments joined in, concluding with an eruption of sound and hammering lights.

I have to give them credit for building the older material so organically. A striking horn here, a cymbal crash there and you have a fuller sound without disturbing the song structure. Throughout the night, members would accent notes and create textures that were undoubtedly missing from the first album. The understated piano and strings of Wash were a definite highlight. I never paid much attention to the song, but its focus and tone was a gorgeous lead to Holocene. The Grammy nominee for Song of the Year stretched as far back into the crowd as possible, making the lyrics “I could see for miles, miles, miles” seem infinite.

A solo version of Re: Stacks gave fans a chance to see how far the band has come with Justin and a guitar sitting on an empty stage. Band members filtered in as Calgary weaved its way into Lisbon, OH and finally, Beth/Rest. There is a definite finality to Beth/Rest, when played live it comes across as a declaration and the line “I ain’t living in the dark no more” seems so confident and comforting. Despite confusing lyrics and a dizzying vocals, The Wolves (Act I and II) has become a sing-a-long and fan favorite that creates a frenzy I have rarely seen. Over the course of 5 minutes, the song went from a simple acoustic guitar with a deafening gunshot drum beat to an echoing “what might have been lost” from the crowd.

After a quick break, the band returned for a three-song encore of older material. The focus was obvious, as Flume continued to give fans a chance to sing and wind down. Skinny Love followed suit with all band members huddled around 2 microphone stands, providing backing vocals and hand claps. When the closer For Emma started, the horns almost lead you right out the door. With the stage a blinding white, it seemed as though you were waking up from a dream, or at least preparing for a sudden dose of reality. It’s hard to warm up a crowd in Chicago in the middle of December, but Bon Iver did just that. True to their name, it will certainly be a “good winter”.

Setlist:

Perth
Minnesota, WI
Towers
Michicant
Creature Fear
Hinnom, TX
Wash
Holocene
Blood Bank
Re: Stacks
Calgary
Lisbon, OH
Beth/Rest
The Wolves (Act I and II)

Encore:
Flume
Skinny Love
For Emma