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Bon Iver Live @ The Turf

Posted at 10:29 AM on January 18, 2008 by Lindsay Kimball (11 Comments)

I know it's only mid-January and seems too early to call, but I have a feeling the sold out Bon Iver / Pines / Roma di Luna show at the Turf Club will go down as my favorite show of the year. Here's a rundown of what went down.

Set list:
Flume
Lump Sum
Skinny Love
The Wolves (Act I and II)
Blindsided
Creature Fear
Team
For Emma
Re: Stacks
(Yes, they were played in the same order as they are on the record.)

Photos from Staciaann Photography

Fave moments:
- During "The Wolves (Act I and II)" the entirety of the Turf Club was powerfully singing along with the phrase "what might have been lost" while the three in Bon Iver pushed back with guitar distortion, drums, harmonies that collided into sonic goodness and goosebumps.
- They played "Creature Fear" last night. While this was my first Bon Iver show, I hear this one doesn't get played much. It starts out timid and builds throughout to end with explosive drums.
- Ending the set solo with the last track on the record, "RE: Stacks," a quiet and delicate song set against the background of a silent Turf Club.

Did you catch the show last night? What'd you think? What were your fave moments?

Comments (11)

I felt like they didn't quite get their footing until midway in. Consequently, I would have liked to have heard songs like "Flume" and "Skinny Love" later in the set, when they really started to cook. I'll agree, though, that "RE:Stacks" was perfectly placed and performed--and the audience was so hushed and reverent for that one. You can tell--from the performance of that song and from the in-studio yesterday--that he is most comfortable, most at home in his body and the music, when performing alone. But I like what the band brought to the music, too. Overall it was a great lineup with those three acts, a refreshingly well-behaved audience, and just a good feeling all around. And it's always nice to see you at a show, Linds!

Posted by Jacquie Fuller | January 18, 2008 12:34 PM

I can see putting Flume or Skinny Love later in the set because they are catchy "hits" for lack of a better term, but one of my fave parts of the show was that set list followed the track listing. I was actually chatting with a friend about the show earlier in the day and mentioned that I'd LOVE if the show was just the album from top to bottom.

Posted by Lindsay Kimball | January 18, 2008 12:57 PM

I missed out on the show, but Bon Iver must have been sending out some supernatural vibes last night, because I was in bed for an hour last night with "Skinny Love" going through my head over and over and over.

Posted by Mac Wilson | January 18, 2008 1:03 PM

fwiw, while they did play a longer jam/outro out of Creature Fear, i don't think i'd technically say they played "Team", as if you listen to that instrumental track on the album, they piece they played wasn't even close to that structure.

it's nitpicking i know, but far as i'm aware, Team, as it appears on the album anyway, hasn't been played live (maybe Justin can correct me if i'm wrong).

but yes, it was a fabulous show and probably the best of the 4 i've seen him do so far.

although i missed the horns from the Eau Claire & Uptown Bar shows, those were a nice touch.

Posted by solace | January 18, 2008 2:30 PM

Yea, I pondered whether or not that was "Team." Was it an extended jam (like you said) or was it "Team?" Good to be nitpicky.

Eau Claire on Feb. 10th. Anyone making the drive?

Posted by Lindsay Kimball | January 18, 2008 3:09 PM

me.

shocking i know ;)

Posted by solace | January 18, 2008 3:11 PM

I'll be at the Eau Claire show on Feb 10th too. It'll be my 5th Bon Iver show, assuming I don't see him in Milwaukee tomorrow. :-)

Posted by Aaron | January 18, 2008 3:48 PM

haha.

trying to one up me eh?

well i guess i'll just have to catch like all 7 or however many SXSW shows he ends up playing... :P

j/k

if it wasn't going to be sub-zero temps, i'd totally go ton Milwaukee tomorrow, no questions asked.

Posted by solace | January 18, 2008 5:43 PM

fyi... The Nucleus, where he's playing in EC, can only hold about 100 people. Don't know why they decided to do the show there. Didn't he do the cd release for the original pressing of the disc at the House of Rock? Why isn't he playing there on 02/10? I think, especially in his hometown, they could have planned that better. The Nucleus is alright but I generally skip shows there due to the abundance of young'ins.

Posted by Jack | January 21, 2008 9:51 AM

Jack,

yeah, at the 2nd night of the DeYarmond reunion shows that Justin also opened in October, the Nucleus was sold out (about 130 or so), but then I also went and saw him open for Land of Talk at the Nucleus like a few weeks after that and there was maybe 35-40 people there tops, so who knows.

Justin is friends w/ the people who run the Nucleus and his manager now also books it, so that's why it's there. It's just kind of a full tour kickoff/sendoff show.

Apparently the House of Rock is under newer management too, so that could also be why.

Posted by solace | January 22, 2008 9:51 AM

That performance of "Wolves" will go down as one of my favorite rock moments of all time.

Posted by Truetone | January 22, 2008 10:00 AM

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