Bon Iver / Kathleen Edwards

The 02 Academy in Birmingham has also been a great venue and so I was surprised to hear that Bon Iver, on his first time in Birmingham, had completely sold out the main room. Not only that, but arriving at the venue to see the audience already queuing an hour or so before the doors opened was another pointer that suggested that maybe this gig would be something special.



Support came from Kathleen Edwards whose blend of folk and country music opened up the show. Her confidence for the music she was performing was reflected in the smile on her face and how she spoke with the audience. She had appeared to have mastered her art in such a passionate way that nothing felt too much for her. She eased through her songs, yet forgetting the lyrics to one of her songs she joked "...I have played this song so many times! Even in rehearsals..." she managed to get back on track and laugh off the mishap. A sign of a professional. Kathleen Edwards voice was enchanting and it was easy to see why she has had such an outstanding career.

Having previously heard a handful of Bon Iver's songs due to the constant persistence of my sister, I had some idea of what I would see and hear. When the band emerged and in particular Justin Vernon (lead singer) I couldn't help but notice how the faces of the fans surrounding me had either welled up with emotion or mouths wide open in awe. Could this band really bring on this much emotion from both men and women? The band's structure contains 8 members who all contribute significantly into thrusting their music into the faces of every audience member. The set demonstrated the phenomenal power of the Bon Iver set up from the truly inspiring 'Holocene', with the lyric "I was not magnificent" to the stunning explosion of 'Perth' which opened the show.



A favourite of the night was 'Wash'. I loved this song and it harnessed everything that I adore about live music. Starting off so elegantly with a keyboard, then add in a violin, then trumpets and finally the drums. It built on the simple and became a complex, intriguing piece of music. Vernon's vocals and the instrumental connected together so easily that it seemed as though the piece just appeared and it couldn't have been made. It was just there, ready.

Bon Iver continued the set and the audience were treated to a solo performance by Justin Vernon with 'RE:Stacks' which brought him out from the depths of some songs with guitars, trumpets and drums. His voice was released and rightly so deserved the spotlight and adoration that it received. For a man who towers above the rest with his 'gentle giant' appearance, he sits and appears so gracious for the applause and love that is felt for him and his band.

'Skinny Love' was the song which introduced me to Bon Iver. Covered recently in the UK by 'Birdy', the original by Bon Iver is sadly not always recognised as being theirs due to the consistent airplay of the 'Birdy' version. It is a sad feat of the UK Music scene when this band gets overlooked for popularity. However, that aside, the live version which I saw before me disregarded the 'Birdy' version. With Justin Vernon on guitar and lead vocals with the rest of the band supporting him on vocals created a musical explosion which excited the soul. It looked and sounded so simple, with the audience being brought in close for an intimate showing yet the room was shook to the core. A standing ovation twice for Bon Iver brought the band back onto the stage for an encore which saw them perform 'For Emma' and 'Wolves' and I felt myself pining for more, not wanting the band to go off the stage for the final time.



I can honestly say that I have never been to a gig where the audience were so respectful to the artist - minus the one idiot who happened to be stood behind me - the luck! Yet he was so quickly shut down by the 20 people around him. To talk at this gig during a song was an unforgivable sin. Tonight was all about the music and the room was silent throughout the songs and while Justin Vernon spoke. As we left, the shaking of heads and tears of joy I saw showed how much the gig had meant to so many. There was disbelief of what they had witnessed which then turned to sheer happiness and then suddenly panic of when they would see Bon Iver next.

What I really like about Bon Iver is that their music is relatable. Whatever mood the listener is in, a song can be found which perfectly suit's the situation. But not only that, but one song can adapt to fit an array of moods. Justin Vernon's voice is magical, comforting and soothing one second and then rocky and passionate.

There are no frills with this band. Each member is an incredible musician and the way in which the songs are put together beautifully demonstrates the musical abilities of each. The gig wasn't just about seeing a band, it was about living the songs and the music. It was about getting lost for an hour and a half and not wanting to be found.

FUTURE GIGS

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