Last week, Justin Vernon’s Bon Iver performed a series of stunning performances at the Sydney Opera House for Vivid Live. It’s been some time, however, since he premiered any new music, having officially noted that Bon Iver was taking a break back in 2012.
This August, Vernon is set to curate his second annual Eaux Claires Festival alongside Aaron Dessner of The National. The festival takes place in his hometown of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and will feature sets from Bon Iver, James Blake, Erykah Badu, Deafheaven and many more.
Back in February, Vernon confirmed that he was working on new material. In an interview with Billboard he noted, “You know, we’re not just gonna play the same set we did last year. I’ve been working on music, you know, man. It takes a long time, and I’m not sure exactly what it is or what it means to me, and until that happens I won’t really know exactly what sharing it will look like or feel like or when. There’s sort of this internal pressure, not from anybody but myself, to come out with new music for the festival. But I’m not gonna make myself do anything. I really have to take it step by step and have patience and know that the music—if it comes out, it’s gotta be really true, it’s gotta really live with the other records and extend from them and be reborn and all that.”
Today, Vernon has now confirmed the news via Twitter that the set will indeed contain long-awaited new music. It will largely be their first new music since their self-titled album released back in 2011.
hey
for anyone who wants to know…
Bon Iver will be playing a set made of NEW music this august @EauxClairesWI— blobtower (@blobtower) June 9, 2016
For those interested in what his live performance is looking like these days, check out this incredible footage filmed at his Sydney shows last week. The filmed tracks are Michicant from Bon Iver, Creature Fear from For Emma, Forever Ago, and Heavenly Father, a 2014 standalone single recorded for Zach Braff’s film Wish I Was Here. The acapella Heavenly Father is particularly stunning – enjoy.
We’re excited to announce that Howl & Echoes will be on ground and reporting live from Eaux Claires this August – so keep your eyes peeled for fresh footage!
Read our Flashback Friday feature on Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago
Image: Youtube