I never wish bad things on anyone, but we might never have experienced Bon Iver's first album For Emma, Forever Ago had singer-songwriter Justin Vernon not experienced some serious adversity in his life. After breakups with his girlfriend/band and a bad bout of mono, Vernon withdrew into his father's cabin in Wisconsin where he wrote and recorded haunting songs like Skinny Love and Flume. The album was picked up by indie label Jagjaguwar and was extremely well received, making the best album charts in Pitchfork, Rolling Stone and Spin.
The bands second album Bon Iver, Bon Iver took a different route than it first. Vernon has said that each song on the album represents a place. It takes you on a journey, with Vernon's voice as your guide, accompanied by a diverse range of music arrangements. Having long been accepted by the indie/alternative music community, the album catapulted the group to two Grammy wins in 2012 for "best new artist" and "best alternative album." And thus, Bon Iver became a household name.
As a part of their European tour, Bon Iver will be performing July 27 at the beautiful Poble Espanyol. British 'folktronic' artist Beth Orton will accompany the group. Bon Iver performed at Primavera Sound in 2008, but this is their first time playing in Barcelona outside of a music festival. For me, the idea of Vernon's voice echoing off the history laced walls of Poble Espanyol just seems like a dream. On a somber last note, tickets are sold out. Hey, there's always next time.
For more information on Bon Iver check out their website: http://boniver.org/
