Bon Iver Wiltern Concert Review 9/25/09

We came late to Wiltern, missing the opening act, but right on time for Bon Iver. The venue was packed, and you could feel the immense energy of the crowd.

Everybody was super psyched to finally hear Justin Vernon and his angelic falsseto voice!

Here's the setlist:

1) Lump Sum

2) Flume

3) Blood Bank

4) Re: Stacks Racks

5) Blindsided

6) Miscellaneous improv

7) Beach Baby

8) For Emma

9) Skinny Love

10) Wolves

They were then joined onstage by Megafaun for 2 encores, both of which were bluegrass covers.

Highlights:

1) We saw the azn lady from Grey's Anatomy. She was there chillen, enjoying the tunes.

3) As Justin sang the first words of Lump Sum, I got major chills. There's something quite magical in hearing your favorite artist live after months of listening to the record.

4) The crowd joined in to sing the ending of Wolves, and it was fucking epic. Bon Iver gets labeled as a soft, laid back band, but the energy of that moment was massive.

2) After the show, Bubar and I chilled at the Wiltern's stage entrance, and luckily got the chance to speak with Mike Noyce of Bon Iver and the Brad Cook of Megafaun. Speaking to Mike was really interesting, partly because he's really babyfaced (looks like a tween version of Sukin lol). We asked him about the upcoming grave yard show, and it seemed he didn't know more about it than we did. He said it was their agency's idea to book them that eccentric gig, and continued to express that all his fellow band members were worried about how their 7:00 am vocal performances would turn out.

Here's out conversation with Brad Cook:

Phat Fellas: Yoooo, any sweet coke parties on the road with Bon Iver?

Brad Cook: Na dude, we eat healthy and go to bed at reasonable hours.

P.F: But you would party with the Crüe back in '86 if you had the chance, right?

B.C: Yeah, most likely.

P.F: Seriously though, how is it touring with Justin and the rest of Bon Iver?

B.C: Well, we were all buds growing up in Wisconsin, so we've played together for years.

I'm just glad that everybody is finally responding to Justin's music, he's worked so hard.