They’ve been talking about this one all summer. Bon Iver’s only Irish gig of the year and a come back special for Justin Vernon to city he once called home. Return of the (prodigal) Mac.
The atmosphere inside the big top tent seems varying. Support act for the night Alela Diane struggles to overcome the hum of the nattering crowd who seem more interested in catching up on the week’s soap action. Unfortunately much of this drunken chatter continues for the foreseeable.
Shortly after 9:30 Bon Iver emerge to rapturous applause. “It’s good to be back” is the greeting we receive from a grizzly Vernon before the first notes of ‘Flume’ send the crowd into inharmonious bawls. ‘Lump Sum’ and ‘Creature Fear’ quickly follow with a cover of Yo La Tengo’s ‘I Feel Like Going Home’ thrown in for good measure. ‘Skinny Love’ is the song of audience choice for the night, so much so that one reveller to my right wants to hear it again. I bite my tongue.
This is supposed to be an almost spiritual experience. Sure, I had my hang-ups about seeing Bon Iver in such a large venue but respect where respect is due I thought. Unfortunately not tonight but that being said it doesn’t seem to affect the energy and feeling coming from the stage. The cry for Galway Girl is nearly the nail in my endurance coffin but a moving rendition of ‘Bloodbank’ shifts my attention. The sound is anything but clear, which could be intentional, but Vernon’s voice warms the murky night air like a stiff whisky to a wanting belly.
It’s been eight years since a fresh faced 19-year-old JV sold phones and busked here in Galway and according to the man himself “nothing has changed”. Bucky is still the drink of choice, madmen still lurk behind every rock at the Spanish arch and the Rosín Dubh is still where the cool kids hang. The only thing the wild Wisconsin Sasquatch can complain about is the lack of fried chicken carcass on Shop Street. “I come back here and all I want is a snack box…what’s with that?”
A rousing singing of happy birthday for baby faced guitar player Mike Noyce leaves each band member smiling like a Cheshire cat. Despite the unorthodox crowd this has been a special gig and its clear that the band, tired as they look, are all the better after it.
‘The Wolves (Acts I & II)’ bring the curtain down on the night and features spine tingling audience anticipation for the crescendo. “What might have been lost” are the words howled repeatedly by the pack as Vernon thanks us “from the bottom of (his) heart.” The circus tent empties… the animal are loose.
Steve Battle
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