David Emery OnlineBon Iver at St Giles Church
5 June 2008
Well, I’ve been a bit busy recently and for that I apologise. Hopefully now I may well be past the main hump of stuff that has kept me far too occupied, of which I will show you some of shortly. Of course, every time I think things may get quieter they get busier, but it’s far better to be busy, isn’t it?
It’s not all work work work though – there’s been plenty gig going and music watching eating into my time as well. Last night was bar far and away the highlight though, with Bon Iver playing St Giles Church in central London. I’ve gone on about Bon Iver here before and with good reason – his album, ‘For Emma Forever Ago’ is probably my favourite album of the year, packed full of amazingness (which should really be a word).
It’s a beautiful piece of work.
Somehow though, live it manages to be even better; I’d go as far as to say that yesterday may well be my favourite gig of the year – if not the last few years, for that matter – with only Radiohead at the BBC running it close. The setting – a proper, active church – was perfect, and the audience was hanging on every note; you could have heard a pin drop. Not only that, but live the songs seem to take on even more power and more emotion, helped out by the two other musicians (Bon Iver is actually a guy named Justin Vernon) pitching in with three part harmonies.
I’ve never heard such an amazing reaction from an audience as well – it was verging on a standing ovation after every song. Particularly impressive when you consider that the audience had a significant amount of media and press amongst its number – never a set of people that seem to care to much at a gig (although that was no doubt helped by the lack of a bar – it’s a church!).
He’s back playing in London in September – I can’t recommend it highly enough.
