Bon Iver.
Performing: June 30, 2009
D:Ream once said, Things Can Only Get Better and he was right… More sun, more bands and more cider were the order of the day for Tuesday night in the land of Serpentine…
The Villagers, who usually perform as a 4-piece band, were reduced to the sole talents of Conor J. O’Brien, the founder, lyricist and singer – his Lennonesque vocal style soaked in Nick Drake guitar arrangements revealing folk-centered soul songs surrounded by epic pop arrangements. Last track Home showed what a talent he really is, with one foot in the past always looking forward.
Passing the kitsch baton on from Monday night, Beth Jeans Houghton was donning a tram conductors hat fashioned with her initials and a one-piece leather circus tailored outfit and hot pants, evocative of pre-11:11 era Regina Spektor. Vocally she takes on a different persona, more Nico and Laura Marling while the music sways between oompa brass band to banjo driven pop all with killer tunes.
Kicking off in the big top was Canada’s Alela Diane, her silky voice washed over us like an ocean wave breaking at your feet. Her voiced soared majestically all done rather breezily and driven by the kind of off-kilter melodies you’d expect from someone like Wilco.
Back to the bandstand and the It Hugs Back trio are playing their fuzzy lo-fi set to a very chilled sun soaked audience. The breathy sighed vocals and twinkling jazz guitar of Yo La Tengo being punched through by a venomous beat and thumping bassline. They end with R&B classic ‘Farmer John’ written by Don & Dewey, a well-travelled standard once performed by Neil Young.
And then for the ghostly Americana of everyone’s favourite word-of-mouth sensation, Bon Iver. For those who don’t think his music can translate from the wood cabin high in the darkest forests of Northern America to central London, you are wrong. His hauntingly eerie set found a home amongst an adorning crowd in a tent in Hyde Park, we could have been transported up with the ferns for all we knew. A beautiful rendition of Dark Was The Night non-album track Brackett WI didn't sound out of place nestled alongside favourites Skinny Love and Flume.
The more upbeat tracks were littered amongst the set, the band only stopping occasionally to thank the audience for supporting them on their journey, “We all come from somewhere” Justin Vernon cooed, “whether it be the back seat of a car or a the inside of a cinema”, before breaking into ‘Babies’.
Highlight of the set would have to be the an inspirational rendition of The Wolves (Act I and II), gently gathering pace before the entire crowd began chanting “what might have been lost” gradually swelling in volume, reaching a heady crescendo from the band and cheers from the audience.
Returning to the stage for the encore, all four band members came centre stage and crouched around one microphone leaving the guitarist to take lead on the vocal to The Jayhawks Tampa to Tulsa, the remainder of the band joining in three part harmonies for the chorus, before ending the night with Lump Sum.
He may not be back in London for quite some time, but he won’t be forgotten in a rush either.
