Bon Iver may not be a big fan of the Grammys at the moment, but that hasn’t kept him from being on a pre-Awards blitz this month. Justin Vernon’s stop-offs included his first appearance on “Saturday Night Live” over the weekend, performing his Grammy-nominated track “Holocene” and “Beth/Rest,” both from his sophomore full-length “Bon Iver.”
The soft-rock songs may feel sparse on record, but Vernon’s eight-piece backing band made an example of how involved the production was. Check out the percussive elements of “Holocene,” and take a deep breath. “Beth/Rest,” the Jagjaguwar band’s best impression homage to Steve Winwood is a rare performance of Vernon not singing in falsetto, which may be why it was chosen as the second track.
Bon Iver also has some live shows to pump up. The crew is heading to Coachella, Sasquatch and New Orleans Jazz Fest and skedded a few dates in between. Check those out after the videos below. All Tiny Creatures — hailing, too, from Vernon’s homestate of Wisconsin — have been tapped to open select stops.
Bon Iver is up for four Grammy Awards at next Sunday’s (Feb. 12) ceremony, including Best New Artist. Check out Melinda Newman’s estimation if Vernon can actually take that trophy home.