NEW YORK (AFP) ― The front man of Bon Iver, who won critical acclaim for his emotionally resonant indie folk rock, has announced a festival that promises to throw a spotlight on new music.
Justin Vernon announced the inaugural festival to take place on July 17-18 in his hometown of Eau Claire in the Upper Midwestern state of Wisconsin, known for its scenic landscape of forest, rivers and lakes.
“After several years of touring and playing music festivals of all different types around the world, I wanted to put together an event that would honor what we love about this place,” he said in a statement.
The singer-songwriter said that the festival ― to be called “Eaux Claires” in a play on his hometown’s original French name, which means “clear water” ― would be within view of the Chippewa River and have one of the “most diverse and special festival lineups of the year.”
Vernon ― then struggling with illness, relationship troubles and a lackluster career ― locked himself in a cabin in Wisconsin for three months in 2007 to write Bon Iver’s debut album, “For Emma, Forever Ago.”
The independent album gradually won acclaim for the emotional power of songs such as “Skinny Love.” Bon Iver’s self-titled follow-up album in 2012 won two Grammys.
Eaux Claires comes amid a surge in the number of U.S. summer music festivals, which increasingly have become vital dates on musicians’ calendars.
Next year will see the inaugural U.S. edition of Rock in Rio, a grandiose festival to be held at a specially built venue in Las Vegas, while smaller festivals increasingly are popping up across the United States.
