Justin Vernon turned the Eaux Claires Festival into a one-day music event for the ages on Saturday. The Bon Iver frontman debuted a new persona called“Bon Dylan”by performing 15 Bob Dylan covers from across the legend’s massive catalog. The set included classics like‘Tangled Up In Blue’and‘Knockin’On Heaven’s Door’, with help from a large band featuring Sean Carey, Phil Cook, and Monica Martin. Vernon told the crowd,“I thought it’d be cool to try to be Bob Dylan for a night.”
But the surprises didn’t stop there. Earlier in the day, Vernon played a rare solo set of Bon Iver material, giving fans an intimate experience before the full-band Dylan tribute. It’s the kind of creative risk that defines the Eaux Claires Festival, which was co-founded by The National’s Aaron Dessner. Bon Iver’s most recent album,‘SABLE, fABLE’, was released in April 2025, but this solo performance has fans wondering if new music might be on the way.
What do you think: would you travel to a festival just for a surprise set like this, or do you need the full lineup?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.