Cutting through the density of American indie folk in the late 2000s, Wisconsin outfit Bon Iver solidified their position as one of those acts that everyone just seems to love, no matter what. From chin-stroking hipsters to hip-hop aficionados, once lead singer Justin Vernon started letting loose with his uniquely soothing, gravelly vocals it was game over; many grown men have wept to ‘Skinny Love’ without knowing why. Ready to weep again? Today Bon Iver has announced a six-date Australian tour, set to crawl across February and March 2023 with shows in Sydney, Hobart, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Adelaide.
Bon Iver last toured Australia in 2009 and only returned back in 2016 to perform at the Sydney Opera House as part of that year’s Vivid LIVE program. As such, this will be the first time in 11 years that the band has graced a stage in Brisbane and Melbourne, no doubt meaning tickets in both cities will be snapped up quite quickly by fans craving that deeply revered indie folk that made albums like For Emma, Forever Ago and I, I such unfailing charmers.
While Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane will be getting more intimate headline shows at some of the best theatres in Australia, the rest of the Bon Iver Australian tour will be made up of sets at some of the country’s best festivals, including Hobart’s MONA FOMA, Perth Festival, and WOMADelaide.
Vernon, whose slick vocals saw him work extensively with Kanye West on projects like My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Yeezus, then Travis Scott, Vince Staples, Eminem, as well as Taylor Swift, will be leading the band, of course. Although who else will be making up Bon Iver is anyone’s guess. While the most recent Bon Iver album featured contributions from notable musicians Sean Carey, Andrew Fitzpatrick, Mike Lewis, and Matt McCaughan, the list of music makers backing Vernon is known to change regularly.
Bon Iver joins a list of big-ticket acts touring Australia in the first three months of 2023. Other acts that have already announced tours for the new year include Red Hot Chilli Peppers with Post Malone, Arctic Monkeys, Freddie Gibbs, and Elton John. Also on the cards is a new throwback R&B festival headlined by Ja Rule and Nelly.
Bon Iver Australia Tour 2023
Friday, February 17th – Aware Super Theatre, Sydney
Tuesday, February 21st – MONA FOMA, Hobart
Sunday, February 26th – Perth Festival, Perth
Thursday, March 2nd – Riverstage, Brisbane
Saturday, March 4th – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne
Friday, March 10th – WOMADelaide, Adelaide
Anyone who wants to grab a ticket to the Bon Iver Australian tour early can do so during a pre-sale that kicks off at 9 AM local time on Thursday, August 25th. The general sale will begin at 9 AM local time on Friday, August 26th.
