Last week, Bon Iver and Vampire Weekend announced that they’d be performing two Iowa caucus concerts in support of presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders, and at last night’s (January 31, 2020) performance in Clive, Iowa, the Wisconsin band finally delivered on their promise for a night of politically-focused good vibes.
Justin Vernon performed and career-spanning, eight-song set, which included a pair of covers from none other than Bob Dylan. The songwriter opened with a solo acoustic rendition of Dylan’s The Times They Are a Chaingin’ cut “With God on Our Side,” followed by a setlist of originals including “Flume,” “Towers,” “Blood Bank,” and “For Emma.” Elsewhere in his set, he covered Leon Russell’s “A Song for You” before closing out the night with another Dylan classic: “The Times They Are-a-Changin’.”
Bon Iver shared a statement with his original announcement, which included a few words of praise for the Vermont senator. “There are promises in our constitutional language that are being superseded by money and greed in this country,” Vernon shared. “I believe that Senator Sanders is the only one that has the pedigree, the experience, the courage, and the undying spirit to begin to put these obstacles of freedom to rest.”
Watch Vernon’s Iowa performance below starting around the 3:02:00 mark.
Sen. @BernieSanders tells a crowd in Iowa that the Impeachment trial has made it impossible to be here for tonight’s rally featuring the band Bon Iver- but he still set the stakes for Monday.
“If we have low voter turnout we will lose- If we have high voter turnout we will win.” pic.twitter.com/olBlUA3KmD— Ryan Nobles (@ryanobles) February 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/blobtower/status/1223475308126404613
Bon Iver setlist:
“With God On Our Side” (Bob Dylan Cover)
”Towers”
”Heavenly Father”
”Flume”
“A Song For You” (Leon Russell Cover)
”Blood Bank”
”For Emma”
“The Times They Are a Changin’” (Bob Dylan Cover)