Today, Bon Iver captivated the audience at a rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, showing their support for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. The band performed popular songs including “Towers,” “666 ʇ,” and “Flume,” culminating their set with a powerful rendition of “The Battle Cry of Freedom,” a historic patriotic anthem from the Civil War era.
Before the performance, frontman Justin Vernon shared his thoughts with the crowd, stating, “We’re gonna close out here with a nice, old, patriotic song that’s been rolling around in my head these past months. I love this melody and I love y’all. I appreciate you. We’re here for the right reasons and we all know what we’re here for, so we’re going to do our thing, make this music, and make way for the people that we need to hear from.”
In a statement regarding their participation in the rally, Bon Iver emphasized the importance of supporting a candidate committed to fighting for women’s and LGBTQ+ rights, highlighting the need for dignity and respect in leadership.
This performance continues Bon Iver’s longstanding commitment to political engagement at both local and national levels. Earlier this year, the band backed Democrat Nick Butler’s campaign for local office, and Vernon was notably active in advocating for Bernie Sanders during the 2016 and 2020 elections. Additionally, the band promotes nonpartisan voter registration initiatives, including efforts at the Eaux Claires Music Festival, which Vernon co-founded.
