We knew Justin Vernon was a Minnesota Wild fan, but we didn't foresee him adding a date at their home arena on his slate of upcoming fall tour dates with Bon Iver.
The indie-rock guru from Eau Claire, Wis., released two new songs on Monday morning along with a list of new concerts, including an Oct. 3 date at Xcel Energy Center. Tickets go on sale Friday at noon via Ticketmaster or the arena box office at prices yet to be announced. Pre-sale options start Wednesday.
Vernon's longtime pal Feist, who joined him at his Eaux Claires Festival in 2017, will open the show.
The new tracks (posted below) are the first by Bon Iver since the 2016 album, "22, A Million." One is a gospel-y piano anthem "U (Man Like)" featuring his longtime pals Moses Sumney and Bruce Hornsby, and the other is a more ethereal, traditionally Bon Iver-y tune called "Hey, Ma." They are said to be from an upcoming album, but details of the record were not announced with the song.
Vernon did issue a press release with the new dates and music that read, "This project began with a single person, but throughout the last 11 years, the identity of Bon Iver has bloomed and can only be defined by the faces in the ever growing family we are."
Bon Iver is already set to play Summerfest in Milwaukee on June 29. The new itinerary of U.S. dates kicks off Aug. 31 in Missoula and includes dates at Red Rocks near Denver on Sept. 3, the Gorge Amphitheater near Seattle on Sept. 6 and the Forum in Los Angeles on Sept. 15. Right after St. Paul, he heads to Allstate Arena near Chicago on Oct. 4.
