Bon Iver

When Bon Iver won a Grammy for Best New Artist earlier this year, most people who bothered to watch the awards ceremony had probably never heard of the band. But for the past six years, Justin Vernon has been touring and releasing albums with a small group of collaborators. Bon Iver’s debut album, 2008’s For Emma, Forever Ago, had a hushed grace and delicacy that was reminiscent of early Iron & Wine with its use of organic textures and overall sense of melancholic isolation. In 2011, Bon Iver released its self-titled sophomore effort, and while not exactly breaking with form, the songwriting on that album showed a keener ear for layers, as well as expanding on the band’s penchant for creating poignant moods and a cinematic quality in each song. In other words, perfect for Red Rocks.