Music

A Bon Hiver for Eaux Claires

Ani DiFranco and more converge for winter version of Eaux Claires Nov. 21-24

Eric Christenson |

BRACE YOURSELF? WINTER IS COMING ... TO EAUX CLAIRES. A unique, multi-part mini festival will have to tide Eaux Claires fans over for 2019.
BRACE YOURSELF? WINTER IS COMING ... TO EAUX CLAIRES. A unique, multi-part mini festival will have to tide Eaux Claires fans over for 2019.

The organizers of the Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival have announced the full details and lineup for Eaux Claires Hiver, a special winter extension of the fest happening at the Pablo Center at the Confluence and various venues Nov. 21-24. The festival also announced that Eaux Claires V will return in July 2020, though without specific dates or lineup info quite yet.

“She is a mind-blowing songwriter and inspiration. I want to ask her the questions I’ve always wanted to ask her.” – Justin Vernon on Ani DiFranco

Eaux Claires Hiver covers four days of immersive performances, talks, and other things from a lineup of artists including Ani DiFranco, Pieta Brown, Jon Hopkins, Aaron Dessner, Poliça, William Britelle, and various Justin Vernon projects, among others.

There’s seems to be three chunks to this thing. The first two are an opening kickoff talk between Justin Vernon and Ani DiFranco on Nov. 21, then two days of 37d03d (pronounced “people”) performances where tons of artists will present music, literature, and visual art Nov. 22-23. These will overlap with the third chunk happening Nov. 22-24, when Vernon and TU Dance will present their collaborative stage show “Come Through” (which was announced earlier this year and for which tickets are already on sale).

DiFranco and Vernon’s talk on Nov. 21 in the RCU Theatre is a separate ticket price (ranging from $30 to $100) and will reportedly include some music and special guests, of course.



“Ani DiFranco is the first person I ever heard of who wrote, arranged, engineered, mixed, and released her own music,” says Vernon in the festival’s press release. “She is a mind-blowing songwriter and inspiration. I want to ask her the questions I’ve always wanted to ask her; about her journey, her hardships, and victories. And I want an audience there because the answers will be too special to hold on to as one person. AND ... there will be some music ... and surprise guests.”

Then for the next two days, 37d03d performances will happen in various venues Nov. 22-23. The idea is that this is a residency of sorts where artists on the lineup will collaborate, brew up ideas, perform with each other, and learn in front of an audience – with the intent of birthing or informing some art for Eaux Claires V when it happens in 2020. Here’s the thing, though: there are only 500 two-day tickets available – at $80 a pop – that cover all events after 6pm Nov. 22 and 23, so get ’em fast.

Tickets for Ani DiFranco and Justin Vernon in Conversation, the two-day 37d03d performances (separate tickets), and “Come Through” are all on sale at pablocenter.org.

Along with the announcement, the festival dropped a classic Michael Perry-narrated video that poetically and metaphorically sheds (some?) light on the thought process behind Eaux Claires Hiver.

“Sometimes it’s best to let the moment fade. Ask yourself if you’re floatin’ in the right direction, if it’s time to reverse course, return to the source,” Perry says, over wintry scenery. “Not so much fight the current as meet the current. Sometimes you have to ask yourself if you’ve drained the river of metaphors and need to maybe portage. Climb ashore. Look inside.”

EAUX CLAIRES HIVER SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

November 21

Ani DiFranco and Justin Vernon in Conversation

7:30pm • RCU Theatre, Pablo Center • Tickets: $30-$100

November 22-23

37d03d (JT Bates, William Brittelle, Pieta Brown, S. Carey, Aaron Dessner, Gail Ann Dorsey, hrrrbek, Jon Hopkins, Elsa Jensen, La Force, Mike Lewis, Metropolis Ensemble, Ryan Olson, Shahzad Ismaily, Michael Perry, Polica, Talos, Korde Arrington Tuttle, Justin Vernon, Jeremy Ylvisaker)

6pm - late • Various venues • Tickets: $80 (500 available)

November 22-24

Come Through: TU Dance and Bon Iver

7:30pm Nov. 22-23 / 1:30pm Nov. 24 • RCU Theatre, Pablo Center • Tickets: $42.50-$125

All tickets available at www.pablocenter.org