Bon Iver and the National Enlist 80 Artists for Massive Collaborative Berlin Event

Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, the National’s Aaron and Bryce Dessner, Gayngs‘ Ryan Olson, director Vincent Moon, conductor André De Ridder, Brandon Reid, and Berlin’s Michelberger Hotel have teamed up to organize a new not-for-profit two-day music event in Berlin on October 1 and 2. It will feature 80 artists, including Bon Iver’s S. Carey and Matt McCaughan, Nils Frahm, Mouse on Mars’ Andi Toma and Jan St. Werner, Erlend Øye, My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Nova, Lisa Hannigan, Damien Rice, Alexander Ridha (aka Boys Noize), Yoann Lemoine (aka Woodkid), Fog’s Andrew Broder, Hauschka, Sam Amidon, Naeem Juwan (aka Spank Rock), members of Poliça, Wye Oak, Alt-J, the Staves, and more. “It’s about new material, collaborations, unique arrangements, and dissolving borders,” the organizers said in a statement.

Prior to the event, the participating artists will spend a week together in Berlin, working and rehearsing at Funkhaus studios, where the performances will also take place.

Though the “happening” is without an official name, the artists cite “egolessness” as a “guiding system” for the shows. It is not driven by concept, but “based on friendships and relations of people that have evolved over years and the desire to put something together,” they write. 

There will be no set lineup announced in advance. Attendees will not know where or when to expect artists to perform. The audience will be brought through different rooms with performances occurring in each of them.

See a poster for the two-day show below. Find more information and see the full list of artists involved here.

Vernon and Aaron Dessner also collaborate on Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival, which takes place next week, August 12 and 13, in Wisconsin.

Watch Justin Vernon’s band Volcano Choir perform “Comrade” on Pitchfork.tv:

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