Bon Iver 's Justin Vernon has passed the final round of documentation to make his brainchild, the Eaux Claires Music And Arts Festival, official. Basically, Bon Iver is now curating a festival line-up. The alt-bro inside of all of us is smiling, but now the real question is: who's going to play this sad-music extravaganza? To take a little bit of the pressure off Justin we rounded up ten sad bands that are perfect for his festival and make us want to go to the mountains, grow a beard, write some poetry, and cry a lot.
1. Iron & Wine
If you've never cried to "Naked As We Came" you've probably never gone to high school.
2. Phosphorescent
Another moniker, another beard and another guitar: Phosphorescent (aka Matthew Houck) is like Vernon's Brooklyn-by-way-of-'Bama cousin. His sparse yet emotional lyrics sound like how it feels to drink whiskey alone.
3. Laura Marling
While Laura Marling sometimes drifts into anger instead of sadness, she gets bonus points for providing the right soundtrack for a rage-filled walk through the woods.
4. Fleet Foxes
At one point in time (aka 2008) we've all had a playlist called "winter" on our iPod classic that includes FF's "White Winter Hymnal" right next to Bon Iver's "Skinny Love."
5. Beach House
Straight-across bangs are the female version of the lumberjack beard so Beach House's Victoria Legrand nabs a place on the bill.
6. The Antlers
Just imagine a sea of sad dudes in watch caps and flannel listening to The Antlers play in the Wisconsin woods -- we bet a few would never leave.
7. Youth Lagoon
Any music video that includes sadly skateboarding through the suburbs is definitely prime alt-bro territory.
8. Gem Club
Gem Club is the kind of band you listen to while crying over a broken heart, and not just light tears but wholehearted sobbing in the dark for days on end. We can't imagine any better mood to set in the middle of a music festival.
9. Elvis Depressedly
While Elvis Depressedly, the alter-ego of Mat Cothran, has only been on the sad-scene for a comparatively short time he has a few songs that are reminiscent of the lo-fi sadness that made Bon Iver famous.
10. Perfume Genius
Perfume Genius would round out the line-up with a group cry to "Hood."
1. Iron & Wine
If you've never cried to "Naked As We Came" you've probably never gone to high school.
2. Phosphorescent
Another moniker, another beard and another guitar: Phosphorescent (aka Matthew Houck) is like Vernon's Brooklyn-by-way-of-'Bama cousin. His sparse yet emotional lyrics sound like how it feels to drink whiskey alone.
3. Laura Marling
While Laura Marling sometimes drifts into anger instead of sadness, she gets bonus points for providing the right soundtrack for a rage-filled walk through the woods.
4. Fleet Foxes
At one point in time (aka 2008) we've all had a playlist called "winter" on our iPod classic that includes FF's "White Winter Hymnal" right next to Bon Iver's "Skinny Love."
5. Beach House
Straight-across bangs are the female version of the lumberjack beard so Beach House's Victoria Legrand nabs a place on the bill.
6. The Antlers
Just imagine a sea of sad dudes in watch caps and flannel listening to The Antlers play in the Wisconsin woods -- we bet a few would never leave.
7. Youth Lagoon
Any music video that includes sadly skateboarding through the suburbs is definitely prime alt-bro territory.
8. Gem Club
Gem Club is the kind of band you listen to while crying over a broken heart, and not just light tears but wholehearted sobbing in the dark for days on end. We can't imagine any better mood to set in the middle of a music festival.
9. Elvis Depressedly
While Elvis Depressedly, the alter-ego of Mat Cothran, has only been on the sad-scene for a comparatively short time he has a few songs that are reminiscent of the lo-fi sadness that made Bon Iver famous.
10. Perfume Genius
Perfume Genius would round out the line-up with a group cry to "Hood."