Iron & Wine, ABC, 12 May

That Justin Vernon of Bon Iver [****] proves to be completely at ease in front of tonight’s packed-to-capacity ABC, dispelling some of the folklore which one assumes must have drawn so many here to see him. Instead of the closeted, hibernating introvert, which the tender insinuations of debut album For Emma, Forever Ago would suggest, we find a man reborn from the ashes of his exodus, but clearly still imbibed with the spirit of his masterful log-cabin confessionals.

In contrast to Bon Iver’s ethereal reputation, Iron and Wine [***] carry with them the grounded assurance of three fine albums, the last of which, The Shepherd’s Dog, showed a slow-motion evolution, which injected some woozy-funk amidst their lo-fi folk ramblings. However, opting to start with the de-robed set-up of just Beam and a backing singer, the first 20 minutes play out to a reassuringly attentive, if perhaps not quite beguiled crowd. And even as the band proper emerge, the meandering manner of the set remains so dead level throughout, that there’s an urge at points to check their collective pulse. Though, as the wonderfully mellowed, West coast whisper of Carousel drifts all around, we’re reminded of the genius of Beam, and quietly curse the vastness of tonight’s venue for somewhat diluting his lulling presence.