The Knockout Punch of Punch Brothers

This latest direction with Punch Brothers has him moving into more challenging musical terrain while incorporating elements of classical music with rock n’ roll and winning over new fans including renowned cellist Yo Yo Ma with whom he has collaborated. You will still hear the traditional instrumentation that is unique to bluegrass: banjo, guitar, fiddle, and bass but what you see in this case is more than what you get. Thile told NPR’s Jacki Lyden, guest host of Weekend Edition Saturday:  “We love the texture of the standard bluegrass ensemble, but feel that there’s a lot of room for expansion and experimentation.”

To get an inside look at the bands formation check out the documentary we’ll be screening on Sept. 25 “How to Grow A Band.”  The film documents the band’s journey through these new musical alliances on a tour through Europe. Over the course of this journey they face disgruntled audiences expecting to hear mainstream bluegrass before finally landing on stage at Lincoln Center in NYC to an enthusiastic audience and to rousing applause.

What sets Thile apart from the millions of other composers and songwriters is his instrument of choice. Not the traditional guitar. Thile’s relationship to his mandolin is similar to Andrew Bird’s relationship to his violin and Ben Sollee’s to his cello—both of whom have appeared at The Music Hall.

I was lucky to catch them in Austin, Texas at South By Southwest Music Festival -one of the largest music festivals in the US- that features both emerging and established artists. One thing you can be sure of is the joy these guys take in performing together. A busy touring schedule has them appearing at festivals like Bonnaroo, and Newport Folk Festival and making guest appearances on Mountain Stage.

They are having fun and it is evident! Come and see Punch Brothers live for yourself on Tuesday, Oct. 2nd on The Music Hall stage.