
I was on my way to see Punch Brothers at Town Hall in Manhattan and was not off to a good start. It was 8 o'clock and I was just getting off work. But first, I had to catch my bus. "No problem," I thought. My bus is never on time, let alone early. So imagine my surprise as I watched the bus speed down the street four minutes ahead of schedule.
Oh boy.
Somehow, through a combination of luck and walking very fast, I made it to the venue just in time to pick up my press and photo pass. Unfortunately, I was under the assumption I was not getting a photo pass, so of course I didn't bring my camera. Always be prepared. Lesson learned.
But the night quickly turned around once Punch Brothers took the stage.
OH BOY!
Led by charismatic frontman and mandolin extraordinaire, Chris Thile, Punch Brothers are not your typical bluegrass band. While members Thile, Gabe Witcher, Noam Pikelny, Chris Eldridge, and Paul Kowert are all virtuosos on their respective instruments, Punch Brothers have a style and swagger that might be associated with a rock band or pop group. That is certainly apparent on their latest album, "Who's Feeling Young Now?" which was heavily featured during their two hour-plus set. It is a more accessible record than previous releases, but that's definitely not a bad thing.
On songs like the titular "Who's Feeling Young Now?" and "New York City," Punch Brothers exhibit a pop sensibility that is rarely explored successfully using only traditionally bluegrass instruments. But that doesn't mean they ignore their bluegrass roots. Town Hall seemed like a raucous roadhouse outside Nashville, complete with clapping, stomping, and hollering from the crowd, when they covered “The Brakeman’s Blues,” originally written by Jimmie Rodgers in 1928.
For the rest of the evening, Punch Brothers brilliantly walked the line between instrumental virtuosity through playfully interwoven solos and being rock stars. Their cover of "Just What I Needed" by The Cars was pure pop fun, but their instrumental cover of Radiohead's "Kid A," which appears on their album, is on another level of musicianship, deftly reproducing electronic blips and scratches using only stringed instruments. This recording on their album is impressive, but it is even more so live. To close out the set, they launched into a spirited version of "Rye Whiskey," complete with a trespasser who danced his way across stage, much to the amusement of the band, but not security. Oh boy!
After an energetic set and possible criminal activity on the part of the trespasser, Punch Brothers returned for a much more subdued encore, ending with a tribute to Earl Scruggs and Levon Helm, both of whom died recently. The show ended with opening performer Jesca Hoop joining Punch Brothers on a cover of The Band's "The Weight," completely unplugged, with the audience soon singing along. It was a poignant way to end the night on a beautiful note.
Punch Brothers continue their tour in the US and abroad through the summer. Oh boy!

Brian is a punk-ass book jockey who enjoys corgis and being awesome. When he isn't doing that, he likes going to shows and being e-famous. His global internet empire starts here: @goodinthestacks.