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Punch Brothers

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About

Punch Brothers are mandolinist Chris Thile, guitarist Chris Eldridge, bassist Paul Kowert, banjoist Noam Pikelny, and violinist Gabe Witcher. Their accolades include a Grammy for best folk album for their 2018 release All Ashore, and praise from the media, including the Washington Post, which said, "With enthusiasm and experimentation, Punch Brothers take bluegrass to its next evolutionary stage, drawing equal inspiration from the brain and the heart."

In November of 2020, when the world felt so full of uncertainty, Punch Brothers did one thing that they could rely on: they stood in a circle, facing one another, and made music together. A weeklong recording session, after quarantining and little rehearsal outside of a few Zoom calls, had culminated in their new record, Hell on Church Street—a reimagining of Bluegrass great Tony Rice’s landmark album, Church Street Blues—out on Nonesuch in January 2022.

Hell on Church Street is a potent work by a band realizing their own powers and returning to the foundations of their music. Kowert considers this album to “harken back to our early days in the band when we were playing regularly on the Lower East Side, learning all this new material to expand our sonic arsenal.” Pikelny adds, “It made me think of how many times Punch Brothers closed doors for ourselves as far as covering other people’s material beyond one or two songs here and there. But I can’t imagine making a more personal record, solely through the power of interpretation and delivery. It felt right and proper.”

This band of virtuosi had spent more than a decade changing the face of acoustic music, stretching the limitations of instruments, and influencing a generation of young musicians—but life has a way of keeping a band from getting in the same room. Thile elaborates that “these sessions were a reminder for me of what’s really important. I felt silly having this band take up so little of my creative year; it reminded me that us five together is critical to my happiness”.

Church Street Blues was Tony Rice’s great statement. Rice had already made his name as a member of the legendary bluegrass band JD Crowe and The New South and pushed the boundaries of string music as a founding member of the David Grisman Quartet, but this album was him on his own, stripped back to just his guitar, his voice, and an inspired collection of the songs. Performing songs by heavyweights like Gordon Lightfoot and bluegrass founder Bill Monroe, Rice’s interpretations of these songs and tunes have since become the standard.

Punch Brothers formed in 2006. Its first Nonesuch record, Punch, was released in 2008 and combined elements of the band’s many musical interests. In 2009, they began a residency at NYC’s intimate Lower East Side club The Living Room, trying out new songs and ultimately spawning Antifogmatic (2010). In 2012, the band released Who’s Feeling Young Now?, which Q praised for its ‘astonishing, envelope-pushing vision’, while Rolling Stone said, “The acoustic framework dazzles–wild virtuosity used for more than just virtuosity.” Their 2015 album, the T Bone Burnett-produced, The Phosphorescent Blues, addresses with straight-up poignancy and subversive humor, the power and the pitfalls of our super-connected world. 

Reviews

Rating: 4.9 out of 5 based on 403 reviews
  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Great show!!

    by banjovi on 12/19/22Clowes Memorial Hall - Indianapolis

    Bela and his band were phenomenal! The Punch Bros. were great as well!

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Another great show, such unbelievably fine musicians!

    by Kbehr on 12/19/22Clowes Memorial Hall - Indianapolis

    Clowes Hall at Butler was a perfect venue, the sound was amazing and the staff very friendly and helpful.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Excellent venue & company

    by ejsolo on 12/18/22Clowes Memorial Hall - Indianapolis

    Not one bad seat in the house. The “Punch Brothers” never disappoint . Bela Fleck was a treat

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    great pairing

    by spiderjohn on 12/18/22Clowes Memorial Hall - Indianapolis

    As good as it gets---two different style acts--both very intense--both extremely talented--venue was nice also

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Oh. My. Gosh.

    by AJ Lindy on 12/18/22Clowes Memorial Hall - Indianapolis

    Béla Fleck is a certified virtuoso. I had never seen him live before, but I can tell you it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I have followed him for at least 25 years, if not longer. … And then the Punch Brothers came out and I didn’t even know who they were before I got there that day and they blew my mind so hard that I went home to play music for a solid hour trying to come up with something half as interesting. Everybody at least one time in their lives should watch these two sets of performers, because you will not be able to wipe the smile off your face for at least a year.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Awesome Experience

    by Jason on 12/18/22Clowes Memorial Hall - Indianapolis

    This was an amazing show. I couldn’t have had a better time. The Punch Brothers are so much fun to watch and listen. Great show!!

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Fantastic Show

    by Evan S. on 8/31/22The Andrew J Brady Music Center - Cincinnati

    Punch Brothers was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. It was a stripped back show, with little amplification and the audience was in the right mood for that show. The seats were fairly comfortable, the venue only served food out of the back, to not disturb the concert, and the band played a nice 3 song encore to wrap up the night. As a long time fan it felt like they played all of my favorites.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Amazing High Energy and Skill

    by Pat S on 8/29/22The Andrew J Brady Music Center - Cincinnati

    First off - they played for 2 hours solid essentially without a break. Every song they played fast or slow, they were so engaged. Their playing was amazing but the you could tell they were having fun and they had fun engaging and chatting with the audience. Amazing sound, playing and songwriting. I will see them every time they come anywhere near me. And the Brady Music Center venue was great. There were no bad seats and the arrangement of the space made it very comfortable for the audience. Just a great high energy show by some master musicians who love what they do. Just an awesome show!

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    The Punch Brothers, venue and venue staff were amazing!

    by Kbehr on 8/29/22The Andrew J Brady Music Center - Cincinnati

    The ushers were very friendly and helpful, and Bridget the bartender was great!

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    great show as always

    by spider on 8/29/22The Andrew J Brady Music Center - Cincinnati

    very intense--played most of new lp(Tony Rice lp covers), and very interesting versions. Thile was more prominent than in the past, with Eldridge now adding vocals. Looking forward to seeing tem paired with Bela's current outfit.