Fans of Nickel Creek should be familiar with mandolin player Chris Thile and his work as a bluegrass musician. Thile’s most recent band, Punch Brothers follows a similar vein as Nickel Creek only insofar as the fact that both bands are capable of busting out some serious bluegrass. That’s about where the similarities stop though. Audience members who were privy to the band’s Pickathon show at the Mountain View stage can attest to the fact that this ain’t your grandpa’s bluegrass band.
Punch Brothers already have a lot going for them musically. With two solid albums under their belt and a fabulous lineup of talented musicians working in perfect harmony, their riveting and often entertaining stage presence only complement their musical skills more. Throughout their set at Pickathon, the band joked and toyed with the audience. Thile talked about his “band crushes,” and confessed his jealousy for fellow Pickathon performers Breathe Owl Breathe's performance attire, saying the he had seen one of the members wearing a cape the day before and now wanted one of his own. “Instead,” he joked, “I have whiskey.”
The band played a number of songs off their most recent album, Antifogmatic, including “Rye Whiskey” and “This Is The Song (Good Luck)”--two songs that showcase the versatility of the group and their ability to go from traditional, punchy twang to softer folk sounds. “This Is The Song” proved to be a particularly moving number, with Thile’s delicate voice conjuring up a melodic sadness over deep, enveloping bass lines
One of the things that make Punch Brothers so unique is the approach they take to their music. They’ve taken a very traditional genre and added their own energy and a youthful edge, creating a sort of indie-bluegrass hybrid in the process. In addition to their own original creations, they managed to throw in a few interesting covers. One of these was The Strokes’ “Reptilia,” which kept all of the urgency and frenetic pace of the original while adding in a more symphonic feel with the strings. The band also played “The Brakeman’s Blues,” which got everyone in the crowd clapping and singing as Thile yodeled and sneered his way through the song.
The last and most surprising cover came when the group began to pluck their way into Radiohead’s “Kid A,” a song you wouldn’t typically think of hearing at a bluegrass show. It’s takes balls to cover a band like Radiohead, but Punch Brothers pulled it off with sheer acoustic perfection, simulating every sound and conjuring up the same otherworldly feelings of the original while still making it their own. The song dissolved into a battering off cacophony before the band seamlessly launched into their own song, finishing out their set with a bang to a cheering audience. Let’s all hope they get invited back to the festival next year, because this is a band with great things ahead of them.
