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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: 5 out of 5 based on 6 reviews
  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Punch Brothers - beyond amazing.

    by Roocroft on 2012-11-26Chan Centre For The Performing Arts - Vancouver

    You would be hard pressed to find better musicians working in - well - any genre really. It was inspiring, exhilarating, exhausting, and an experience I felt very fortunate get to experience. In the presence of greatness. Sometimes they get pretty out there, and just when it becomes unsettlingly so, they yank it back into a mainstream bluegrass feel that is searingly tight and exciting. I'd love to see them break out of their someone somber demeanour (except Chris Thile, who embodies the music completely in his face and movement.). The banjo player especially - never cracked a smile. But of course, with that level of skill he's above reproach. Plus, they were likely exhausted. To play at the level they do - EVERY night....hard to imagine.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Punch Brothers are BRILLIANT

    by Pewee on 2012-10-01The Phoenix Concert Theatre - Toronto

    Excellent performance, very lively, extremely talented! Second encore was worth the wait and absolutely unforgettable! Cannot wait to see them again!

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    by KMae on 2012-03-02Lee's Palace - Toronto

    A lot of amazing music comes to Toronto. Despite this, the crowds here are often known for being somewhat apathetic. Some say we don't dance enough. That we are reserved. I see a lot of live music and this city and for the most part I would tend to agree with such statements. However, the Punch Brothers are a little different. And their crowd was a little different as well (aside from having more dapper gents wearing vests than I have seen anywhere outside of a Tip Top Tailor ad). Everyone fell in love with these guys. The crowd knew the band's music. We knew Thile's solo stuff. We knew how to pronounce Thile. The rarities got cheers. And the band appreciated having the ears of so many devoted fans. The rapport was something you almost never see in Toronto. It was something you rarely see anywhere. I average a few shows a week and I can confidently say that this will likely be in my top 5 shows of 2012 at the end of the year. Jokes about securing a Tuesday night residency were bitter sweet. I bet every person there will try to attend when they return. I know that I sure as Hell won't be missing the next Big Time Tuesday.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Punch Brothers fantastic

    by Scarborough on 2012-03-01Lee's Palace - Toronto

    I can't rave too much at their talent. Very entertaining. Blew the crowd away. They were quite touched at the wild, loving, knowledgeable response they got. "Big Tuesday's Lee's Palace" was the encore chant.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    One of the best live shows I've ever seen!!!

    by RDG45 on 2012-03-01Lee's Palace - Toronto

    I'm so glad I didn't pass this show up. These guys really know how to put on a show. I don't think they thought they would get the response they got from performing in TO. Highly recommended if you are a fan!

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Big time Tuesday!

    by Anonymous on 2012-03-01Lee's Palace - Toronto

    One of the most amazing performances Ive ever seen. This was the first time I had seen the Punch Brothers even though Ive been a fan for a while and it was mind blowing how spectacular they are live.