Tag Archives: Punch Brothers
Punch Brothers – The Bowery Ballroom – April 16, 2011
April 18th, 2011
Grow a Pair: Win Free Tickets to See Punch Brothers on 4/16
April 12th, 2011
Punch Brothers are back, on Saturday at The Bowery Ballroom. And just like the last time they played there, the show is sold out. But if you’d still like to go, you’ve got another chance because The House List is giving away two tickets. Want to go? Then try to Grow a Pair. Just fill out the form below, including your full name, e-mail address, which show you’re trying to win tickets to (Punch Brothers, 4/16) and a brief message explaining why bluegrass is cool. Eddie Bruiser, a firm believer, will notify the winner by Friday. Good luck.
Great Crowd, Great Music, Great Night
January 17th, 2011Punch Brothers – The Bowery Ballroom – January 15, 2011
On Saturday night at The Bowery Ballroom, Punch Brothers, a bluegrass outfit by way of Brooklyn, hosted p-Bingo, in which, according to them, “you can expect to find the Brothers trying out new material, improving existing material and appropriating material that they wish was theirs.” The band is made of five guys with the talent of 10. And even when played live, their music is as tight as a drum.
The chatty frontman (and mandolin player) Chris Thile, formerly of Nickel Creek, revealed how happy he and the rest of the well-dressed band—Chris “Critter” Eldridge on guitar, Paul Kowert on bass, the smooth-voiced Noam “Pickles” Pikelny on banjo and Gabe Witcher on fiddle—were to be playing The Bowery Ballroom by comparing it to Carnegie Hall. And it’s hard to imagine a crowd at that venerable midtown venue being any more respectful and attentive than Saturday night’s audience. Those in the sold-out room hung on every word and each note, joining in to sing, clap and stomp, and it must’ve been the fewest instances of people texting and taking photos at a show since doing those things became so popular.
The two-hour performance included originals like “Punch Bowl,” “Next to the Trash” and “Rye Whiskey” and such covers as the wonderfully harmonized “Paperback Writer” and a terrific “Big River” with the openers, the Secret Sisters. Punch Brothers are great entertainers and supremely talented musicians, and their music simultaneously comes off as old-timey and contemporary. If you’ve never checked out a bluegrass band, start with this one. —R. Zizmor
Grow a Pair: Win Free Tickets to See Punch Brothers on 1/15
January 13th, 2011
Punch Brothers play The Bowery Ballroom on Saturday night, and as an added bonus, the Secret Sisters, fresh off T-Bone Burnett’s Speaking Clock Revue, will open the sold-out show. And you still might get some bluegrass this weekend even if you don’t already have a ticket, because The House List is giving away two of them. Want to go? Try to Grow a Pair. Just fill out the form below, including your full name, e-mail address, which show you’re trying to win tickets to (Punch Brothers, 1/15) and a brief message explaining which February show you most want to see. Eddie Bruiser, who still hasn’t gotten a 2011 calendar, will notify the winner tomorrow.
Five Questions with…Chris “Critter” Eldridge
June 22nd, 2010
Punch Brothers Photo by C. Taylor Crothers
After the breakup of Nickel Creek, mandolin badass Chris Thile gathered some seriously talented musicians, Chris “Critter” Eldridge (guitar), Paul Kowert (bass), Noam Pikelny (banjo) and Gabe Witcher (violin), and formed the progressive-bluegrass outfit Punch Brothers. Their first album, Punch, came out two years ago while their second disc, Antifogmatic, is just a week old, and its accompanying tour brings Punch Brothers—below, playing “This Is the Song (Good Luck),”—to Music Hall of Williamsburg tomorrow night. Expect original material with some cool covers (think: Radiohead and the Strokes) in the mix. Ahead of this show, Brooklyn resident Critter (pictured, above far right) e-mailed The House List to answer Five Questions.
Which band have you seen play live the most often (excluding bands you’ve toured with)?
It’s hard to say, but when I lived in Nashville I used to always go to the Station Inn to see the Time Jumpers, an old-school Western swing/classic country group. I am convinced that they are one of the greatest bands in the world.
Which bands that you listened to growing up do you still listen to?
Since both of my parents are banjo players, bluegrass is the music that I was surrounded by during my childhood. Probably because of that, I wanted nothing to do with it for years. However, lately I feel that I can learn a lot by hearing how direct really good bluegrass, like Bill Monroe or the Stanley Brothers, can be.
What’s the toughest part of playing New York City?
This city has been one of the world’s epicenters of great art and music for a long time, which can be intimidating. But ultimately it is actually a good thing because it absolutely demands that you dig deep and pull the very best out of yourself. A disproportionate number of best shows that I’ve been a part of have taken place here.
Do you have any crutches when writing a song—are there certain words or styles you feel you lean on too much?
I do have a crutch in that I have four great musical minds that I get to develop musical ideas with. If ever I have an idea that seems worthwhile but I can’t figure out how to proceed, they always have a good solution.
Your after-party is at Hi-Fi, the Avenue A bar known for its endless jukebox, and The House List gives you a buck. Which three songs are you playing?
“Move It on Over” by Hank Williams Sr., “The Curse” by Josh Ritter and, finally, “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” by the Band. —R. Zizmor
