In the latest Rolling Stone, Elton John says “We played with a band on T Bone’s revue, the Punch Brothers, and I want to make a record with them. They’re astonishing, the best jam band I’ve ever seen. It’s f*&%ing brilliant. Jon Brion’s production is incredible. They, for me, are the exciting new thing. That’s where I want to go.”
I’ve never really listened to them much, except for Chris Thile’s mandolin, but I guess I should give it a shot.
Punch Bros. are, hands down, one of the most exciting concerts I’ve ever seen – and I went in kind of down on them, having never quite been drawn into the group and thinking Thile a bit of a showboat in general. It’s pretty clear to me that, though Thile has been influenced by his time in the limelight with Nickel Creek (etc.), Punch Bros is a true labor of love – an excellent band of musicians doing some really innovative stuff. Noam Pikelny is a monster on the banjo and Gabe Witcher on fiddle is excellent, as well. I totally recommend digging into their catalog and, even better, checking 'em out live!
Here are some vidjas:
Noam + Steve Martin on Letterman:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOCM-WsBnXQ&feature=related
“Rye Whiskey” on WNRN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHb3xCmJfmY
CAUTION: RIDICULOUS STUFF GOING ON HERE:
“Kid A” (Radiohead cover) / “Wayside (Back In Time)” (Gillian Welch cover) Lexington, 9/24/2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJQcabkYOEs
(also, I think their cover of “Wayside” gets faster every time I hear it …
unfortunately, on this recording there is a lot of crowd noise, including singalongs … but you’ll get the drift)
I really enjoyed the album that Elton John did with Leon Russell recently I’d love to see him team up with The Punch Brothers. It’d have a Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder with Bruce Hornsby feel to it.
:wave I’ve seen them several times, loved it each time. This MinneApple boy was in NYC for one night and found PBros @ Carnegie Hall! Purely awesome! Huge stage, a lonely microphone stand on it. Wow! That show will live forever in my bones. :thumbsup :thumbsup
Has anyone seen Gnomeo & Juliet? Elton John did the music for it and it was adorable! :thumbsup
I have a sudden idea - why doesn’t Sir Elton pioneer this Punch Brothers collaboration at TBF 2011!! 
Brilliant!!! :thumbsup
:lol :lol :lol
Well, Matt should be writing about this since he went… but a few years ago in Missoula, MT Sir Elton John was playing the same night as YMSB. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Who would you choose? :huh
Yonder. :cheers
I was hoping he and Leon Russell would be on the lineup this year.
Same Feb. 17 Rolling Stone with Elton on the cover had the Decemberists at #1 and Mumford and Sons at #10 in the top 40 albums. Well deserved for both bands… bizarre to see Telluride headliners in the top 40 list. Maybe Waka Flaka Flame is the next TBF lineup announcement, not sure who he is but how bad could he sound in the box canyon?
:lol :cheers :lol