Maybe they’ll take a cue from the 09 Punch Brothers set and play it pretty traditional, that was definately the best set I’ve seen the PB play ever. Some of the times I’ve seen Nickle Creek they’ve been ok, others they’ve been incredible. Not sure if it’s them or just my mood at the time. On another note, with Chris Thile already there,it shouldn’t be too hard to get Michael Daves out to join him for a set- saw them at The Festy last fall and they were awesome!
Brandy, we do love Chris, but there are a lot of folks that think he should “stick to the program” of TBF and keep some structure to his performances. Others think that the avant-garde nature of what he’s been playing lately should be left out of the canyon.
Auntie Hope :festivarian2 :green
Still others think there is enough “structure” to go around, and some creativity is quite refreshing. He’s one of the guys who keeps me coming back year after year, because you know his performances are going to be worth the trip. Traditionalists can bite my ass, so to speak.
One thing I like about Thile is that he’s very serious about his music, but does NOT take himself seriously.
In other news, Punch Brothers have announced via Facebook that they will be in Telluride, as expected.
I’ll pre-hear them at the Beacon!!!
C’mon, Planet! Spill the beans before the bands keep beating you to the Punch! Pun intended. 
Seriously, though, it’s time for some more line up announcements.
Look Folks, all I’m sayin’ is there is an implied genre to this FESTIVVVAAALLL!!!
C.T. should and will experiment all he wants, but it is a sincere request from many a Festivarian that he LET US HEAR what he can twist and turn within the Bluegrass & Roots genres. We would REALLY love to hear that from the Telluride stage.
Heck, even the Banjo Concerto is within the implied theme of this FESTIVVVAAALLL!!!
Auntie Hope :festivarian2 :green
i also disagree. i want to see thile amaze me. he is among the best in the world at his instrument and what he’s best at is not necessarily bluegrass and we are fortunate to have been able to see the quirks that he puts onto the instrument. staying within structure? if people did that the newgrass revivals of the world would never have changed the monroe/flatt/scruggs style and given us what we all have today. chris is doing new things with the music, what better place for him to do it than at telluride?
not to mention, telluride has a lot less “structure” than rockygrass, david byrne did not stay within it, neither did fogerty, or plenty of others throughout the year. allow thile to flourish in the box canyon.
“Banjo Concerto” is probably going to be classical. There has been plenty of classical, jazz, rock, and pop played on that stage. Why selectively whine when one of the musicians who has supported the festival immensely decides to experiment? Do you complain when Edgar Meyer noodles around on the bass for an hour on Sunday morning?
What we have here is a double standard. Musically, Bela Fleck experiments just as much as Chris Thile, and he doesn’t stick to “bluegrass and roots” either. And that’s what makes both of them great.
Speaking for myself, my general ambivalence related to Christ Thile has nothing to do with his desire to experiment. I love bluegrass, but, as others have said, without experimentation, bands/artists like NGR, Hot Rize, John Hartford, LoS and many others wouldn’t have progressed bluegrass to the art-form I know and love. My five favorite, currently active bands (Dusters, GSBG, Sam Bush, LoS, and Head for the Hills) are all known for experimenting and pushing the genre in new directions.
I personally feel that, while Chris plays his instrument with proficiency very few, if any, can match, he does so without much emotion. His playing usually feels flat to me. There have been exceptions to this. I loved his completely improvised set with Bela a few years ago. That was one of the most impressive things I’ve ever seen. I also really enjoyed the Punch Brothers main stage set in 2011. I also fondly recall Chris coming out to play with the Sam Bush band and Sam getting him to play his electric mandolin some years ago. He seemed to enjoy himself more than usual in these performances and that made them stand out to me. I respect his talent and dedication, but, on average, he just doesn’t do it for me.
That being said, I’m very interested in seeing Nickel Creek this summer. Everything I’ve heard from them (mostly their older recordings), I’ve enjoyed, and I’m excited to get to see it all first hand. Who knows? Maybe Chris will even make me a fan this summer.
out of all these, IMO, only sam bush and LOS really pushed the music somewhere different. the other three (while all three great and bands i love) are just kind of on the same jamgrass trail sam blazed many years ago. thile does something DIFFERENT. it should be encouraged, telluride is not a place to stay within the confines of the genre, rockygrass is a better place for that. FREE THILE.
The best thing about Chris, He knows how to stir it up. :medal Any way you slice it. I love the stuff I don’t get and I don’t even know why. :lol He is expansive and he makes you go there with him even if your not willin at times. He is so engaging to me and so very fluid and he is not flat! He has this great emotion I see but I am almost always very tuned into him and up front and center. He has this great expression at times and it’s fun to watch.
Subjective .
Freudian slip or on purpose? :lol
Better stated that my post… Thanks, sugar! :medal
Auntie Hope :festivarian2 :green
I’ll let history decide.
Don’t wait on history, or you’ll miss it…:zzz