5.24.2008

A Knockout Punch...

Much has been written and spoken about the genius of Chris Thile and after another close encounter last night at Alexandria's legendary listening room The Birchmere, it's only become clearer that the truth supports the hyperbole. I've seen Chris evolve from a full-faced tweener wowing Grisman and Schatz after hours at MerleFest to his perch now as one of the most creative composers and instrumental technicians in any genre and he's still under 30. His long and winding paddle down Nickel Creek ended last year leading to a Class V river of opportunity for exploring his mandolin virtuosity and his passion for taking the bluegrass template, the five main instruments and high lonesome harmony, to places previously unheard. Chris found four sympathetic sidemen who had the savvy and sensitivity to contribute mightily to his vision, Chris Eldridge, Greg Garrison, Noam Pickelny and Gabe Witcher and began with the How To Grow A Band. The quintet soon became the Tensions Mountain Boys who in March of last year premiered Thile's four-movement suite for string instruments and voices "Blind Leaving The Blind" at Carnegie Hall. Now, the same five guys are collectively The Punch Brothers, yet another name change reflecting their musical restlessness.

My favorite road companions and I braved I-95 on Memorial Day Friday and were rewarded with blissfully light traffic both up and back...can we thank four dollar-a-gallon gas? If you've never taken in a show at The Birch, it's a shining example of how a music venue should be run. A great admission system where you get a number when you arrive and then are called in that order when the music hall itself opens an hour or so before showtime. Big room, tables and chairs, cheerful and efficient food and beverage service, terrific house sound and enforced quiet during the performance. And and since we had to drive back to Richmond after the show, a 7:30 start and one long set meant we were done before 10, a beautiful thing.


The set list drew heavily from the group's s two ambitious albums and included a full performance of the challenging "Blind Leaving The Blind." They finished with the discordant "Punch Bowl" which ends in a startling 12-note chord sounding not unlike a piano being dropped from ten feet. Then mercifully they began their encore with an elegant take on Norman Blake's chestnut "Green Light On The Southern." It was a needed moment of peace and comfort. The bands rollicking ride on Monroe's "Molly & Tenbrooks" put the cap on as full and rich a musical experience as one could hope to have. Appreciative luminaries like Critter's proud pop Ben Eldridge along with past and present Scene mates John Starling and Ronnie Simpkins helped comprise the nearly full house which gave the Brothers lengthy standing o's.


A cool sidebar is that the younger Eldridge has this coming weekend off and will join the Seldom Scene for their two Friday sets at Graves Mountain this week. All that and Cadillac Sky too...I'm gonna be one happy camper. If you're coming to Virginia's sweetest bluegrass festival which runs Thursday through Saturday on the Rose River in Syria, you might want to make it up a day early for the bountiful seafood buffet on Wednesday night. Definitely worth the price of admission and helpful in expanding your capacity for the good eats to come. The Graves family will be celebrating four hundred years in Virginia this year and you can bet on lots of surprises.


An unfortunate development...we've just learned that Jim Lauderdale is facing surgery for polyps on his vocal cords and is having to cancel his appearance with the Waybacks on June 13th for the Music For Massey benefit at the Science Museum. We're all selfishly disappointed of course but more importantly feel just awful that Jim has to go through something like this especially now, on the heels of his Grammy and a full spring and summer of dates he's having to miss. Please join me in wishing him a speedy and thorough recovery...he's one of the good guys in this business. We're working on finding another friend for the Waybacks to play around with that night...stay tuned.


Hope you're enjoying this perfect holiday weekend weather...if summer could only stay like this. And do take some quiet time Monday to reflect on the sacrifice of all those fought and died for all of us. It's too easy to take it for granted, and we must not. God bless America.

TT



5.08.2008

Packing it in...


This'll be a quickie compared to last week's MerleFest post mortem...just want to make you music lovers aware of enticing opportunities for the next few weeks. Sometimes I fall way short of posting everything worthy of your ear so it would be a good idea to check in regularly with Jon Baliles' excellent cultural calendar The Weekly Rant. Take a look and tell me there's nothing going on in town....what a difference a few years can make.

We've got something for you for the next four days in a row starting with Thursday (tonight) at Ashland Coffee & Tea whose big time springtime lineup continues with the great singer/songwriter Slaid Cleaves with our own multi-everything musician Charles Arthur opening.

Friday night marks the 12th annual Hoedown In the Garden at St. Joseph's Villa featuring the Lonesome River Band. This benefit starring our banjo hero Sammy Shelor from Meadows of Dan and the latest evolution of LRB started at Lewis Ginter way back when and has moved to the spacious grounds of the Villa on Brook Road. Tickets are $75 but include a tasty hot buffet and open bar so it's a good deal for all. Call Katie Chandler at 200-1617 to get yours.

Saturday raises some conflicts I'll leave to you to resolve. Starting at 3pm is the Richmond Rotary's City Slickers Bluegrass Festival with area fixtures Jackass Flats, Special Ed & The Short Bus and the man, the myth, Dr. Ralph Stanley & His Clinch Mountain Boys. The day long fest is outdoors at the Science Museum on West Broad and you can get tickets here.

If you finish up in time, you might still catch good pals Chris Fuller and Frank Coleman creatively filling an open date at AC&T. Or you could opt for equally good pals Malcolm Pulley, Danny Hughes, Richard Ward, Rusty Farmer and Jackie Frost at the Shady Grove Coffee House in Glen Allen. Tickets here.

Still with me? A wonderful and inspiring way to spend Mother's Day might be to take a road trip to the unlikely music venue of Fork Union Military Academy to hear the incomparable harmonies of The Isaacs. Best part is, since you'll have to burn a little gas to get there, the concert is FREE and starts at 4pm. If you've never witnessed this amazing family band, this would be a sure bet for Sunday. Get more info and directions here.

Back to Ashland for another visit with super singer John Cowan and his band on Thursday, the 15th and Asheville, NC's solid Steep Canyon Rangers the very next night. Former Wayback and fab fingerpicker Stevie Coyle does a house-style concert at the Positive Vibe Cafe on Forest Hill on Saturday the 17th. Later on, newgrass king Sam Bush heads back this way for a Friday Cheers appearance on Brown's Island on May 23rd. Hate to miss that one, but we've had tickets to see the Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile at The Birchmere that same night for months now. I know you'll tell me what we missed.

Still to come...our yearly ride up the Old Blue Ridge Turnpike to Graves Mountain Lodge for the 16th annual Festival of Music May 29-31. Another great lineup not to mention late night jams in the campground and the cabin and the most comfortable comfort food to be found anywhere.

Finally a couple of mid-June happenings...a lucky Friday the 13th on the tracks at the Science Museum will mark the joyous return of the leaner, meaner Waybacks from San Fran along with the Grammy-winning Americana guru Jim Lauderdale. Tix at Plan 9 or online at TicketsToBuy. The next night E minor and I are looking forward to helping lead-friend George Turman and his merry minstrels put on the 10th Anniversary Among Friends Concert at AC&T. New tunes being rehearsed as we speak along with tasty previously-roasted chestnuts. It should be big fun.

And do tune in faithfully to Page Wilson's Out O' The Blue Radio Revue on WCVE-FM from 8 to 10 every Saturday night. He'll be previewing many of the shows mentioned here and many others. And soon we'll be bringing you the first of our JAMinc/In Your Ear Studio A concerts with John Cephas and Eliza Lynn recorded last Thursday. Stay tuned.

This tantalizing menu of music will only continue with your support. So go to some shows!
It's the least we can do...

Thanks Mom...and thank yours, even if she's not around. Where would we be?

TT