Punch Drunk

The compelling quintet continues to dazzle with its boundless energy, imagination and precision. Each time we encounter Chris Thile's Punch Brothers we wonder how they could get any better...but lo and behold, each time the bar goes ever higher. They appeared Tuesday at the refurbished Jefferson Theater on the Mall in downtown Charlottesville which by the way can't hold a candle aesthetically to the National, and proceeded to blow through an all-encompassing hour-forty minute set. Sound and mix was impeccable, likely because of the Brothers' road and studio guro Dave Sinko. They began with two ambitious new tunes from their forthcoming album filled with enough time signature, stops and chord changes to completely baffle mere mortals. They played the second half of the first movement to Thile's suite "Blind Leaving The Blind," the most requested half, according to wry banjo wizard Noam Pikelny, and later did the entire third movement, my seatmate's favorite. It's a profound pleasure to see and hear how comfortable and secure these guys have grown with such challenging material. More new stuff including a hilarious fast-paced number called "Next To The Trash" comparing a relationship to what goes on underneath the kitchen sink and later an angsty ode to "Alex." They delighted in a segue from a Strokes cover to the Stanley Brothers "Lonesome River" with fiddle phenom Gabe Witcher leading the longest bent-note slide-up-to-pitch lines ever heard in country music. They finished with their new favorite song (and elixir) "Rye Whisky" and it's interesting to note that the new project due out in May is also named for a drink with mystical healing qualities. Do we have a theme here yet? The double barreled encore was an homage to their favorite band Radiohead. It's a commitment to hit the road on a school night roundtrip to C'ville just to hear some music, but it's generally worth it. With the Punch Brothers...it's a very safe bet. Always. Plus we spent the miles discovering a west coast writer-guitarist Stevie Coyle turned us on to, named Walter Strauss. Never heard of him? Hope we can change that. (natty shirt, Critter)

On the near horizon, don't forget Grammy-winning D.C. singer-songwriter Jon Carroll at In Your Ear tomorrow...a few seats still left here. Also Friday, Bob Hallahan and Adam Larrabee debut their new CD The Street Where You Live in the recital hall at the James Black Music Center at VCU, Grove & Harrison, the always ready Brad Spivey and the Honky Tonk Experience play a home gig at Shenanigans and the Taters hit AC&T. Big Friday. On Saturday, Ashland welcomes Dave Alvin and A Couple of Guilty Women, one of whom is pedal steel great Cindy Cashdollar who graced our Folk Festival a few years back.

And a clarification...in a previous post I'd given a heads up to watch for a local hero during the opening ceremonies from Vancouver last week. I thought Daniel Clarke was gonna be there to accompany k.d. lang for her stunning rendition of Canada native Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" but alas everyone that night except Ms. lang lip-synced his or her performance but she insisted on singing live to a track. Check this background story on the subject from Australian TV. And that was indeed Daniel you heard on piano, pre-recorded, enhancing what was surely the most moving tune of the night. Bravo.

TT