Punch Brothers : NPR

All The 2019 Grammy Winners Who've Stopped By The Tiny Desk

Kacey Musgraves made a point of showcasing her gentler side during her 2015 Tiny Desk Concert, but as it so often does, rowdiness prevailed in the end. Lydia Thompson /NPR hide caption

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Lydia Thompson /NPR

All Songs TV

All The 2019 Grammy Winners Who've Stopped By The Tiny Desk

February 11, 2019 • We're approaching 11 years and more than 800 concerts behind the Tiny Desk. Here's a look at the 2019 Grammy winners who've passed through our offices.

New Music Friday For July 20: Six Albums You Should Hear Now

Meg Myers' Take Me To The Disco is on our shortlist for the best albums out on July 20. Brantley Gutierrez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Brantley Gutierrez/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday For July 20: Six Albums You Should Hear Now

July 20, 2018 • This week features sultry R&B from The Internet, seething rock from songwriter Meg Myers, the "Joy" of Ty Segall & White Fence, a new album from the bluegrass group Punch Brothers and more.

New Music Friday for July 20: Six Albums You Should Hear Now

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Punch Brothers performing at Boston's House of Blues March 6. WGBH hide caption

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WGBH

Front Row

Punch Brothers, 'Familiarity' (Live)

GBH

April 29, 2015 • The venturesome band takes you on a journey with a three-part song performed at Boston's House of Blues.

Carlos Waters/NPR

Tiny Desk

Punch Brothers: Tiny Desk Concert

March 16, 2015 • Before the wide-ranging band plays its four-song set, the audience sings "Happy Birthday" to mandolinist Chris Thile.

Punch Brothers: Tiny Desk Concert

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Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Punch Brothers On World Cafe

XPN

February 10, 2015 • Hear the Brooklyn bluegrass band perform songs from its new record with an all-acoustic lineup.

Punch Brothers On World Cafe

27:57

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Brian Blauser/Mountain Stage

Mountain Stage

Punch Brothers On Mountain Stage

February 12, 2013 • Chris Thile's quintet continues to push the boundaries of bluegrass into experimental rock territory on Who's Feeling Young Now?

Punch Brothers On Mountain Stage

34:33

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Mountain Stage

Punch Brothers On Mountain Stage

July 21, 2008 • Founded by mandolin virtuoso and Nickel Creek alumnus Chris Thile, the band plays traditional bluegrass instruments while immersed in progressive compositional ideas. Hear the group show off selections from their new suite.

Listen Now: Punch Brothers On Mountain Stage

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Music Interviews

Bluegrass Suite Packs a Progressive 'Punch'

February 29, 2008 • Mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile has long been at the vanguard of progressive bluegrass music. But his new work is his most ambitious yet: Part chamber music, part song cycle, "The Blind Leaving the Blind" is a four-movement, 40-minute suite for bluegrass instruments.

Bluegrass Suite Packs a Progressive 'Punch'

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Cabinet Of Wonders

Cabinet Of Wonders: Episode One

May 25, 2012 • John Wesley Harding laments the Starbucks-ization of America, great music from Josh Ritter, Edie Brickell, and Punch Brothers. Then questionable life advice from Sarah Vowell and Eugene Mirman, topped with Haley Tanner's homage to a favorite writer.

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Punch Brothers' members perform in WFUV's Studio A in New York. Tim Teeling/WFUV hide caption

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Tim Teeling/WFUV

Favorite Sessions

Punch Brothers: Sophisticated Strings

WFUV

April 26, 2012 • Hear the subtle pleasures, strange musical structures and opaque lyrics of the popular string band, led by Nickel Creek's Chris Thile, in this studio session with WFUV.

Punch Brothers: Sophisticated Strings

47:08

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Noam Pikelny And Friends On Mountain Stage

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Brian Blauser/Mountain Stage

Mountain Stage

Noam Pikelny And Friends On Mountain Stage

April 11, 2012 • The Punch Brothers member and first-ever recipient of the "Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass" brings along a few friends for his first trip to the show.

Noam Pikelny And Friends On Mountain Stage

26:02

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/Brian Blauser

Mountain Stage

Punch Brothers On Mountain Stage

September 27, 2011 • Listen to Chris Thile's new group bring innovative string-band music to West Virginia's most famous stage.

Punch Brothers On Mountain Stage

36:15

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Music Interviews

Punch Brothers Serve Up A Bluegrass Cocktail

July 30, 2010 • The bluegrass supergroup led by mandolin player Chris Thile has released a sophomore album titled Antifogmatic, named for a type of drink that staves off the effects of bad weather. Together with Noam Pikelny on banjo, fiddler Gabe Witcher, guitarist Chris Eldridge and bassist Paul Kowert, the band combines bluegrass instrumentation with elements of classical music and rock 'n roll.

Punch Brothers Serve Up A Bluegrass Cocktail

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Bonnaroo 2010: Punch Brothers In Concert

Chris Thile and his Punch Brothers kick off the festivities at the "That" tent at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn. Wills Glasspiegel hide caption

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Wills Glasspiegel

Live From Bonnaroo

Bonnaroo 2010: Punch Brothers In Concert

June 11, 2010 • Nickel Creek was as successful as contemporary bluegrass groups get when the band broke up amidst personal turmoil in 2006. Singer and mandolinist Chris Thile formed Punch Brothers in the aftermath of Nickel Creek's demise, and used it to explore his progressive, experimental side. Hear Punch Brothers perform live from the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tenn.

Listen Now: Punch Brothers In Concert

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Mito Habe-Evans/Mito Habe-Evans/NPR

Tiny Desk

Chris Thile And Michael Daves: Tiny Desk Concert

June 13, 2011 • Thile and Daves play the traditional bluegrass music of icons Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs with New York City intensity. Watch the dexterous duo perform songs from Sleep With One Eye Open at the NPR Music offices.

Chris Thile And Michael Daves: Tiny Desk Concert

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Shantel Mitchell for NPR

Newport Folk Festival

Punch Brothers: Newport Folk 2010

Folk Alley

August 1, 2010 • When Nickel Creek broke up in 2006, it was only a matter of time before the massively popular bluegrass band would spin off into new projects. Hear Chris Thile's band play live in Newport, R.I.

Punch Brothers: Newport Folk 2010

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All Songs Considered

Bonnaroo 2010: A Look Back

June 16, 2010 • On this All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen examines some of the highlights from the enormous Bonaroo Music Festival with Rita Houston of WFUV, Andy Uhler of KUT and Jill Riley of The Current.

Bonnaroo 2010: A Look Back

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World Cafe

Punch Brothers: Chamber Bluegrass Pickers

XPN

March 11, 2008 • The acoustic bluegrass superpickers, Punch Brothers, combine bluegrass instrumentation with modern classical composition. Formed by mandolin player Chris Thile, of Nickel Creek fame, the band performs selections from its 40-minute four-movement suite.

Punch Brothers in Studio on World Cafe 3/11/08

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Review

All Songs Considered

The Raveonettes, Toumani Diabate, Punch Brothers, More

February 28, 2008 • On this edition of All Songs Considered: the heavy pop sounds of Danish duo The Raveonettes; a solo kora recording by Toumani Diabate and more.

The Raveonettes, Toumani Diabate, Punch Brothers, More

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