Last night we had the pleasure to go see one of the finest co-bills I've ever had the pleasure...The Punch Brothers (featuring the other-worldly Chris Thile) and The Dave Rawlings Machine; at the intimate and acoustically-brilliant Charleston Music Hall. Sold-out show...Holy Moly! Almost 4 hours later...we spilled into the streets of downtown Charleston speechless. This was a showcase of virtuosic talent mixed with pure, raw, dark Americana. The Punch Brothers, who I'd never seen...layed out a performance so technically brilliant and complex it boggled the mind. Brilliant arrangements/solos from each player laid out in insane time-signatures...Chris Thile's talent is incomprehensible. He may be the best there ever was. Wow...new fan here! Next up...Gill and Dave with members of Punch Brothers filling out their band, touring in support of their incredible new album "Nashville Obsolete." Dark, broody, gothic-Americana laid out with sweeping fiddles and dizzying solos from Rawlings...a few of Gillian Welch's tunes to boot. Their harmonies were incredible...such a polished act, while still maintaining that loose, old-timey feel. A few cool covers were thrown in...they segued into Cortez the Killer and also played Queen Jane Approximately...which were both incredible. In the end they played SIX encores...three of which featured the entire Punch Brothers with Rawlings and Thile trading licks in furious fashion. A massive singalong with the audience ended it w/ both groups covering The Weight. So many smiles on stage all night...each member so enthusiastic to be playing with such talent. Yeah...this was just one of those magical nights; sorry to ramble, but it's hard to really describe some shows. I'm still kind of coming to terms with the experience...sipping some French Press and shaking the cobwebs, lol. All-in-all...do yourselves a favor and catch Gill and Dave on this tour, and The Punch Brothers as well. You'll probably have your mind blown.
I saw and Evening With show three weeks ago. They opened with the first three verses of Goin Down The Road Feelin Bad and closed the show with the last verses of it.Great show. My two favorite bands to see right now are The Machine and Karl Denson's Tiny Universe.
Hoosier, who used to post here turned me on to Dave Rawlings and Gillian Welch many years ago. I missed them two years ago when they came here, I had knee surgery that day. I was really was bummed out about missing that one. It was one of a handful that John Paul Jones played mandolin with them.
I totally get it. The Dave Rawlings Machine show I saw in December 2014 is one of the best concerts I've ever attended. This was his lineup with John Paul Jones on mandolin (and baritone harmony vocals on multiple songs). I saw them again this year with the extra violin player instead of JPJ and it was again excellent.
Friend of a Friend is a tremendous album from about 6 years ago. The new one is good, but the songs were better live (album drags a bit in one sitting).
Rawlings is one of my favorite current artists. Superb guitarist, good singer (particularly in harmony) and just looks like he is having a blast on stage. One cool customer.
Here is the Rawlings Machine doing Going to California Dec 2014:
Here are a couple other my favorites:
Queen Jane Approximately:
I Hear them All / This Land is Your Land
Ruby (earlier version of the Machine)
Bells of Harlem:
[Edited on 5/2/2016 by hotlantatim]
Thanks for the GREAT review! I'll put them on my list.
I was looking forward to catching them at Merlefest this year, but the bottom fell out before they were to go on left me scrambling for shelter then the hotel.
I wish he'd release an Live at Variety Playhouse and/or GA Theatre CD.
One long disc with JPJ from the end of 2014 and one disc with the latest lineup (and some of the newest tunes) with Brittany Haas on fiddle.
I wish he'd release an Live at Variety Playhouse and/or GA Theatre CD.
One long disc with JPJ from the end of 2014 and one disc with the latest lineup (and some of the newest tunes) with Brittany Haas on fiddle.
there's a couple recent shows on Dime and the sound is pretty good
