Punch Brothers | Riverside Theatre | Monday August 8th | ★★★★★
American bluegrass act Punch Brothers played their first ever show in WA last night. The band from Nashville, Tennessee might not have a strong fan following on the other side of the globe, they would have certainly gained a room for of new devotees after their WA debut.
Punch Brothers have a simple approach to performing music, the stage is decorated with just a few rugs, a single microphone and a few small tables filled with water bottles.
The five piece band walk on carrying their instruments, a double bass, fiddle, mandolin, banjo and a guitar. They’re dressed in a variety of suits and waistcoats, they look as if they’re from another time. They gather around the microphone and begin to play.
Punch Brothers were much more than a traditional bluegrass band, yet they have all the elements of traditional bluegrass, lots of fiddle, yelps, a little yodeling, and the ability to make you want to get out of your seat and dosey-doe with a partner.
But what makes them more is a great subtlety in their performance, clever layering of different musical sounds on top of each other, moments of silence and quietness, and vocal harmonisation that provoke thoughts of cathedral choirs. They’ve been described as American classical chamber music – and it’s an accurate label.
Between tunes the band joked about their rare day off during the tour schedule that allowed them to experience Perth on a Sunday, where many things were closed. They did however manage to find themselves to local Tiki Bar Hula Bula, and they had high praise for the venue.
One of the highlights of the show was the band’s take on Claude Debussy’s ‘Passepid’ – the band joking that the French composer was a big bluegrass fan.
Next time they come this way, they’ll need to book a bigger venue because news of how great they were is sure to spread.
Graeme Watson
