ROMP 2011, Day 2

The Punch Brothers

Amazingly, the unusually cool weather continues to hold here in Owensboro, Kentucky.  It did get a bit warm yesterday afternoon until the sun dropped below the tree line behind the stage, but it cooled off to a very pleasant evening within a few minutes of that finally happening. 

It was an interesting day of "bluegrass music."  ROMP brings in several of the more progressive bluegrass bands, all of which include a cast of excellent musicians despite their tendency to drift into the realm of jazz and jam bands - songs of seven or eight minutes in length are common, for  instance.  I tend to be a traditionalist when it comes to country music (and that most certainly includes bluegrass) but I really had a good time with Chris Thile and the Punch Brothers last night.  Imagine this if you can: a knockout version of "Paperback Writer" done with perfect harmony, a mandolin, a banjo, a fiddle, a guitar, and a massive stand-up base.  Believe it or not, it worked perfectly.  I'm a new convert to the music of these guys.  Check them out on YouTube and you will see what I mean.

Emmylou Harris Sound Check

Today should be a day of more traditional bluegrass, although it does end with a set from The Infamous Stringdusters, not exactly a trad bunch.  The highlight of the day is almost certainly going to be Emmylou Harris's set.  We went out about 9:30 this morning to place our chairs for the day and stumbled right into her soundcheck of several minutes.  Good stuff - and now we're psyched up for her  8:20 evening show.

Believe it or not, I'm managing to get a little reading in on the side - over half way through Will Entrekin's book and it is starting to get wild.  Also reading from a nonfiction title noted on my sidebar (not exactly feel good reading, but instructive). 

Later, y'all.