When I asked Chris Thile (mandolin/vocals) and Gabe Witcher (fiddle/percussion/vocals) about the song "Familiarity" before Punch Brothers took the stage at Boston's House of Blues March 6, both of their faces lit up. It's clear this particular song — among a number of notable ones on the band's most recent album, The Phosphorescent Blues — is something special.
"'Familiarity' was an adventure and is an adventure every night," Thile said. "It's this big old lumbering beast of a song with three heads." Witcher added: "It takes you on a little journey and hopefully drops you off in a nice place."
Judging by the reaction of the ecstatic crowd that Friday evening, it's clear we were all transported somewhere wonderful.
SET LIST
Watch Punch Brothers' full set (including an interview with Thile and Witcher) at House of Blues Boston at WGBH Music's YouTube Channel.
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