Nickel Creek - WOW!

[pettyman]

Hi guys.

Just got back from seeing Nickel Creek play in Edinburgh and I've just got to say - WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

THey were absolutely amazing - such a p[resence on stage, they drew you in and it felt like they were playing just to me!!! I was in a group of 6 of us and each of us thought the same!!

Chris Thile was in a awesome mood - in such a deep trance with the music he played - and it was so clear and fast!

I'm in awe!

Matt

[kidtwist]

I saw them a few months ago. They're a phenomenal live band. And they really connect with the crowd. After years of watching rock bands, it was so refreshing to see a group that looked like they wanted to be there.

I wish they'd release a live cd. Unfortunately, based on what I read in a Sara Watkins interview, they don't seem very enthusiastic about the idea.

I'll certainly see them the next time they come back this way, but I hope it's in a venue where I can sit down.

[Smithers33]

I saw them twice Oregon this past december and I agree - they're awesome. The instrumental in the lighthouse's tale was sweet. In the Portland show they took requests for christmas carols during the encore and really interacted with the audience well. In Eugene they seemed less enthusiastic toward the end and didn't have as long of an encore, but the show was very good, of course.

[Aran]

Saw them last Monday in Dublin and they were great

Lots of energy

And Thile's mandolin playing is incredible - he played classical one minute then a true bluegrass lick followed by high energy percussive lead! I spent the evening trying to work out some of what he was doing so I could take it home but his fingers were moving too fast!!

Not all of their material is exactly to my taste but you can only take your hat off for the way they do it! If I ever become half the musicians they are I would be very happy indeed.

[bluegrassplayer]

I saw them a couple months ago when they were in OK. They are pretty good, but with the way Thile plays, it was hard not to call DHS for mando abuse

[POB]

Saw them in Galway last Sunday night. Thoroughly enjoyed the gig - best I've been at in a long time. They put on a great show and played plenty of crowd-pleasers from the first couple of albums, as well as the new stuff (which wouldn't really be my thing either). They really engaged with the crowd which was high-spirited and boisterous, packed standing in a small, very intimate, room. I've seen lesser bands get precious and snotty when not given reverent silence for every note but NC completely went with the flow and played a stormer. Everyone had a ball. They are seriously good musicians too - I was standing only a couple of yards away from them and took it all in.

Great night, great band. 'Nuff said.

[Ray(T)]

Glad to hear they're still playing their old stuff. I'm not too impressed with much of the new. Anyone else going to Sheffield on Wednesday? (I'll be the one in the bowler hat with the rolled up newspaper!!)

[mancmando]

excellent - am going to see them in manchester on thursday, happy daze http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[grandmainger]

Off to see them in London tonight... Cant wait! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[grandmainger]

Well, it was awesome. The whole show was very good, with lots of really entertaining little moments. The Watkins were great, Chris was simply incredible. How he manages to make that good a sound while jumping around in the stage is a mistery to me. Really good stuff http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Ray(T)]

As I said, saw them in Sheffield last night. Can't say I was as impressed as last time. Probably something to do with the new material but it didn't help knowing that the show was deliberately started 15 minutes late. Rather a strange setup - they played a totally acoustic set dynamically balanced around 3 mics. Only one plugged in was Mike Shatz (sp?) on bass - not sure whether this is the set-up for the whole tour, suspect not but at least this limited CT's leaping around on stage. Personally, I wish they'd stick to what they're best at. No-one can deny they are great musicians but the songs don't do much for me.

[mancmando]

Saw them last night..

really enjoyed the gig, although I think their playing is better than the "patter" (Ps I don't mean any offence by this, just an observation)

Can't complain though, and was also the first time I've seen Mark Schatz play which was well worth it alone.

They were all DI'd without microphones - but the sound quality was superb..

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[AmosMoses]

"Personally, I wish they'd stick to what they're best at. No-one can deny they are great musicians but the songs don't do much for me."

I tend to agree. I do like watching them live (on t.v. sob)
What strikes me most about Thile is his enthusiastic (understatement) performance. I was comparing him to the stoic style of Ronnie McCoury. McCoury statuesque and Thile bopping around like the energizer bunny on crack. His love for playing really comes through though.

[trevor]

Saw them in Brighton last night, fantastic show, incredible musicians.
I was lucky enough to persuade the very friendly management to let me have a stall and show some Bourgeois guitars and a few mandolins so we got in ealry. They spent over one and a half hours on the sound check, if I was the sound engineer I would have killed them, but it was all very friendly. What perfectionists, and the result was well worth it.

[mancmando]

A really good thing is that they seem to tour the uk fairly regularly, and play a good number of venues. There are loads more top Americans that I'd love to see that never seem to take a trip over the pond (Grisman, Bush etc) - no criticism as I'm aware that Nickel Creek's popularity make it more commercialy viable for them to have a proper tour.

I saw Bela Fleck about 3 years ago but he only played in London and Dublin.

I've also heard that Tony Rice doesn't fly so I'll have to visit America if I want to see him! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Aran]

Hi Trevor,

My daughter Lily went last Saturday too and said she loved - Allthough she thought Chris Thiles way of dancing about was a bit funny too!!

So I think the plan has worked and Lily has another dose of inspiration to practice her mandolin.

[Burner]

It was a great show - Their playing just makes your jaw drop. I was interested to hear Chris's glowing recommendation of Collings mandos after the gig. "The best you can just buy" he said, that's high praise. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[adgefan]

I saw them last night and I echo the "wow". I've seen them a few times now but they never fail to impress me. Like others have said, a few of their new songs don't work so well live (the drums on Best of Luck, for example, are kind of essential to the song). But overall, I do like the direction they have taken.

Best bit of the evening was Chris doing a bit of appalachian step dancing with Mark Schatz and the "scone" debate that erupted amongst the audience (you had to be there...).

Unfortunately, it was absolutely freezing last night so I simply didn't have the desire to hang around after the show and chat with them - I probably missed something as a result, but nevermind.

[reely989]

I really envy you guys who have been to see them. I have seen them live through dvds and Austin City Limits, but never in person. Their new stuff is pretty interesting to me, although i have noticed that their new album is not the perfect album i thought it was when it was released. As the dust around the album is clearing, it seems lackluster compared to their last two. Of course this is probably because i overlistened to the thing. But I digress. Maybe they will be down in AL next year. the only thing they have listed is a private show in Birmingham. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

Caleb