Punch Brothers in Washington

Punch Brothers are an American acoustic quintet formed in 2006 by mandolinist and singer Chris Thile. They play progressive bluegrass shaped by folk and chamber-music composition. The group adopted its present name in 2008, and its catalogue includes the albums Who’s Feeling Young Now?, The Phosphorescent Blues and All Ashore, as well as the song “Julep.” All Ashore received the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album. Punch Brothers opened shows for Paul Simon in 2011, then toured their own albums through theatres and concert halls in the United States and abroad. The quintet later played Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and New York’s Carnegie Hall. The group performs as a five-piece acoustic string band, using mandolin, banjo, guitar, fiddle and upright bass for songs and extended instrumental passages. Punch Brothers have returned to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival for multiple editions and have also performed at the Newport Folk Festival.