Bluegrass Confessions: Part 2

Earlier this week, we had the chance to check out bluegrass legend Alison Krauss, and now we get to see Nickel Creek's farewell tour with Fiona Apple (strange combination, I know.) Now Nickel Creek is also well-known in the bluegrass community with their standard instrumentation of fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and bass, but they've definitely jumped out of the standard bluegrass mold. They refer to their music as "progressive acoustic." I refer to it as "kick-ass bluegrass." Really, it's bluegrass with a twist - it's updated, interesting, and current. The band is made up of permanent (well, not anymore) members Chris Thile (mandolin), Sara Watkins (violin/fiddle), her brother Sean Watkins (guitar) and not-so-permanent Mark Schatz (string bass).

The end of last summer, Nickel Creek officially announced they will not be recording together again (I was devastated). Their Electric Factory concert in Fall 2005 was one of the best concerts this Phillyist has ever been to - hands down. This show is NOT to be missed - we hear they even do a cover of Britney Spear's "Toxic." (You can actually hear a recording on their MySpace page.) Now who would want to miss that?

Nickel Creek and Fiona Apple
Mann Center for the Performing Arts
Saturday, August 18, 2007
8:00 PM
Tickets: $49.50 and $39.50

Photo courtesy of Nickel Creek Official Website