Rarely has the name of a tour more accurately described what you’re getting when you go to the show than American Acoustic. Featuring sets from — and collaborations between — Punch Brothers, I’m with Her and Julian Lage, the tour's name actually kind of undersells what's in store.
Avid fans of Bluegrass might already be familiar with what it sounds like when Punch Brothers’ mandolin maestro and A Prairie Home Companion host Chris Thile teams up with I’m With Her’s Aoife O’Donovan — they collaborated (with Yo-Yo Ma, no less) on 2011’s Goat Rodeo Sessions. Pair Thile with a second member of I’m with Her, Sara Watkins, and suddenly you’re looking at two-thirds of Nickel Creek — and who doesn’t want to witness some of that goodness on stage yet again?
The men of American Acoustic promise a good live experience. What’s not to love about Punch Brothers’ fantastically odd and wonderful version of whatever you call their Jazz/Bluegrass/Rock/Awesomeness? They are perfection. Every. Single. Time. They. Play. Then there’s guitar virtuoso Lage, who’s not even 30 but has already performed alongside the likes of Béla Fleck and Doc Watson, making him a great fit for a tour with the Punch fellas.
The showstopper on the American Acoustic tour is I’m With Her, though. Watkins and O’Donovan are amazing. Watkins has proven herself an accomplished musician on her own every time she’s come to Cincinnati (and she’s been here quite a bit, including an arena show opening slot for The Lumineers earlier this year). And O’Donovan became a Folk music darling during her time with Crooked Still and now as an acclaimed solo artist. But it’s utterly shocking how many people still seem clueless about I’m With Her’s Grammy-winning third member, Sarah Jarosz. She signed a major record deal when she was a senior in high school and made her Austin City Limits debut when she was only 22 years old. Rarely does she pick up an instrument and not completely own it (mandolin, banjo and guitar are her main tools), while her vocal range can go anywhere from angelic to earthly and innocent to wise beyond her years.
From the moment Watkins, O’Donovan and Jarosz first started touring together (as solo artists) to their first collaboration to the announcement that an album was on the way, I’m with Her held nothing but promise. And nothing can trump what these ladies bring to a show.
