Punch Brothers are pleased as apple drink upon completing the first of many P-Bingo Nights last night, Thursday the 15th, at the fabulous Living Room on Manhattan's Lower East Side. The following is a loose account of the proceedings:

22:30, The boys are dressed to kill with matching neckties from the prestigious online private school at which they met before attending Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship split five ways. Punctual as always, "Hell, it don't matter, just kick it off!" is uttered promptly at 10pm LRST (Living Room Standard TIme), followed by a lively rendition of "New Chance Blues," the first song off of Norman Blake and Tony Rice's imaginatively titled duo record, Blake and Rice. The boys plan to start all P-Bingo Nights with first tracks from records that they admire.

 

22:35, "Memphis", a Chuck Berry number is sung with the appropriate vim and vigor by the Judge, who seems to be in fine form this evening. There is a distinct calypso flavor to Critter's guitar solo, no doubt inspired by the jerk chicken at Calypso Cafe in Nashville, TN, which you may drive through on your way to Memphis from New York.

 

22:40, Radiohead's "Faust Arp" is next, measured and mysterious. Thom Yorke, you know, texted Punch Brothers before the show, and was all "Dudes, you should fully cover this jam [which he then hummed IN THE TEXT MESSAGE. He's that cool], 'cause it's all acousticky and shit. Cheerio! [He's from, like, England, or whatever...so cool]" They texted back "word," and that was that.

 

Egad! I must get back to work, so here's the rest of the set list sans idiocy:

 

Bailey (OK, there may yet be a little idiocy, just not now)

 

I Know You Know (Parental Advisory/alliteration version. See, I just can't help myself! Hell, idiocy is good for the soul)

 

Third Movement from The Blind Leaving the Blind (When I see it in print as "The Blind Leading the Blind," I have trouble finding my happy place for at least five minutes)

 

Hash Pipe (Pickles wants to work on his singing and felt that P-Bingo Night would be the perfect environment in which to do so. He's having trouble finding material though, so we picked out this Weezer song that suits his range and values. The only problem is that we've run out of ideas, so if you're planning on attending any P-Bingo night and can think of a song you'd like to hear Pickles sing, please print the lyrics out and hand them to us as we leave the stage after the first set. He'll take it from there and will try to do his best for you at some point during the second set. Seriously)

 

Untitled (A brand new song of ours)

 

Watch'at Breakdown

 

---------

 

INTERMISSION, during which Jim Lauderdale joined us downstairs in the luxurious P-Suite, for punch and pie, some stimulating conversation, and a dash of rehearsal.

 

-------

 

Buffalo Nickel (A Bela Fleck tune from Tales From the Acoustic Planet, Volume 2, The Bluegrass Sessions. We averaged 1.5 mistakes per man)

 

SPECIAL GUEST!!!! Jim Lauderdale, world class singer-songwriter from Nashville, joined us for two songs that we all kinda knew:

 

Slewfoot (song about a kick-ass bear that resembles Jim), and

 

Doin' My Time (Jim observed that this song compliments Pickles' first set offering rather neatly)

 

Jim received a loud, long ovation and left the stage whilst nimbly dodging underwear and proposals, having shown people what singing is really all about. Somehow, we carried on without him:

 

One Mo' Gin (As promised, a D'Angelo song, delivered oh so smooooooothly by that judge of judges, the Judge. Arco Paulo was awarded a groove heart...it's purple)

 

Man Chicken (A slow, contemplative instrumental written by Pickles. Through harmony, rhythm, and, of course, melody, it asks the question: why must men and chickens be eternally at odds? The answer can be found deep within all of our hearts: they shouldn't. We're not so different, really...)

 

Heart In a M.F. Cage (All P-Bingo participants, hereafter referred to as Players, joined in on the a cappella parts. Glorious!)

 

You Are My Flower (An Arco Paulo von Pizzburgh feature courtesy of the Carter Family with the Judge on vocals. There was a pronounced air of "How does he do that???" in the room)

 

Fourth Movement from The Blind Leaving the Blind

 

Raining at Sunset (This was the last song so we dutifully marched to the back of the room as the Players dutifully clapped until we happily marched back to the stage. What a strange formality this is! It must be dealt with somehow. We'll work on it)

 

Ophelia (By request

 

-------

 

Thus ended, and thus ends this loose and hastily written account of, the inaugural P-Bingo Night. A good time was had by all, even Nickname Unprintable, who usually chooses sadness, according to Arco Paulo, Critter, the Judge, and especially Pickles. On behalf of Punch Brothers, I would like to thank you, the Players, for stuffing the Living Room to the gills, listening so attentively, and for generally being fun, interesting, beautiful people. We hope to see you next Thursday!