Watch: Béla Fleck’s My Bluegrass Heart and Punch Brothers Unite on Christmas Favorites
On Dec. 15, Béla Fleck’s My Bluegrass Heart and Punch Brothers stopped by the Clowes Memorial Hall in Indianapolis, Ind., as part of their string of December holiday dates. After an opening set by Punch Brothers and a full set by Fleck’s Grammy-winning project My Bluegrass Heart, the two groups united for some holiday favorites: “The Chipmunk Song” and an incredible instrumental cover of Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride.”
The two songs opened with Punch Brothers’ Chris Thile and Chris Eldridge, along with mandolinist Sierra Hull singing the classic Alvin and The Chipmunk holiday staple before Noam Pikelny began reading out their respective wishes to Santa. Hull wished for fewer dudes on stage, Fleck wished for a mantle strong enough to hold all his Grammy awards, and Thile simply asked Santa to make sure people liked him.
With the spirits jovial, the My Bluegrass Heart band–comprised of the aforementioned Fleck and Hull along with Michael Cleveland, Justin Moses, Mark Schatz and Bryan Sutton–and Punch Brothers moved into an incredibly impressive cover of “Sleigh Ride,” which highlighted their individual skill through pace, precision and harmony. Following the song, the crowd erupted with cheer, and the musicians smiled joyously at one another across the stage.
Watch the performance and get in the holiday spirit below.
