All By My Lonesome

Howdy folks!

Noam, here, with some news that will surely change your life.

It’s been quite some time since the last dispatch, so I’d like to start by taking the time to properly wish you.

In just a few weeks, I’ll be heading out on my first-ever solo tour. Yes, come February, I will temporarily be freed from the shackles of my brilliant musical friends, performing in a city hopefully near you. The response to the announcement of my “One Man, One Banjo, One Joke” tour has been unanimous. Without fail, everyone is simply asking “WHY?“ I read somewhere that great art makes people ask questions, so I feel like maybe my job is already done.

But nonetheless, I do still intend to follow through on all of this and play all the places listed on the tour page. I know people are curious as to what will make up the show. Will it essentially be a live bluegrass stage adaptation of the movie Castaway? No - it won’t strictly be bluegrass; genre is dead. I’ll tell you this - playing solo affords me the opportunity to do the sorts of things that have never found a way into a Punch Brothers show. With my coattails finally unfettered, I might feel lighter than air and have to spend a good portion of the show just trying not to levitate.

Beyond that, I’ll have full latitude to do whatever the hell I please. I might debut some new original instrumentals or present some attractive Malaysian real estate investment opportunities. I may even sing lead vocals. Maybe it’s high time for me to discuss Israeli-Palestinian relations on stage while playing relaxing steel guitar ballads? I might tell some stories. You might cry. All I can do right now is guarantee that you’ll be getting a performance that none of my closest musical colleagues would want to associate with.

However, there is one person who isn’t afraid to be on the bill. I’m thrilled to announce that the incredible Kristin Andreassen will be opening the tour starting in Annapolis, MD on the 8th and staying with us all the way through Evanston, IL. Kristin is one my favorite songwriters in the world, and she’ll be playing music from her brand new album, Gondolier.

Hope to see you some of you soon.

Best,

Noam