Chris Thile and Michael Daves: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Thile and Daves play the traditional bluegrass music of icons Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs with a New York City intensity. Watch the dexterous duo perform songs from their album Sleep With One Eye Open at the NPR Music offices.

Set List:
"Sleep With One Eye Open"
"Rabbit In The Log"
"Bury Me Beneath The Willow"
"Billy In The Lowground"
"It Takes One To Know One"
"Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms"

[GiuseppeSan]

Being able to play this fast with perfect rhythm while singing harmony is downright superhuman

[WGBHMusic]

I don't think I've ever seen someone as happy as Chris Thile to play a Tiny Desk concert! That dude sure can rip it up on the mandolin.

[sflem]

Incredible, as an old man who has picked bluegrass all my life, I'm thankful there are young Americans keeping our music alive and well at such a high level of musicianship as is displayed here!!! This is the real deal.

[adisharr]

My guitar heard this and listed itself on Ebay.

[JoJaDaRu]

Michael has one of the best voices for this kind of music I've ever heard. There is strong tradition in how he sings with some kind of punk/progressive sensibility hanging around underneath. Love it... and then with the pickin' that perfectly matches it too!

[massimo]

my compliments from iTaly.I listen music serious.Virtuosism and talent.Genius of music.perfect in all points.The american musician has the best of world.I love the country music with only mandolino or banjo duo trio band.I love this musica of long time.I was a children and listen this music in sardegna from italy.but this music was impossible to buy LP.Today thanks you I have the possibiltà to listen this beautiful music.This music is my life.thanks

[jcjc]

Isn't it great to see to wonderfully talented musicians just have fun?

[mapagano]

0:20 Sleep with one eye open
4:41 Rabbit in a log
7:45 Bury me beneath the willow
11:50 Billy in the lowground
15:18 It takes one to know one
20:10 Roll in my sweet baby's arms

[CorrosiveColin]

That guy plays the shit out of a mandolin. 

[cartershilts]

I'm sure the 600, 000 views this video has accumilated has been my the same 1000 people watching over.. And over.. And over.. And.. Well you get the point, they are underrated, I met Michael Daves nonchalantly meandering around the concessions at a punch brothers show in Chicago a few months ago. Completely unbothered and just leaning against a wall with nobody near him and all I could think is "OH MY GOD HOW DO THESE PEOPLE NOT KNOW WHO MICHAEL DAVES IS?!?!" And I talked to him for a good 15 minutes, super awesome guy to say the least.

[mikemcginn]

Chris plays the craziest stuff when he's playing with Michael, love the chemistry and understanding they have together!

[quentinarrants]

I wish people understood how insane this is

[stevenhodgen]

What a fantastic pairing!  I love Michael's shy sincerity, amazing voice, and stunning playing.  Chris?  Well, he's is a freakin' wizard minstrel.  'nuf said.

[gbvxquh]

Dave's is so unassuming, intense, and natural, and Thile is so energetic and in his showman element, it's irrisistable. Dave's voice is the perfect partner to Thile's mandolin.I love the way Daves presses on, with his voice building so strong over time, . It 's so confident and consistent in style, it really drives the music. What a classic! Thile should have Dave's sing all of his best songs.Thile's voice is a good deep background to Thile's mandolin-sounding vocals. Dave's guitar is awesome. I wish these two recorded and toured together part of evey year. They belong together.

[brianholcombe]

I played at a jam in NYC a few years ago and Michael sang tenor on a tune I sang. I was floored by how powerfully he sings those harmony vocals.

[billleger]

Chris's second break on Billy In The Lowground is so good I laugh every time I watch it, and I've watched a couple dozen times. Absurd!!

[natals]

I don't want this to end. Ever.

[hobowalker]

I love musicians that have energy and feeling in their performances. These two are insanely talented and entertaining and that's why I love them.

[trevmarch]

Man, riffs that make you giggle is the realist music.

Bin watchin this performance for years and won’t stop

[stevensnydermusic]

Cameraman, can we please, for the love of Jesus, get a few shots of Michael Daves solos?