Caught Nickel Creek at the Electric Factory, a barn of a place in Philadelphia, on a Tuesday night. What a treat. It's hard to know where to begin to describe all the great things about this show.

After having seen the band over four years ago at their first NY appearance at the now defunct Bottom Line Cabaret, it was time to head to Philly.

The band definitely have a higher-energy show, with a presence bordering on rock-n-roll. There is also a great deal of silliness on stage as well. The overall feel is a very seamless group of four very comfortable with what they are doing.

The vocal work could hardly have been better. Each of the three vocaliasts is good enough to be the lead. I'd only with they'd give Sean Watkins more songs. He really is like the "George" of the band (I heard someone say that).

What was most inspring was being in a very large club with hundreds of fans from age 16 to 56, on a weekenight, in an urban downtown, all essentially "moshing" to music only about half a block away from traditional bluegrbutt.

What these four musicians are doing to hook up the younger generation with the appreciation for bluegrbutt -- even it means tricking them into thinking its rock-n-roll -- is a great thing.

Favorite songs of the evening: Out of the Woods, Lighthouse (with the extended jam), Somebody More Like You.

It looks like the tour is only about 1-3 the way through and I'd highly recommend this show for those west of the Mississippi.

John Hinsdale