Nickel Creek - studio session at The Current (music & interview)

Nickel Creek - the string band comprising Sara Watkins, Sean Watkins and Chris Thile - have been delighting audiences since they were in their teens, but with long-running and wide-ranging music careers, they hadn’t released an original album together since 2014.That changed during the pandemic, when they suddenly got that spark to work together again. The resulting album is Celebrants, released on March 23 of this year.
While Nickel Creek were in town to play a show at the Palace Theatre, they visited The Current studio to play songs and to chat with host Mac Wilson. Watch and listen to the complete session above.
Video Segments
00:00:00 Going Out…
00:02:59 Where The Long Line Leads
00:06:26 Holding Pattern
00:09:35 Interview with host Mac Wilson
All songs from Nickel Creek’s 2023 album, “Celebrants,” released through ‪@thirtytigers6504‬.
Musicians
Chris Thile - mandolin, vocals
Sara Watkins - vocals, fiddle, guitar
Sean Watkins - vocals, guitar
Jeff Picker - bass, vocals
Credits
Guests - ‪@NickelCreek‬
Host - Mac Wilson
Producer - Derrick Stevens
Video Director - Evan Clark
Camera Operators - Evan Clark, Peter Ecklund
Audio - Derek Ramirez
Graphics - Natalia Toledo
Digital Producer - Luke Taylor
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#nickelcreek #studio #interview

[@Storkus100]

Glad to see them making music again but boy do i miss "Live From Here!" And I hope "Im With Her" is still a thing.

[@johndowney3294]

seconded and me too Aoife's new album is super so's NC I'm sure IWH will work again soon they are tremendous

[@jerryakbar6147]

Live from here was great , I caught it at the wiltern in L.A. ,another victim of the race/ lack of culture war. KPCC is unlistenable these days. BBC news hour, bad ! Live from here , bad ! Bill Monroe, bad. Larry mantel…..BAD. Spicy times folks. Not going to end well.

[@davidohvt]

I absolutely agree we need them both! 🥰

[@xHektorx]

I grew up listening to PHC with my dad, and I was absolutely chuffed that I could pass that down to my kids with Live from Here on my devices, but alas! One more thing stolen from the next generation. I miss it so much - Tom Papa + Chris Thile was just the absolute best. I'm glad for another Nickel Creek CD, though - one of few of my old favorites still making music.

[@ScottatHouseonaHill]

IWH - Aoife and Sarah hinted upcoming writing a few months back, but with Sarah dropping her new record in January, I'm not so sure.

[@Cletus_the_Elder]

I hope the music of Live from Here lives on in the work of the wonderful musicians. The quality of the performances, week after week, was absolutely astounding. My two favorite performances, ever, were from the broadcasts: Someone Who Loves Me, with Sara Bareilles and The Milk Carton Kids, and Greensleeves, with Sarah Jarosz and Chris Thile. There is a chasm in NPR without this show.

[@jerryakbar6147]

National propaganda radio does not see it that way. I used to answer the pledge phones at KNAU, free pizza ! It’s nonstop regime narrative now to the point of absurdity , KPCC got rid of the BBC news hour. Why ? You guessed it.

[@C2C.]

Yes, it was appointment viewing/listening -- a musical treasure, week after week. I'm still hoping for a resurrection...

[@timothywourms3087]

Simply put , Nickel Creek’s Celebrants is a sonic and lyrical masterpiece from the first song through the last. We do appreciate their courage to create such a complex and connected album which is totally contrary to the disjointed playlist world which we live. Definitely worth multiple listens from the beginning to the end. We experience something new every time! Go see them live if you can!

[@linzyr84]

Yes, please another album from I'm With Her and more Live From Here episodes!!!!

[@noahlejeune3154]

7/8 is such an immediately recognizable time signature, I'm such a sucker for it too. Welcome back, guys!

[@dculp9284]

as a lifetime fan of progressive rock - this 7/8 feel makes me think of the instrumental section of Cinema Show by Genesis. From prog rock to prog bluegrass, great music is just great music!

[@paulelliott3220]

Awesome band, saw them recently and they are on fire Wonderful music and so great it’s ridiculous

[@4Truth4All]

Great stuff. They still have the magic! I first listened to them 20 years ago on A Praire Home Companion and fell in love with their music. At the time, I was dealing with the loss of my father, he loved this style of music. They came along right when I needed them and opened up the door to a genre of music that has stayed with me to this day.

[@davidscotbrown3241]

Great to know that they haven't abandoned the concept of a cohesive album designed to be listened to from start to finish. Many artists spend a great deal of time determining the running order of a record only to be defeated by the contamination in our society of short attention spans - fueled by Spotify and other streaming services. Go Nickle Creek!

[@j.s.3113]

Just listening to Let it Fall, Sean’s first solo Album, with Chris and Sarah on board of course. A wonderful collections of songs showing Sean’s exceptional guitar skills.

[@xHektorx]

That remains my go-to rainy-day-reading album. It's perfect for meditative days.

[@jeffreyjacobs390]

Sara is looking healthy and energetic. So good to see ! She has been playing with Aoife & Sara Jarosz - so very good blend.

[@xHektorx]

Probably my first musical crush, and one of the very few I've ever had.

[@awakeandhungry4334]

Next level talent 🔥🔥🔥

[@dlprofitt]

Straight up crushed it! I love it

[@slode1693]

So fun to listen to them talk over the process of writing this album. Because I said i the first time I listened to it, and little things keep popping up every time that show, it was truly written as one body of work.

[@chrisneyman]

Sara doing Long Line live is as good as it gets. I watch every version I can find. They're all wonderful.

[@petershim5900]

There's nothing like this! Heaven's musical angels all together in one room! ❤🤩❤🤩❤🙏🏼

[@ronnieblanchet4072]

SOLI DEO GLORIA (To The Glory Of God Alone) Father, Son & Holy Spirit -Ronnie

[@flyingcheff]

Yay! So good to see and hear you! Been favorite for me since the beginning!

[@rpayo1836]

Holding Pattern is my new favorite. So haunting.

[@MrPayor21]

This interview was well done, great questions

[@joshlovegood9392]

Brilliant Video. I've been waiting for a new Nickel Creek Interview for so long!! 'Going Out' was extra special to see live. So beautiful & complex.

[@eloyrodriguez3362]

Awesome 💯💯💯

[@imaginimage6207]

such a layered song soo cool

[@student702]

Sean deserves more press!!! @19:50, Sara has an amazing sense of humor!!!

[@OK-Take5]

This is great news. I've followed them since their early days. Their work with other people has been fantastic but I'm so glad they got back together.

[@josephsaah2613]

Jeff Picker on bass is a great addition!

[@davecherry4230]

The 'good ole days' are now! Thank you, players! I've followed you since the debut on Jay Leno! And dang, Jeff Picker gets around!

[@DavidHaile_profile]

Impressive! I love how Holding Pattern is constructed.

[@juliechristianson8009]

They put so much energy into their music. I love them. Thank you.

[@youngtoonfish6891]

They all are just getting better and better and better and better as time goes by!

[@333deda]

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ Thank you so much.

[@chrisneyman]

Holding Pattern is a damn masterpiece.

[@greatpix]

It's hard to believe they started out 30 years ago.

[@ButchWilson]

The magic continues. Awesome.

[@mkb3175]

I aspire to play violin like Sara and mandolin like Chris

[@user-dc7rt5bh2z]

Good to see you guys back. You are one of my all-time favorite bands.

[@libbydunsmore4671]

Long time fan of Nickel Creek. Hope you will schedule an appearance in Greensboro or Asheville again soon!

[@findingtheFOOT]

Samwise, and young Dumbledore are killer

[@lisarausch9646]

Best concert I’ve seen. And I’ve seen a lot

[@warrenhuff7349]

Excellent playing by all!!

[@philaldridge4178]

Love these guys. I still got a crush on Sara.

[@suehowardful]

Wonderful!!!

[@kolozsboronkay9783]

Li ho seguiti sin dal loro inizio e la loro crescita musicale ha dell'incredibile (sopratutto per merito di Chris Thile).

[@stmission]

Holy spit. Impulses grooving along my spine.

[@ericagreen8526]

Best band in the world

[@vi01inist]

Fiddling in 7/8, that's my kind of jam

[@craig2100]

NB are amazing❤

[@MyShyCats]

Incredible!!!

[@awakeandhungry4334]

I’m going to NEED some new I’m with Her ASAP too please and thank you!

[@eugeneunger2473]

I think it's going to be awhile since Sarah J is releasing a new album in January

[@mandolinsandotherthings7184]

Now that the COVID crap is over, bring back "Live from Here" and "I'm with Her".

[@user-ef7ou2yg4r]

met them in Winfield!

[@carlosm.devasconcelllos3939]

A couple of days ago I was watching that show, opening for Joan Baez. 👍

[@brandenburg05]

Crick is a pronunciation from Philadelphia and generally Southeastern PA

[@mylajelliffe3096]

Ditto❤❤❤

[@nickwolfblues]

Dang that second song slaps....

[@senny-]

Who bestowed their vampiric powers to Chris Thile? He never aged.

[@popmushee]

that second song is some kinda punk bluegrass - punkgrass, if you will

[@goju08]

How happy I am for this!

[@Karl.Hanzel]

Yowsa!…. Sara on guitar

[@SempreGumby]

Nickel Creek Reborn!?

[@kylelinn1384]

Crick is from Montana

[@peterdaniel66]

The interviewer is flaming HARD.. sheesh

[@samansun]

Captains in atonal waters as well.

[@historynerd85]

Sara is one of the most beautiful women ever

[@historynerd85]

Somewhere a kid has her beauty as his aunt

[@tomforsythe7024]

Chris and Sean are basically Frodo and Sam.

[@lloydeaves]

brother Chris Thile is like 6'3"

[@tomforsythe7024]

That's two Hobbits tall!@@lloydeaves

[@Oleg_K.]

​​@@lloydeavesBut his soul is one Hobbit tall.

[@resofone]

anyone know the maker of chris A model mandolin??

[@TuckerTheMandolinist]

It's a Lawrence Smart Mandola

[@howieharkema8576]

🤍💛🧡💗💚💙💜🤎🖤✌

[@psalmer5690]

LFH will return if there is a God.

[@ytnsanw]

NC goin' all Mahavishnu on us....

[@scottbeal7068]

New album is lovely, and flew really far when I chucked it out over a land fill. Call it what you want...it's a near impossible listen.

[@marshallhood9220]

Heady AF

[@edyue1]

So it’s ok to play and sing outta tune 😂

[@TuckerTheMandolinist]

I don't think they are

[@Lucy-yc4bc]

Check your ear

[@johnnyparker9928]

😒

[@netterstyl]

Oh, for Christ's sake - what a waste of immense talent. Could this _get_ any weirder? Only thing missing is Yoko on vocals.

[@TuckerTheMandolinist]

Perhaps if you listen again with an open mind, you will realize the impressive musical complexity of this album.

[@Lucy-yc4bc]

Bro has vanilla taste