Nickel Creek members' tours stop in NC

Nickel Creek played their last shows at the Ryman Auditorium in November leaving the band free to focus on other projects. Two of these new musical projects will stop in NC in March.

Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek will try out her new solo skills, opening for Tift Merritt at the Carolina Theatre in Durham on March 22. It's unclear yet whether Sara will perform solo or with a group, but it should be a good show either way. Sara will start recording a solo record in late February will Led Zeppelin bassist and bluegrass enthusiast John Paul Jones producing.

Punch Brothers, Chris Thile's new band, will play at the Clayton Center in Clayton on March 29. The band will also play in Asheville at Grey Eagle Tavern on the 27th, in Greensboro at the Carolina Theatre on the 28th and in Charlotte at the McGlohon Theatre on the 30th. Thile inked a deal with Nonesuch Records (home of Wilco) last year who will release Punch Brothers first album, Punch, on February 26.

Tickets for Tift Merritt with Sara Watkins are available via Tickets.com and Punch Brothers tickets are available via Etix.com.