by Christina LaVecchia, Sellersville, PA

As a girl and a young teenager, most of my live musical experiences were had down at the Old Pool Farm during the blistering heat of August with my Dad. In 2000 I happened upon a workshop that included a young bluegrass trio, a band with members no more than three or four years my senior. I was absolutely blown away when I found out they had composed most of the music they performed that afternoon, which included some of the most complex and intricate pieces I’d heard that day. I stayed to see them that night during their evening set on the mainstage and ran to the CD tent to have my new album signed afterwards. I was as giddy to have Chris Thile smile and excitedly tell me we had almost the same name (Chris and Christina) as most girls were to see N*Sync cavort across a glitzy stage.

Since that hot day in August, Nickel Creek has remained my favorite band in the entire world and, in my estimation, a group of the finest musicians one can see today. And each one of eight performances I’ve been privileged to see, as I’ve grown from a gangly pre-teen to a college grad, has been one of the most memorable music experiences of my life.