Joe Kwon, the Korea-born cellist for the rock-flavored roots band The Avett Brothers, admits he’s strayed pretty far from his classical-music origins — not that he’d have it any other way.

“It’s a dream come true for me; I can say that with full conviction,” said Kwon. “This is what I want to be doing, and I am doing it. I can’t complain.”

The Avett Brothers play the Michigan Theater on Tuesday night, March 9, in support of their new album, “I and Love and You.” (They also play a mini-concert at Borders earlier that day.) The past year has seen The Avett Brothers really catch fire, thanks to a major label deal, a mentor in the form of respected producer Rick Rubin, and the endorsement of Rolling Stone magazine, which called the band “artists to watch” in 2009.

Guitarist Seth Avett and his banjo-picking brother Scott Avett formed The Avett Brothers in 2001, with stand-up bass player Bob Crawford and, eventually, Kwon, after fronting the neo-punk band Nemo and its acoustic offshoot, Nemo Back Porch Project.

The North Carolina-based group opened for much of the Dave Matthews Band tour in 2009 and has appeared at The Ark more than once, their sometimes rowdy “punk-grass” shows generating ticket sales that indicated the move to a larger room was warranted.

“It’s like we’re graduating from grade school and hitting middle school,” Kwon observed. “But I’m going to miss The Ark. It’s one of those spots that sticks out in my mind for sure.”

Before signing with Columbia and Rubin, The Avett Brothers released 5 albums and 2 EPs on the indie label Ramseur Records, among them “Mingonette,” “Four Thieves Gone” and “Emotionalism.” The EP “The Gleam II” came out in 2008.

On “I and Love and You,” The Avett Brothers work their way through 13 tunes that mix elements of country, folk, bluegrass and rock. But it’s the intensity of their live shows — popping a multitude of banjo and guitar strings while encouraging spirited sing-alongs among audiences that appear to know the words to every song — that has really helped pump up the band’s fan base.

Listen to the Avett Brothers album “I and Love and You”:

Kwon said that from the first time he heard the Avetts’ music he was hooked. He was playing in a band called Big Pretty and the Red Rockets, which had a show in Winston-Salem near where The Avett Brothers also happened to be performing. He and another band member caught the show and then, to Kwon’s surprise, the Avett’s Bob Crawford showed up at his gig.

“I listened to the music and it was amazing,” Kwon recalled. “I felt like a child discovering a new toy or something. And then for Bob to come in and hear me playing with the band I was with at the time — he loved what we were doing and it’s history from there.”

PREVIEW The Avett Brothers Who: North Carolina trio known for its energetic live shows. With Rhode Island-based folk-rock foursome The Low Anthem. Presented by The Ark. What: Rootsy bluegrass with rowdy punk-rock flourishes. Expect tunes from the new CD “I and Love and You,” as well as songs from past albums. When: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Where: Michigan Theater, 603 East Liberty Street. How much: $50 and $26, available from Ticketmaster. Additional event: The Avett Brothers will perform a mini-concert and CD signing at the downtown Borders store at noon Tuesday. Wristbands will be passed out when the store opens that day. Call the store for details at 734-668-7652.

Kwon acknowledged that there’s a certain looseness to an Avett Brothers show that audiences find appealing, and also said there’s a reason the shows have that kind of a feel.

“A lot of times we feel we are really underpracticed. It feels like we’re about to fall apart in the middle of the show, and sometimes we do. It’s a matter of covering it up well enough that nobody notices,” he joked.

Kwon, who acknowledges leading a somewhat sheltered life musically in his early years, said that playing with The Avett Brothers is vastly different from the classical ensembles to which he had been accustomed.

“The first time I ever heard The Avett Brothers was the first time I ever heard this kind of music. A mixture of punk pop with Americana — I was like ‘What in the world is going on here?’ It was really new to me. But I also have a really limited musical background. I did not listen to popular music till I was 16 years old — I was listening to classical music.

“(I’m) a classical musician turned a wretched version of a rock something,” he laughed. “I guess what appeals to me the most is working with the Avett Brothers. It’s amazing. They are a group of guys who have given me the artistic freedom to do whatever I want, and that’s a great thing.”

Kwon isn’t saying he’s abandoned classical music entirely, however. It’s just that his focus has changed.

“Classical music is near and dear to my heart and I miss it,” he said. “I am sure one day in the near future I’ll get back to it. It’s just a matter of finding the players and the time.”


Roger LeLievre is a freelance writer who covers music for AnnArbor.com.

The Avett Brothers performing live on The Late Late Show in October: