Billy Strings made history on Thursday, when he became the first artist to play a two-set late night at DelFest. Strings and his band welcomed a number of guests to share the Music Hall stage over the course of the evening, including guitarist Marcus King.
Strings ended the first day of this year’s DelFest at Allegany County Fairgrounds in Cumberland, Maryland. Mandolinist Frank Solivan was the quartet’s initial guest as he emerged at the conclusion of the opening frame for a sequence of “Down In The Hollow,” “Doin’ My Time,” “Shady Grove” and “Bluegrass Breakdown.” Ronnie McCoury came out at the beginning of the second set to add to “I’ll Remember You, Love, In My Prayers” as well as “Train 45,” “All Fall Down” and “Roll On Buddy, Roll On.”
The guest action continued one song later, when Marcus King Band saxophonist Dean Mitchell lent a hand on the Billy Strings’ debut of “Turn The Page” by Bob Seger. Next, Marcus himself came out for covers of Jackson Browne’s “Running On Empty,” The Allman Brothers Band’s “Midnight Rider” and John Phillips’ “Me & My Uncle.” The collaboration was a reprise of the “King & Strings” set at last year’s Rooster Walk that will take place again at the same festival on Sunday night.
Billy Strings ended the marathon second set with the pairing of “Ernest T. Grass” and “The Hobo Song” followed by “Dealing Despair” and a cover of Phish’s “Back On The Train.” The long night concluded with a “Long Gone” encore.
Setlist (via PT)
Set One: Home Of The Red Fox > My Sweet Blue Eyed Darling, Señor (Tales Of Yankee Power), New Camptown Races > Unwanted Love, While I’m Waiting Here > Pyramid Country > Ol’ Slewfoot, Down In The Hollow (1) > Doin’ My Time (1), Shady Grove (1), Bluegrass Breakdown (1)
Set Two: I’ll Remember You, Love, In My Prayers (2), Train 45 (2), All Fall Down (2) > Roll On Buddy, Roll On (2), In Hiding, Turn The Page (3,4), Running On Empty (5), Midnight Rider (5), Me & My Uncle (5), Ernest T. Grass > The Hobo Song, Dealing Despair, Back On The Train
Encore: Long Gone
- 1- w/Frank Solivan
- 2 – w/Ronnie McCoury
- 3 – w/Dean Mitchell (saxophone, MKB)
- 4 – FTP
- 5- w/Marcus King
