Billy Strings performed several songs during a solo mini-set at his concert in Santa Barbara, California on Sunday. The solo portion took place in the middle of the show, which did not contain a traditional set break.
Sunday’s concert was the second of two shows Strings played at the Santa Barbara Bowl. The performance began with the guitarist joined by his bandmates, banjoist Billy Failing, bassist Royal Masat and mandolinist Jarrod Walker, for an opening “set” of 12 songs.
The original “Red Daisy” from Strings’ 2021 album Renewal started the concert. Fellow Renewal track “This Old World” came after a cover of “I’ll Remember You, Love, in My Prayers.” The first half included additional originals “Highway Hypnosis” and “Hollow Heart” alongside covers like Doc Watson’s “The Train That Carried My Girl From Town,” Grateful Dead’s “Wharf Rat” and the traditional “Black Mountain Rag” and “Little Maggie,” among others.
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Strings kicked off his solo sequence on banjo, first playing Doc Watson’s “Georgia Buck.” He then played banjo versions of “The Cuckoo” and The Stanley Brothers’ “Shout Little Luly.” Strings then moved to acoustic guitar for solo runs through “Beaumont Rag,” Doc Watson’s “Brown’s Ferry Blues” and a bust out of Pearl Jam’s “Soon Forget,” which had been performed once prior back in 2019.
Strings was solo for the start of “Bound To Ride,” but was joined by his bandmates mid-song. The rest of the set was made up of covers of “Home of the Red Fox” and “Sitting in Limbo” along with originals “Know It All,” “Love & Regret,” “Everything’s The Same,” “Thirst Mutilator,” “So Many Miles” and the show-closing “Hide & Seek.”
Watch video footage of “The Cuckoo” captured by 2nd Rail Productions below:
Setlist (via BillyBase)
Set: Red Daisy, I’ll Remember You, Love, In My Prayers, This Old World, The Train That Carried My Girl From Town > Black Mountain Rag, West Dakota Rose, Highway Hypnosis, Miss The Mississippi And You, Hollow Heart, Wharf Rat, Shenandoah Breakdown > Little Maggie, Georgia Buck [1], The Cuckoo [1], Shout Little Lulie [1], Beaumont Rag [2], Brown’s Ferry Blues [2], Soon Forget [2], Bound To Ride [3], Home Of The Red Fox > Know It All, Love & Regret, Everything’s The Same, Thirst Mutilator > So Many Miles, Sitting in Limbo, Hide & Seek
Notes:
- [1] Billy Strings solo on clawhammer banjo
- [2] Billy Strings solo on guitar
- [3] Started as a Billy Strings solo on guitar and band joined during the song
