Billy Strings stopped by Los Angeles’ Wiltern Theatre on Sunday for a special birthday show that featured two cover-heavy sets. Of the 32 songs played by Strings and his bandmates Billy Failing (banjo), Jarrod Walker (mandolin), Royal Masat (bass), and Alex Hargreaves (fiddle), more than half were covers. Among them were the live debuts of the traditional “All the Good Times Are Past and Gone” and Bill Monroe‘s “Wheel Hoss”.
The night began with a singalong rendition of “Happy Birthday” led by Jarrod Walker and dedicated to Billy Strings, whose 30th birthday would officially begin when the clock struck midnight. The crowd was given yellow “Happy Birthday Billy” trucker hats in honor of the occasion.
The bluegrass star and his trusty band then kicked off the first set in earnest with the live debut of the traditional “All the Good Times Are Past and Gone”. Next came a sequence of two originals, “Away From the Mire” > “Long Forgotten Dream”, before a cover of New Riders of the Purple Sage‘s “Lonesome L.A. Cowboy”. Additional covers of Tony Rice‘s “Tipper” and The Chordettes‘ “Born to Be With You” preceded the traditional “Beaumont Rag” and fan-favorite original “Hide and Seek”. The band rounded out the set with Red Sovine‘s “Bringing Mary Home”, Tony Rice’s “Cattle in the Cane”, and “Love Like Me” before closing the first frame with New Grass Revival‘s “Whisper My Name” and “Know It All”.
Related: Billy Strings Announces ‘Me/And/Dad/’ Album With Terry Barber [Watch/Listen]
For set two, Billy and the boys stuck to the covers theme, opening with a continuous sequence of “Ernest T. Grass” by The Dillards, “Secrets”, “With a Vamp in the Middle” by John Hartford, the traditional “Red Rocking Chair”, “This Heart of Mine” by New Grass Revival, and “Dealing Despair”. A couple more original tunes, “Love and Regret” and “Hellbender”, then came before a cover of “Old Train” by Seldom Scene, which bleded into “Turmoil & Tinfoil”.
A take on William “Billy” Hayes‘s “I’ll Remember You, Love, in My Prayers” likewise gave way to “Slow Train”, one of the last original tunes of the night. Then after a run through Frank Wakefield‘s “End of the Rainbow”, the band closed the second set with a sequence consisting of “Dust in a Baggie”, the live debut of Bill Monroe‘s “Wheel Hoss”, and “Dust in a Baggie” reprise.
For the encore, Strings picked two more covers, returning to “All the Good Times Are Past and Gone” before capping the night off with Reno and Smiley‘s “I’m Gone, Long Gone”—and just like that, he was.
Check out a gallery of photos from Billy Strings at L.A.’s Wiltern Theatre courtesy of photographer Chloe Weir below. For a list of Billy Strings’s upcoming tour dates and to purchase tickets, visit his website.
Setlist: Billy Strings | Wiltern Theatre | Los Angeles, CA | 10/2/22
Set One: All the Good Times Are Past and Gone (Traditional) [1], Away From the Mire > Long Forgotten Dream, Lonesome L.A. Cowboy (New Riders of the Purple Sage), Close By (Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys), Tipper (Tony Rice), Born to Be With You (The Chordettes), Beaumont Rag (traditional), Hide and Seek, Bringing Mary Home (Red Sovine), Cattle in the Cane (Tony Rice), Love Like Me, Whisper My Name (New Grass Revival), Know It All
Set Two: Ernest T. Grass (The Dillards) > Secrets, With a Vamp in the Middle (John Hartford) > Red Rocking Chair (traditional) > This Heart of Mine (New Grass Revival) > Dealing Despair, Love and Regret, Hellbender, Old Train (The Seldom Scene) > Turmoil & Tinfoil, I’ll Remember You, Love, in My Prayers (William “Billy” Hayes) > Slow Train, End of the Rainbow (Frank Wakefield), Dust in a Baggie > Wheel Hoss (Bill Monroe) [1] > Dust in a Baggie
Encore: All the Good Times Are Past and Gone (Traditional), I’m Gone, Long Gone (Reno and Smiley)
[1] First time played.
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