After fulfilling his middle school metalhead dreams shredding on electric guitar with Tool in Salt Lake City, Billy Strings showed off his range playing clawhammer banjo during two nights at the Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence, MO.
Kicking off on Friday, the weekend run began with a show highlighted by a monster “Highway Hypnosis” first set closer and some instrument switching that resulted in unusual configurations. First Strings moved to clawhammer banjo while mandolinist Jarrod Walker played guitar, with fiddler Alex Hargreaves completing a temporary trio with the pair. Then the full band surrounded Strings as he sang seated with no instrument, with Jarrod Walker on guitar.
Billy Strings – “The Fire On My Tongue”, “Bronzeback”, “Watch It Fall”, “Hello, City Limits” – 10/14/23
Banjoist Billy Failing sang his tune “So Many Mile”, which included a tease of Phish‘s “Gotta Jiboo”, and the band finished the night by going old-school bluegrass, all gathering around a single mic for “Standing In The Need Of Prayer” and “If Your Hair Is Too Long, There’s Sin In Your Heart”.
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Returning on Saturday for night two, Strings showed off his banjo chops some more, both alongside Billy Failing during “Dos Banjos” and on his own with a solo rendition of “Country Blues”. Other highlights included “California Sober”, Strings’ recent collaboration with Willie Nelson, a pairing of “Poor Ellen Smith” and “Remington Ride”, both played for the first time since fall 2022, and a raging “Turmoil & Tinfoil”.
Billy Strings – “Dusty Miller”, “Secrets” – 10/14/23
Billy and the band are off until the end of the month, when they’ll celebrate Halloween with the wrestling-themed Van Andel Scramble in Grand Rapids, MI. The group will then head to Europe before returning stateside for additional fall tour dates. For a full list of upcoming shows and to purchase tickets, visit his website.
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Billy Strings – “Thirst Mutilator”, “So Many Miles”, “Dust In A Baggie”, “Everything’s The Same” – 10/13/23
[Video: J. R. Hunsaker]
Billy Strings – “Meet Me At The Creek” – 10/14/23
[Video: Jonathan Buchanan]
Setlist [via BillyBase]: Billy Strings | Cable Dahmer Arena | Independence, MO | 10/13/23
Set 1: The Fire On My Tongue, Bronzeback, Watch It Fall, Hello, City Limits, Pretty Daughter, Frosty Morn [1], Reuben’s Train [1], Look Up, Look Down That Lonesome Road [2], Know It All, Bringing In The Georgia Mail , This Old World, Highway Hypnosis
Set 2: Psycho, Thunder, Slow Train, Libby Phillips Rag, Home, Hollow Heart, Sugar Hill Ramble, Unwanted Love , Thirst Mutilator, So Many Miles [3] [4], Dust In A Baggie, Everything’s The Same
Encore: Standing In The Need Of Prayer [5], If Your Hair Is Too Long, There’s Sin In Your Heart [5]
Notes:
[1] Billy Strings on clawhammer banjo with Jarrod Walker on guitar and Alex Hargreaves on fiddle
[2] Full band around Billy Strings (sitting, singing with no instrument) with Jarrod Walker on guitar
[3] Billy Failing on lead vocals
[4] “Gotta Jiboo” (Phish) tease
[5] Full band around single mic
Setlist [via BillyBase]: Billy Strings | Cable Dahmer Arena | Independence, MO | 10/14/23
Set 1: Dusty Miller, Secrets, Away From The Mire, Long Forgotten Dream, Taking Water, Ice Bridges, Enough To Leave, Steam Powered Aereo Plane [1], Hellbender, Ridin’ That Midnight Train, Fire Line [2]
Set 2: My Love Come Rolling Down, Meet Me At The Creek, Charlie’s Birthday Breakdown, In The Morning Light, Bringing Mary Home, Dos Banjos [3], Country Blues [4], California Sober, Turmoil & Tinfoil, Poor Ellen Smith [5], Remington Ride [6] [7], Must Be Seven, Hide and Seek
Encore: Tennessee, Train 45
Notes:
[1] Billy Failing on lead vocals
[2] “Third Stone From The Sun” (Jimi Hendrix) tease
[3] Dos Billys (Billy Strings on clawhammer banjo, Billy Failing on banjo)
[4] Billy Strings solo on clawhammer banjo
[5] Last Played 2022-10-29 | 105 show gap
[6] Last Played 2022-09-24 | 116 show gap
[7] Also known as “Reynold’s Wrap” due to being renamed by Brad Lasko, Barkus Park Campground
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