Billy Strings

I was wondering if he was going to leave the light show behind and do a more traditional set.  And he brought along his dad too.  

There's a bunch of videos here: https://www.youtube.com/@Ohio_Grown/featured

Rip Billy's mom

woe

Gonna be a heavy night 

 ((( MOM ))) 

Was Freedom a cover of the Richie Havens' song?

Rip Billy's Mom, he's right we're Family 

I was at this show a few years ago and always enjoyed that his mom had impact on the set list choices...

https://youtu.be/t6PgSyVTvUg

Glad dude has a three week break before winter tour down under.

https://pcusa.org/news-storytelling/news/2025/6/24/right-place-right-tim...

The church

Sweet story. Thanks for sharing that, Zooey.

Thanks, Zooey. Nothing unusual, something special.

A nice local review

https://amp.kentucky.com/entertainment/music-news-reviews/article3087394...

RIP

Billy Strings at Tsunami Books 11-6-15

Tall Buildings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kvNDCx0QSE

Funny how Bill went from playing coffee houses for tips to selling out NBA arenas in 10 years (Grateful Dead did that too).   The real Heartbeat of America.

"So I'm sitting with a paper soakin' on my tongue
And feeling better than I did back when I was young
Now I'm seeing music that nobody else can see
With all the colors like a symphony surrounding me."

First time I saw him was in Ithaca in 2018 and fortunately he has come around frequently enough that I can keep up without too much travel effort 

Oops double dip

I'm in for Golden Gate Park and the 8//22 show in Everett, Washington.  The first will be outdoors in the daylight before D&C, the second at night time, indoors, and with a light show.

The only show I've ever seen at the newly rechristened Angel Of The Winds Arena (formerly The Everett Events Center) was Neil Young & Crazy Horse with Death Cab For Cutie opening around ten years ago.  

We sat in our seats in the back of the upper section for Death Cab's set, and the sound was pretty poor up there.  For NYACH's set we jumped the boards (it's also a minor league hockey arena) onto the GA floor and found the sound much improved in front of the soundboard.  

With that in mind, I saw a seat down in the lower tier in front of the board and grabbed it.  
 

Who knows? Maybe the namechange to Angel Of The Winds is a result of some investment on improving the acoustics in that room.

Bozeman, Missoula, 3 at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver B.C., Everett, and Eugene makes for a sweet PNW trek.

I snatched a pair almost half way back on the side row 2 for Angels of the Winds venue. Never been to that venue. Happy to hook up with any VivaZoners, been too long since I last did that :/  

We have tickets to Missoula and Eugene.  We would do the whole Bozeman to Eugene NW run, but recently got a new dog and that has curtailed our show going quite a bit.  Vancouver sold out right a way. Bozeman is also sold out and Missoula tix are going fast.

Wonder if he will sell out Matthew Knight?

Awesome ness BMFStrings i ness

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/14Fm77LMWng/

Turn it up!

>>Wonder if he will sell out Matthew Knight?<<

Tool and Elton are the only sellouts I can remember at the matt, and there were still plenty of empty seats

i think indoor summer concerts in Oregon are a tough sell

https://youtu.be/37SpQoUFtpM?si=wfQciqIUTkqGiMOA

...

Think he will do a lot of old bluegrass numbers Jerry liked to play.   Shady Grove and Deep Elum for sure, plus Old and in the Way stuff.

Red Rocking Chair>Planet Caravan 

Billy and the Boys brought it.  Damn.  Hard act to follow.

Looks misty down there and hope everyone is having fun.

Was hoping for an epic guitar duel with Billy and Mayer.  Oh well.  Dude still gave the Dead & Co a well needed kick in the butt. 

https://archive.org/details/billystrings2025-08-01.mk2s

Wharf Rat video from the pit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sNOFxdKB1U

Thunder:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaWqgaIMK5M

Here's a Wharf Rat with great mics.
https://youtu.be/PrR7FGWDPeo

Thanks for the links 

Thanks, Lil!

> ending credits music for the new season of KOTH

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM8c3D7pQYA/

Crazy new light rig.  Heard they have a new light director too - Saxton Waller who was STS9's light dude for almost two decades.

Hilarious Fargo poster

Missoula tonight!  Last show I saw at the Adams Fieldhouse was Phish in 95.  It's also the location of the Grateful Dead's one and only Montana show.  They vowed never to return after Bobby got hit by a pitcher thrown from the crowd.  Hopefully, there will be no pitchers thrown tonight.

Was it a starting pitcher or a relief pitcher?

Montana was a little past their comfort range.  Same with Idaho and North Dakota.  Billy has made it work though.  Have fun tonight, Ken!

The Grateful Dead never played in Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Arkansas, or Delaware.  Wouldn't be surprised if Billy has.  Dylan too.

Enjoy the show Ken!  hoping Billy comes back to St Augustine soon!

What a blast! Hard driving, fast picking psychedelic jam music from start to finish.  New lights look even better in person.

Place was packed, but found the best unofficial spot right above one of the hallways.   These boys are on top of their game.

Only weird thing were the prices on Shakedown Street.  I can see $65 for the sick custom "Seven Weeks in County" tie-dye with cowboy Snoopy, but five dollar PBRs and $15 grilled cheese. WTF?  My friend got the grilled cheese anyway, while lambasting the vendor about how she used to sell them for $1.  It did come with tomato.

$5 PBR's & $15 Grilled Cheese Sammys would make a great flipside to the Too Many Pigs On The Teat 7" single.

Sounds like you had a good time, Ken!

They had tomatoes!

How do these "kids" nowadays afford all this?  What if you don't have a Google job or don't swing something illegal and do have a girlfriend to take to the show..... how does one come up with $500 for a typical Tuesday night show? Tickets, parking, maybe a hotel, drugs, drinks,,,,, parking lot munchies....how do you do it nowdays without an Only Fans website?

^ i saw Billy last year for the cost of tix. Friend drove, I pitched in $20 for gas, brought pbj's and water to wash down the boomers i grew. Brought the weed i grew. Parked 2 blocks away for free. Walked in with one of the camera guys for Nugs broadcast,  local union dude. Had a nice conversation.  No ridiculously priced drinks or food bought at the venue.  We were allowed to bring water bottles in. And weed. Finished off pbj's and weed driving home. Cheap-o-la. 

tix in Euro are 49..beers are expensive but that does limit my consumption, I love to visit new places and Billy seems to be helping with that , Never been to Urtrect but will be going in oct.. Billy and his fabulous band are my new medicine, Just keeps getting Better and better! I'm not at All sorry about my Nuggs net subscription which seams to be posting most of these shoes!, and I can watch when I want .

^^^ I'm going to see Sierra Ferrell in St Aug in a few week.  just "discovered" her :) and can't wait 

Her bio is straight out of Kerouac, with the freight hopping, busking in New Orleans and Seattle, substance abuse issues, getting sober, and finding success and critical acclaim in her Grammy winning career.

All except the getting sober part

When did Kerouac get sober?

Well, the getting sober wouldn't be very Kerouac, but according to her wiki bio, she is:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Ferrell

Right, only meant about Kerouac lol

Jack got sober briefly during his Dharma Bums period when he was a fire lookout.  He was getting deep into Buddhism and trying to find  a lasting state of transcendence.  For a multitude of reasons, he never got there while alive.

Glad she's off the opiates.  Doesn't sound strictly California sober, but close.  It's working for her, so here's hoping she keeps it up.  It's good to have stories like hers, and the Billy Strings and Margo Price's of the world out there.

Just picked up tix for Billy on dec. I0th in Tulsa at the same venue as last year.  Can't wait to see the new light rig in person.

Up til yesterday, I thought we saw him in OKC last year....lol. The drive seemed long.

Starting right now right this second 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gvan6Ks5Fw

Tickets are still available for Friday night in Everett.  If I recall, there is no main parking lot.  Will try to get there early enough to hit up one of the local restaurants and skip the $15 Grilled Cheese.

Going to see him in Eugene on Saturday.  Looks like it's sold out.  Trying to figure out parking too, and getting nothing but contradictions, lol.  Guess we'll head down early and try to figure it out.

Looking forward to the new light show; 

https://liveforlivemusic.com/news/billy-strings-lighting-designer-saxton...

https://banditlites.com/2024/03/bandit-lites-delivers-pod-centric-system...

Sold out? 

well then I eat my words

hot diggity

Have fun in Eugene, everybody. No spot taken.

Any pre-functions for the Eugene show?  We might meet up at Squirrels in Corvallis before heading down.  

Might go to the Garcia Birthday Band at the WOW Hall for the after show party as well.  

https://wowhall.org/event/gbb/

Those two shows at the Commodore in Vancouver must have been special.  Only 900 seats!

Tomorrow night is a 5000 seat minor league hockey arena.  In the past, the acoustics have been rough there.  Hope they get it all dialed in.

Going to be hot as blazes this weekend.  Hopefully Matthew Knight has a decent air conditioning system.  Only shows I have seen there have been in the fall.  Adams Center in Missoula was uncomfortably warm and it was nowhere near 100 degrees out

Vancouver sold out right away.  5,000 person capacity is small for Billy in the states so surprised Everett hasn't sold out yet.  

Stuff came up and I'm out for Everett :/  

Hope everybody has a grand time! 

<<It's going to be hot as blazes....>>
 

Exactly why I'm heading to Willow's Artfarm on the coast (site of WCZJ 2020!)  to hammock camp!

Found the $15 Grilled Cheese sammies.

T 
 

Got two big slices and added a 20% tip for $14 at this place right next to Shakedown instead.   They were good!

Starting to fill up.  It ended up selling out.  Showtime soon.

Sweet.  Watching from the couch.  

Nice pics, also watching the stream...  looking forward to the tour Finale, wonder if there'll be any surprises?  Guest appearance at the WOW Hall?  Or if I should go to Wise Cracks for breakfast on Sunday, since Alex Hargeaves eats there with his family when he's in town, lol. (just a rumor, only a rumor, but he is a Corvallis native) 

August 22, 2025

Angel Of The Winds Arena

Everett, Washington
 

Set 1

Slow Train

Psycho

Hide and Seek

St. James Hospital

California Sober

10,000 Miles From A Friend

Stone Walls & Steel Bars

Hello, City Limits

Stratosphere Blues / I Believe in You

Hollow Heart

Paddy On The Turnpike

Heartbeat Of America

Set 2

Home Of The Red Fox

Secrets

A Good Woman’s Love

Beaumont Rag

Wargasm

Doin’ Things Right

Southern Flavor

Cabin Song

Seven Weeks in County

Nothing’s Working

In Case You Ever Change Your Mind6 

The Beginning of the End

Encore

Highway Hypnosis

Turned out to be a fun day trip up to Everett.  Sunny blue skies and comfortable low 80s temps.  No nitrous apparent in the pre-show Shakedown, but you couldn't miss it on the way out.  Very diverse demographic age-wise, from old boomers to Gen-Zers.  Glad I got a seat in the lower bowl, as the sound was passable, if still a little fuzzy.  Heard it was much worse on the second level.  The band was generous with the jams and looked like they were enjoying themselves.  The event staff were pleasant and unobstrusive. No one cared if you sparked a joint, which was refreshing.  The new light rig was impressive and featured fewer spastic moments.  Jarrod was shining all night, and I was highly enjoying Alex's fiddle accompaniment.  Royal dropped many impressive bass runs.  Out the door, down the I-5 and back home by midnight, yippee!

Have fun in Eugene folks!

Looking forward to Fall tour... I'll be at Rochester and Albany 

>>>> back home by midnight

"Watch your top knot, keep your stick on the ice, don't let your meat loaf, and be in bed before midnight."

Sound advice.

We're talking about leaving Corvallis around 5:15, then down to Bluegene.  We're planning on parking at the Mill Race garage (or the UO lot next to it), then walking the several blocks to the venue.  Still debating going the WOW Hall afterwards, but it was hot last night, and I don't think the WOW Hall has AC,  which will make it really warm in there if packed.

After multiple flips flops I ended up going to Angels of the Winds. Lots of fun. Looking forward to seeing them outside. Hockey rinks are for hockey. Weather was perfect. I agree it was a very mixed crowd. 

Lots of cool details in the Eugene poster; 

Great show, lots of fire on stage!!!   

Fun times last night:

And here is a clip of Bill's first Eugene show at Tsunami books (see the set list pic above) way back in 2014.  What a difference 11 years makes, but he can still bust out a sick "John Henry":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgILjznQngI&list=RDLgILjznQngI&start_rad...

Billy and Royal have hooked up with Bryan Sutton for a 7-show run through Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee that started Friday night in Owensboro.  
 

Set 1

Way Downtown1

Little Darling Pal Of Mine1

Beaumont Rag

Blue Railroad Train2 

What Does The Deep Sea Say?3

Watson Blues3,4 

Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette13

If I Needed You1,13

Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright5 

Sleep, Baby, Sleep6 

Fifteen Cents1 

You Must Come In At The Door1 

We Shall All Be Reunited7 

Set 2

Frosty Morn8

The Cuckoo8

Give The Fiddler A Dram9

Whistling Rufus9

Ragtime Annie9

The Old Home1 

Miss The Mississippi And You

Talking to Casey13

Poor Boy Blues13

Cold Cold World

St. Louis Blues13

Streamline Cannonball1

Solid Gone1,13

South Coast13

The House Carpenter10 

The Train That Carried My Girl From Town1

Black Mountain Rag

Encore

I Told Them All About You11 

New River Train12 

SETLIST NOTES

Bryan Sutton on lead vocals

Last Time Played 2023-03-03 | 205 show gap

Bryan Sutton on mandolin

Last Time Played 2024-05-21 | 94 show gap

Last Time Played 2023-10-07 | 140 show gap

Last Time Played 2024-12-07 | 64 show gap

Last Time Played 2023-03-03 | 205 show gap

Duet w/ Billy Strings on clawhammer banjo & Bryan Sutton on guitar 

Duet w/ Billy Strings & Bryan Sutton on guitar 

Last Time Played 2021-08-08 | 388 show gap

Last Time Played 2024-03-01 | 107 show gap

Last Time Played 2022-08-10 | 265 show gap

FTP

NPR's Fresh Air interviewed Billy this morning.  It should play on local NPRs at noon and will be archived later.  

It was sad. He talked about his mom's death, which he said was an OD.  
 

He said he was worried about fans taking advantage of her and some had started hanging out at his mom's.

https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/

Wow awful 

The interview

https://one.npr.org/?sharedMediaId=nx-s1-5534312:nx-s1-mx-5707057&fbclid...

Thanks, Zooey.

That's an insightful interview. Glad to hear he is processing his mom's passing, enjoying the first days of parenthoood, and the new project with Bryan.  The renewed focus on Doc Watson is great to see and hear.  Having Royal on electric bass reminds me of how Doc would play in a trio with T. Michael Coleman on electric bass and Jack Lawrence on 2nd guitar.

Some great pickin' in there too.  Thanks for the link, Zooey!