Billy Strings is a historian, a true music fan in every sense, and a supremely talented musician, adept at everything from scorching solos to complex arrangements and delicate ballads. His songs draw inspiration from a wide variety of styles and eras. And on any given night, you might hear live versions of anything from Black Sabbath to Grateful Dead.
Last night at 1stBank Center in Broomfield, CO was a perfect example of the spectrum of music he draws from, as he and his band, Jarod Walker (mandolin), Royal Masat (bass), Billy Failing (banjo), and Alex Hargreaves (fiddle) settled in for the second night of a sold old three-night run. After a solid first night, the band cranked it up a notch on night two, with deeper jams, more exploration, and another impressively varied setlist that weaved between bluegrass covers and originals, folk, psychedelic rock, and 90s grunge.
The first set leaned heavily on Strings’ 2021 album Renewal, with takes on “Secrets”, “Hellbender”, “In The Morning Light”, and “Fire Line”, along with covers of Bill Monroe’s “Dusty Miller”, Jonathan Edwards’ “How Long Have I Been Waiting For You”, Bad Livers’ “Lumpy, Beanpole, & Dirt.” Highlights of the set included a punchy, extended jam in “Thunder”, driven by funky undertones from bassist Royal Masat, and Billy turning on the afterburners, bringing the band back into the last verse. The rarely-played Libby Philips Rag was a special treat for hardcore fans. And the three-song segue to close the set featured Alex Hargreave’s simmering fiddle jams in “Fire Line” and a hard-driving, Failing-led jam in “So Many Miles” that led into the second Pink Floyd cover of the run, “Brain Damage.”
Set two centered around Strings originals from 2019’s Home, intertwined with nods to Pearl Jam, John Hartford, Doc Watson, The Stanley Brothers, and Gordon Lightfoot. A long time fan of Pearl Jam, Billy paid tribute to the 25th anniversary of the band’s album Yield, with an extended cover of “In Hiding.” Mid set was highlighted by a blistering version of bluegrass instrumental “West Dakota Rose”, Jarod Walker leading the way on mandolin, and the beautiful “Leaving London”, popularized by Doc Watson, with Jarod Walker, and Billy Failing aiding Strings on vocals for the choruses. Late set Strings originals instrumental “Running the Route” into “Running” served up some high energy jamming, with band members trading licks throughout. The spirited set came to a close with a segue of Gordon Lightfoot’s “Whispers of the North” into a fiery “Meet Me at the Creek”, Billy digging in with that distinctive, attacking style driving the jam, and the set to a climactic close.
A segued two-song encore kept the tributes coming, with takes on Bill “Monroe’s Sally Goodin” into Johnny Horton classic “Ole Slew Foot” bringing the night to a close.
Billy Strings once again delivered an enthralling set, exceeding expectations, with surprises, dynamic jams, varied covers, and superb musicianship by himself and his band. He’s a showman of the highest caliber, and all music fans should make it a point to see this band.
Billy Strings, Feb 03, 2023, 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, CO Setlist
Set 1: Dusty Miller, While I’m Waiting Here > Thunder, How Long Have I Been Waiting For You, Secrets, Hellbender, Lumpy, Beanpole, & Dirt, In The Morning Light, Libby Phillips Rag, Fire Line > So Many Miles > Brain Damage
Set 2: Hollow Heart, In Hiding, With A Vamp In The Middle, Love & Regret, Everything’s The Same, West Dakota Rose, Home, Leaving London, Think Of What You’ve Done, Running The Route > Running, Whispers Of The North > Meet Me At The Creek
Encore: Sally Goodin > Ole Slewfoot
Setlist via billybase.net
Billy Strings returns to Colorado May 11th and 12th at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and May 13th at Mission Ballroom in Denver. Find all tour dates and info at billystrings.com.
Photos by Mitch Kline.