Billy Strings Focuses On Traditional Bluegrass Songs At Intimate Concert In Austin

Billy Strings played ACL Live at The Moody Theater in Austin on Friday as the penultimate show of his fall tour. Strings honored the intimate setting by loading the setlist with traditional bluegrass songs.

The guitarist took a seat as he began the concert at the 2,750-capacity venue. “We’re playing at the big ol’ arena tomorrow night, so we figured tonight we would just relax, kick back, pick some tunes and focus on some older tunes,” Strings informed the crowd. “I invite you to just get along with one another, just get comfortable, hang out with us for a little bit and enjoy some old timey flavors.”

Billy Strings went solo to start the night with the traditional numbers “Give The Fiddler A Dram,” “Whistling Rufus” and “Ragtime Annie.” He then played “Catch & Release,” the only original he’d perform on Friday. The frame rolled on with solo takes on Doc Watson’s “Nashville Blues” and “Groundhog” ahead of a “Brown’s Ferry Blues.” Strings then covered “Georgia Buck,” “Country Blues” and “Reuben’s Train” on clawhammer banjo before teaming with Jarrod Walker on Watson’s “Frosty Morn.”

The rest of the band — bassist Royal Masat, banjo player Billy Failing and fiddler Alex Hargreaves — emerged for their debut cover of the traditional “How Many Biscuits Can You Eat?” All five musicians were seated as they rolled through more bluegrass classics including “Shady Grove,” “Open Up Them Pearly Gates,” “Crawdad Hole,” “The Two Soldiers,” “Texas Gales” and “Hold The Woodpile Down” to end the first set on Friday.

Billy Strings emerged for a solo take on Ralph Stanley’s “Am I Born To Die?” in front of a single microphone set up at the front of the stage to get the second set underway. Jarrod Walker then joined Strings for “Rabbit In A Log” and “Soldier’s Joy” ahead of Failing and Masat accompanying the duo on “If Your Hair’s Too Long (There’s Sin In Your Heart).” The single mic portion of the concert concluded with Hargreaves and the rest of the band backing Billy on “I’ve Been All Around This World.”

Strings and his bandmates continued on by taking their seats and performing Doc Watson’s “Muddy Roads” and the traditional “The Two Sisters.” The quintet then served up “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down” and “Tom Dooley.” Billy went on to play a solo “Wagoner’s Lad” and teamed with Hargreaves for “Jeff Sturgeon” and a full-band “Little Sadie.” From there, Strings led full-band renditions of “Little Sadie,” “Make Me A Pallet On The Floor,” “Blackberry Blossom,” “The Train That Carried My Girl From Town” and “Look Up Look Down That Lonesome Road.”

The five musicians wrapped the second set with “Down Yonder” and “John Hardy.” For the encore, Strings and his bandmates delivered a take on Arlie Duff’s “Y’All Come.”

Watch highlights from Billy Strings’ Friday night show in Austin via fan-shot video below:

Official Audio (via nugs.net)