Billy Strings Packs In The Sit-Ins At Inaugural Ionia Freak Fair

Billy Strings brought the inaugural Ionia Freak Fair to his Michigan roots on Friday and Saturday, celebrating the release of his new album with a full-album performance and welcoming a parade of guests that included Greensky Bluegrass, Leftover Salmon, Sierra Hull, Lindsay Lou, Michael Cleveland and his father Terry Barber. The sold-out two-day festival was held at the Ionia County Fairgrounds near Strings’ hometown of Muir, Michigan.

Strings curated a lineup that paired bluegrass and roots acts on the Main Stage with a Pyramid Scheme Pinball & Metal Tent featuring Bane, Cryptopsy, For the Fallen Dreams, Heartsick, Flesh and Blood Robot and See You Next Tuesday.

Friday’s festivities coincided with the release of Strings’ new album, So Much For Goodbyes. Billy and his band marked the occasion by performing the T Bone Burnett-co-produced record from beginning to end and in tracklist order for their entire first set.

Strings and bandmates Billy Failing, Royal Masat, Jarrod Walker and Alex Hargreaves opened with “I’m One Of Those” and proceeded through all 16 tracks. Lindsay Lou emerged to share vocals on “Mill Town Flood,” “Live To Tell” and “Wrestling An Angel,” while Mark Lavengood and Leftover Salmon drummer Alwyn Robinson joined for “Live To Tell.” Strings went it alone for “Still I Crash” before closing the 92-minute set with the instrumental “Debra’s Waltz,” named for his late mother, Debra Apostol.

The second set returned to Strings’ broader repertoire and eventually brought more Freak Fair performers into the fold. Lindsay Lou and Lavengood joined Billy and his band for “Rank Stranger” and Tom Paxton's “The Last Thing On My Mind.” The latter was played in tribute to Dolly Parton and marked Strings’ first performance of the song since February 27, 2020 — a span of 524 shows.

Leftover Salmon then piled onstage for “Gild The Lily” and their own “Down In The Hollow.” Vince Herman played guitar with Drew Emmitt on mandolin and Andy Thorn on banjo alongside additional contributions from Kyle Tuttle, Jay Starling on dobro and Robinson. Strings and his band finished Friday’s performance with “Must Be Seven” into “Psycho” and “Hide And Seek.”

Saturday brought another round of collaborations after Strings opened his headlining performance with a guest-free first set highlighted by a sequence connecting “On The Line,” “Train 45” and “Ruby,” a pairing of “Malfunction Junction” and “Ole Slew Foot” and “Turmoil & Tinfoil.”

Fiddler Michael Cleveland was the first guest of the second set, contributing to “With Body & Soul” and “Maiden’s Prayer.” Sierra Hull then added mandolin to “Baltimore Johnny” alongside Cleveland.

The guest list expanded further when Strings brought out his father, Terry Barber, along with Hull, Cleveland and Lavengood. Barber handled lead vocals on “Life To Go” and “Someday You’ll Call My Name” before the ensemble offered “Little Cabin Home On The Hill,” which Strings hadn’t performed since June 2025.

Strings saved his largest collaboration for last. All five members of Greensky Bluegrass joined Billy and his band for “In The Morning Light” before launching into the Billy Strings debut of Greensky’s “Don’t Lie,” with GSBG mandolinist Paul Hoffman handling vocals. Bassist Mike Devol took Royal Masat’s place for the sequence.

“Don’t Lie” gave way to “Meet Me At The Creek” before the massive ensemble returned to the Greensky Bluegrass favorite to close the inaugural Ionia Freak Fair. The three-song sequence stretched to approximately 30 minutes.

Strings also indulged his longtime metal fandom during the weekend. He ventured into the festival’s Metal Tent to perform alongside Cryptopsy and Flesh and Blood Robot during their respective sets.

The guitarist was bursting with pride on how well the new festival went. “I am overwhelmed with gratitude. At a loss for words. I’m so proud of my hometown, my family and friends, my band, my team, the music lovers, all the bands that played, volunteers, vendors, riggers, videographers and photographers, graphic designers, the police officers and security and EVERYONE involved in making this event happen,” Strings wrote on social media on Sunday.

“I’m so happy and so so tired. All I can say is thank you. I’ll try to come up with a better description of how I’m feeling after a good nap.. but I’m just filled with love and pride.”

Livestream replays are available for nugs subscribers. Watch fan-shot footage from Billy Strings’ guest-filled Ionia Freak Fair performances below:

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