Billy Strings Kicks Off Red Rocks Run In Colorado

Billy Strings made his official Red Rocks Amphitheatre headlining debut last night. Thursday was the guitarist’s first of two nights at the Morrison, Colorado venue where he previously played an audience-less livestream concert in 2020.

Strings took a number of opportunities to point out how special the night was for him and he mentioned playing without an audience a few years back. Billy’s history at the venue also includes a slot opening for Greensky Bluegrass in 2019 and a two-night “Dead On The Rocks” run as a guest of Billy And The Kids.

The guitarist and his band — consisting of mandolinist Jarrod Walker, banjoist Billy Failing and bassist Royal Masat — jammed out “Away From The Mire” off his Grammy-winning 2019 album Home to start last night’s first set. Strings stuck with Home for “Long Forgotten Dream” before linking Turmoil & Tinfoil’s “Living Like An Animal” with Drew Emmitt and Bill Nershi’s “New Country Blues.” It was then back to Turmoil & Tinfoil for a well-jammed “While I’m Waiting Here,” which gave way to a cover of Jerry Reed’s “The Likes Of Me.”

“The Likes Of Me” came as part of a 17-minute segment that also included “Pyramid Country” and “Secrets.” Up next was “Leaders,” which like “Secrets” appeared on Strings’ 2021 LP, Renewal, and was followed by a set-closing “Wargasm.”

Strings, Failing, Masat and Walker got Thursday’s second set underway with Renewal’s “Fire On My Tongue” and the instrumental “Bronzeback.” The quartet put the focus back on Renewal for “Fire Line,” “Running The Route” and “In The Morning Light.” Strings dedicated “In The Morning Light” to all the “motherfuckers in love.” From there, the band worked a take on Widespread Panic’s “All Time Low” into the John Hartford classic “Steam Powered Aereo Plane.” Failing handled lead vocals on the latter.

The four-piece had more covers in store towards the end of the set as renditions of Chris Henry’s “West Dakota Rose” and George Gerswin’s “Summertime” were split by “Slow Train.” Strings and his bandmates capped the frame with an adventurous “Turmoil & Tinfoil.”

Billy returned to open the encore with a solo a capella take on Doc Watson’s “And Am I Born To Die?” Masat, Failing and Walker came back and received proper introductions from the guitarist before the evening’s “Y’all Come” finale. The band closes the two-night stand at Red Rocks tonight. A livestream is available via FANS.live.

Listen to audience recording featuring last night’s concert taped by HealthCov Chris @ InsideOut Recording as well as pro-shot video from the start of each set shared by Relix and fan-shot videos below:

Setlist (via BillyBase)

Set One: Away From The Mire, Long Forgotten Dream, Living Like An Animal > New Country Blues, While I’m Waiting Here > Likes Of Me > Pyramid Country > Secrets, Leaders, Wargasm

Set Two: The Fire On My Tongue > Bronzeback, Fire Line > Running The Route, In The Morning Light, All Time Low > Steam Powered Aereo Plane [1], West Dakota Rose, Slow Train, Summertime, Turmoil & Tinfoil

Encore: And Am I Born To Die?, Y’all Come

[1] – Billy Failing on vocals