Billy Strings Continues Spring 2021 Run At St. Augustine Amphitheatre In Florida

Guitarist Billy Strings brought his band back to the St. Augustine Amphitheatre in St. Augustine, Florida on Saturday for the second of three shows to open their Spring Tour 2021. Strings, banjoist Billy Failing, bassist Royal Masat and mandolinist Jarrod Walker filled the setlist with a number of recently debuted originals as well as choice covers and fan favorites.

The quartet opened their first of two sets on Saturday with “Long Forgotten Dream” from Strings’ Grammy-winning Home LP and then played a run of covers that included takes on John Phillips’ “Me & My Uncle,” John Hartford’s “All Fall Down,” The Stanley Brothers’ “Nobody’s Love Is Like Mine” and the Widespread Panic classic “All Time Low.” Next up was Billy’s second ever “Morning Light,” a song premiered last month that Strings discussed on the latest episode of Oteil Burbridge & Mike Finoia's Comes A Time podcast.

Strings and company honored Jeff Austin by performing the late musician’s “Run Down” and then jammed the recently debuted original “Fire On My Tongue” into “Clinch Mountain Backstep.” The four-piece closed out the frame with a quick romp through Johnny Horton’s “Ole Slew-Foot.”

Billy and his band kicked off last night’s second set with the improvisational centerpiece of the evening, a “Turmoil & Tinfoil” that spanned nearly 17 minutes. A cover of John Prine’s “Sweet Revenge” followed before the ensemble delivered “Know It All,” another original first performed at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York last month. From there, Home track “Watch It Fall” led into the pairing of recently premiered original “Running The Route” and the beloved “So Many Miles.”

Saturday’s second set ended with “Red Daisy” and “Hide & Seek” — two more originals premiered at The Cap in February. Billy led his band through the traditional “Shady Grove” to start the evening’s encore. The quartet said farewell with longtime repertoire staple “Slow Train.” Strings and his mates return to the St. Augustine Amphitheatre on Sunday to end the three-night stand at the venue.

Check out a series of fan-shot videos captured by Fred Ramadan followed by an audience recording of the full show taped by Z-Man: