Billy Strings Finishes ‘Little Maggie’ To Start Summer Tour In Bridgeport

Billy Strings kicked off his 2024 Summer Tour at Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater in Bridgeport, Connecticut on Friday. The guitarist finished up a rendition of the traditional “Little Maggie” he began at the Fairwell Festival a week prior.

Billy Strings and his band — mandolinist Jarrod Walker, bassist Royal Masat, banjo player Billy Failing and fiddler Alex Hargreaves — kicked off the first of two nights in Bridgeport with the conclusion of “Little Maggie,” which spanned the entire country and half a fortnight. Strings attempted to wrap his appearance at Redmond, Oregon’s Fairwell Festival on July 19 with the traditional song but the sound was cut due to the curfew.

Watch the Connecticut conclusion of “Little Maggie” below:

From “Maggie,” the quintet jumped into “While I’m Waiting Here” from Billy’s 2017 album, Turmoil & Tinfoil. Strings then paired up Renewal (2021) cuts “The Fire On My Tongue” and “Secrets.” Next, the band then ripped through “Taking Water” and “Hellbender” ahead of Tony Rice’s “Tipper.”

Billy then broke out the Tom Paxton-penned, Doc Watson-covered “Leaving London” for the first time since performing it in London at the Roundhouse on November 15, 2023. From there, “Ice Bridges” preceded the title track to Billy’s Grammy-winning 2019 album, Home, on which he showed off “Bride,” his Preston-Thompson D-SBA Custom guitar.

Next, the guitarist offered “How Long Have I Been Waiting On You?” The song by Jonathan Edwards was one Billy often heard his dad Terry Barber and Uncle Brad play. A three-song sequence of “On The Line,” “Train 45” and “Ruby” wrapped the first frame.

Set two got underway with an expansive “Turmoil and Tinfoil” followed by “Red Daisy.” The band then linked Home and Renewal cuts “Running” and “Fire Line” ahead of “Love Like Me.” Next, Dos Billys delivered “Dos Banjos” ahead of Bill Monroe’s “Methodist Preacher” paired with “Cabin Song,” a tune Strings contributed to the soundtrack for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.

Billy then dedicated Larry Sparks’ “John Deere Tractor” to his mom Debra who was in attendance. Strings included the song on his 2022 album, Me / And / Dad. A cover couplet of Bill Monroe’s “Kentucky Mandolin” and Danny Barnes’ “Pretty Daughter” sealed the second set.

The encore launched with “Leaders.” The Renewal track saw Billy and the band in a Beatles mood, incorporating a “Come Together” tease and the chorus of “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road” into the tune. The Bridgeport show concluded with “Wargasm.”

Watch the encore below:

Billy Strings‘ summer tour continues on Tuesday in Worcester, Massachusetts. Livestreams are available via nugs.net.

Official Photos:

Setlist (via BillyBase)

Set 1: Little Maggie[1], While I’m Waiting Here, The Fire On My Tongue > Secrets, Taking Water, Hellbender, Tipper , Gone A Long Time, Leaving London, Ice Bridges, Home[2], How Long Have I Been Waiting On You?[3], On The Line > Train 45> Ruby

Set 2: Turmoil & Tinfoil, Red Daisy, Fire Line > Running, Love Like Me, Dos Banjos[4], Methodist Preacher > Cabin Song, John Deere Tractor[5], Kentucky Mandolin > Pretty Daughter

Encore: Leaders[6][7] > Wargasm

SETLIST NOTES:

• Finishes 2024-07-19 Fairwell Fest version
• Billy Strings on his “Bride” Preston-Thompson D-SBA Custom guitar
• Billy shared how he often heard his Dad and Uncle Brad play this one together
• Dos Banjos by Dos Billys
• Dedicated to Mom, who’s in attendance
• “Come Together” (The Beatles) tease
• With chorus from “Why Don’t We Do it in the Road? (The Beatles)