Billy Strings closed out his weekend in Texas on Sunday with an outdoor, socially distant performance at Austin’s Long Center for the Performing Arts.
Following a run of three crowdless livestream shows in New Orleans (3/24, 3/25) and Austin (3/26), Billy and company got back outside and in front of an audience for an afternoon performance as part of Luck Reunion‘s White Claw-sponsored “Long Live Music” series.
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In addition to his characteristic mix of original tunes (several of them new pieces debuted during the Deja Vu Experiment), bluegrass covers from a range of eras (from Doc Watson to The Infamous Stringdusters), and homages to the Grateful Dead/Jerry Garcia songbook (including a “Loser” cover and a refreshingly unique “Slipknot!” > “Midnight Moonlight”), Billy opted to close the show with a two-song encore of Willie Nelson favorites. The “Devil In A Sleepin’ Bag”/”On The Road Again” encore combo served the dual purpose of tipping a hat to the Luck Reunion founder/Texas music hero while winking at the ever-improving potential for the return of full-scale touring in the not-so-distant future.
Watch Billy Strings cover Willie Nelson classics “Devil In A Sleepin’ Bag” and “On The Road Again” to close his Austin, Texas performance below.
Billy Strings – “Devil In A Sleepin’ Bag” (Willie Nelson), “On The Road Again” (Willie Nelson) – Austin, TX – 3/28/21
Billy Strings won’t have to wait long to get on the road again as his spring tour rolls on to Columbia, SC’s Columbia Speedway Entertainment Center for a four-show run of pod-style performance from Thursday, April 1st through Sunday, April 4th.
Related: Watch Billy Strings Accept His First-Ever Grammy Award For “Best Bluegrass Album” [Video]
For a full list of upcoming spring 2021 Billy Strings tour dates, head here.
Setlist: Billy Strings | Long Center for the Performing Arts | Austin, TX | 3/28/21
Set One: Red Daisy, Way Downtown (Doc Watson), Pyramid Country > Little Maggie (traditional), Hellbender, Wargasm, John Deere Tractor (Larry Sparks), Texas Gales (Doc Watson), No More To Leave You Behind (The Infamous Stringdusters), Doin’ My Time (Jimmy Skinner)
Set Two: Taking Water > Ice Bridges, Loser (Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter), Ground Speed (Earl Scruggs), All Fall Down (John Hartford) > Slipknot! (Grateful Dead) > Midnight Moonlight (Peter Rowan), Dusty Miller > Paul & Silas (traditional), Hide & Seek
Encore: Devil Shivered In His Sleepin’ Bag (Willie Nelson), On The Road Again (Willie Nelson)
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