Billy Strings has always been a man of the people, but fans raging the lot ahead of his 2024 New Year’s run opener at UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans could have never expected to find the man himself joining them for some casual pre-show jams on Sunday.
This was not the first time Strings kicked it with fans before his own concert. He did the same thing just a year and a half ago before performing at Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, NC. As his star continues to rise, the chance of such drop-ins is less and less likely, but apparently not zero. Photos and videos posted by fans show the bluegrass star soaking up the vibes on Shakedown Street and even jamming with some lucky fans.
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Such close encounters with Billy may have been worth the price of admission, but that was only the preamble of an otherwise memorable evening of arena-grass fun. Later taking the stage with his band comprised of Billy Failing (banjo), Royal Masat (bass), Alex Hargreaves (fiddle), and Jarrod Walker (mandolin), Strings kicked off the year-ending run with some big jams and deep cuts.
After opening with the Stanley Brothers‘ “If I Lose” and “Red daisy”, the band launched into its first extended jam during “Seven Weeks in County”, setting the tone for a cosmically charged run. That satisfying introduction gave way to “Pyramid Country” and a fiery pairing of “The Fire on My Tongue” and “Fire on the Mountain” (by Bill Monroe, not the Grateful Dead song of the same name).
Billy Strings – “If I Lose” (Stanley Brothers) > “Red Daisy”, “Seven Weeks In County” – 12/29/24
The first set continued with John Hartford‘s “I’m Still Here” and “Taking Water”, followed by “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down”, which fit the run’s gambling theme. Strings then paid tribute to the late Jeff Austin with a cover of “15 Steps” featuring a tease “Thunder”—an original song based on words by Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. Before departing for set break, the band finished off “Pyramid Country” and concluded the thrilling first frame with “Secrets”.
Kicking off set two with “The Cuckoo” and “Slow Train”, Strings dusted off Johnny Winter‘s country song “Ain’t Nothing to Me” for the first time since August, followed by Danny Barnes‘ “Pretty Daughter” and a pair of originals, namely, the title track from his 2019 studio album Home and “Happy Hollow”, from his recent album Highway Prayers.
The highlight of set two came next with the debut of “Don’t Let the Sunshine Fool You” by Townes Van Zandt and Gordon Lightfoot‘s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, played for only the second time after its debut in Cologne, Germany more than a year ago.
Billy Strings – “The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald” (Gordon Lightfoot) – 12/29/24
[Video: Todd Neal]
“In the Clear” blended into another debut, Tony Rice‘s “Temperance Reel”, before Eddie Noack‘s “Psycho” and “Away From the Mire” capped the set. Throwing the dice once more time before saying see you later, Strings finished night one off with Bill Monroe’s “Roll on Buddy, Roll on” in the encore slot.
Check out photos and fan-shot videos from Billy Strings’ New Year’s run opener at New Orleans’ UNO Lakefront Arena below. Scroll down for the full setlist. Find tickets for the run on Ticketmaster, Stubhub, or CashOrTrade, and find out how to stream the run here.
Billy Strings – “I’m Still Here” (John Hartford), “Taking Water” – 12/29/24
[Video: MB1 Music]
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Setlist [via bmfsdb]: Billy Strings | UNO Lakefront Arena | New Orleans, LA | 12/29/24
Set 1: If I Lose (The Stanley Brothers) > Red Daisy (Billy Strings), Seven Weeks in County (Billy Strings) > Pyramid Country (Billy Strings), The Fire on My Tongue (Billy Strings) > Fire on the Mountain (Bill Monroe), I’m Still Here (John Hartford) > Taking Water (Billy Strings), Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down (Charlie Poole & The North Carolina Ramblers), 15 Steps (Jeff Austin) > Secrets (Billy Strings)
Set 2: The Cuckoo ([Traditional]), Slow Train (Billy Strings), Ain’t Nothing to Me (Johnny Winter), Pretty Daughter (Danny Barnes), Home (Billy Strings), Happy Hollow (Billy Strings), Don’t Let the Sunshine Fool You (Townes Van Zandt), The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (Gordon Lightfoot), In the Clear (Billy Strings) > Temperance Reel (Tony Rice), Psycho (Eddie Noack) > Away From the Mire (Billy Strings)
Encore: Roll On Buddy Roll On (Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys)
