Before delving into the happenings at Billy Strings‘ much anticipated New Year’s Eve show at UNO Lakefront Arena, we must address the life-shattering and tragic act of violence that rocked New Orleans and shocked the world. Around 3 a.m. local time, there was an act of domestic terror that took the lives of at least fifteen people and injured dozens more. The attack occurred not long after Billy Strings played to a packed arena and Galactic funked things up down the road at the world-renowned Tipitina’s.
I am absolutely heartbroken and appalled about what happened in New Orleans last night. I can’t stop thinking about the unsuspecting victims and how unfair this is.. about the families whose loved ones won’t be coming home from their NYE celebration this year. Or the people who… pic.twitter.com/ADdZzsUQ0A
— Billy Strings (@BillyStrings) January 1, 2025
Yesterday, Billy Strings addressed the situation in a statement via social media that read as follows:
I am absolutely heartbroken and appalled about what happened in New Orleans last night. I can’t stop thinking about the unsuspecting victims and how unfair this is…about the families whose loved ones won’t be coming home from their NYE celebration this year. Or the people who are on these streets every single day whose perspective of the holiday and the city will be permanently scarred. Why?? Why can’t people just enjoy a night out and celebrate the new year in peace without someone carrying out senseless acts of violence? We had just finished three beautiful nights of music…there was so much love in the air at the end of the show. To think that just 2 hours later this kind of tragedy would unfold just baffles me. My heart is in pieces for the victims and their families.
Prior to the attack, the mood was quite different at UNO Lakefide Arena as Billy Strings went all in on the last night of his three-night New Year’s Eve run. Just a few short years ago, the idea that a bluegrass artist could sell out an arena in the Crescent City for even one night might have seemed like a long shot to some, but Billy Strings and his stacked deck of uber talented sidemen easily trumped the odds.
Playing in front of a giant, musical slot machine affectionately adorned with all the lights, bells, and whistles you would expect from a three-story, neon-drenched game of chance dubbed “Spin That Bitch,” Billy and his band featuring rock solid bassist Royal Masat, mandolin maven Jarrod Walker, banjo wrangler Billy Failing, and gifted fiddler Alex Hargreaves stacked the deck with covers, originals, and rare bust-outs. Everyone from icons and legendary bands like The Beatles, Phish, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Jackson Browne, and George Gershwin to top-shelf bluegrass artists like Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Greensky Bluegrass, and Merle Travis were among the sprawling, gambling-themed setlist. Add to that Strings’ own ever-growing catalog plus several thousand revelrous fans and you have all the makings of an unforgettable night of musical mayhem and fellowship under the domed roof of UNO Lakefront Arena.
Also adding to the over-the-top vibe of the already special trio of shows was the thematic stage design, centering around the backdrop of the multi-story slot machine. The gambling theme and simulated functionality of the video screen dials that would appear to spin through lists of possible song choices when a special button was pushed added an element of unpredictability. Members of the crew presented the giant button to various members of the audience and band, and though the outcomes may have been pre-planned, the fateful spins livened up the proceedings with an air of whimsey and outright goofiness. What’s more, beyond just naming songs from a preselected pool of fan-voted tunes, the slot machine provided a mechanism for Strings to pass the microphone and share lead vocal duties with everyone in the band.
Thanks to the sheer volume of memorable moments of musicality it’s nearly impossible to select a single highlight of focus among the vast collection of jaw dropping displays of speed, finesse and raw talent Strings and company had on display Tuesday night. Luckily, the true highlight wasn’t the objectively amusing setting or even the stellar displays of talent and skill Strings and his band packed into each moment.
In a night filled with musical highlights, the real heart of the evening—the element that made it a truly unique performance that fans are sure to be speaking of for a long time to come—was the sheer amount of joyful crowd interaction. From the spontaneous backing of Strings’ vocals on Pearl Jam’s beloved “Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town” to the always sloppy but never unsatisfying moment when a few thousand people try and remember the actual lyrics to the only-heard-once-per-year standard “Auld Lang Syne”, the audience, much like the band, was committed to lifting the energy as high as possible.
Seeing the whole crowd dancing and acting as one, whether through their frenzied boot scooting, arm waving, or, as mentioned, full-throated stumbling through singalongs, was more than just endearing, it was an inspiring example of people coming together for a completely unified purpose. The entire night was a testament to the fun and joy that can be had when people are willing to abandon self-consciousness, reject fear of judgement, and let loose.
While Strings and his tack-sharp band provided a platform to inspire the collective response with their boundless talent and musical chops, it was the crowd itself that revved the engine and created the forward momentum from which everything special about the night originated. That harmony of purpose resonated in the hearts of everyone in the building, and the loop between band and gleeful collective soul was amazing to witness.
On a night when we are all forced to recognize of how fragile life is, Billy Strings serves as a beacon of hope and love—a reminder that music unites us and lifts our hearts, minds, and spirits regardless of our individual backgrounds, races, creeds, or gender. In times of darkness, we can be glad that there are artists like Billy and his band to bring us together and show us the light. That is the kind of energy the world needs more of right now.
Check out photos from Billy Strings’ New Year’s Eve show and click below to view a gallery of photos courtesy of photographer James Cook. Scroll down to view the full setlist, and revisit coverage of nights one and two.
Billy Strings – “I’m A Natural Born Gamblin’ Man” (MerleTravis), “Leaning On a Travelin’ Song”, “Running The Route” > “Hollow Heart” – 12/31/24
Billy Strings – UNO Lakefront Arena – New Orleans, LA – 12/31/24 [Full Show]
[Video: RNCampbell]
Setlist: Billy Strings | UNO Lakefront Arena | New Orleans, LA | 12/31/24
Set 1: I’m a Natural Born Gamblin’ Man (Merle Travis), Leaning On a Travelin’ Song, Running The Route > Hollow Heart, Running On Empty (Jackson Brown), Highway Hypnosis, Black Jack (J.D. Crowe & The Kentucky Mountain Boys), In The Morning Light, The Reverend (Greensky Bluegrass), Must Be Seven Years > Thunder
Set 2: Mr. Mudd & Mr. Gold > Everythings The Same, Someone Took My Place With You (Flatt & Scruggs), Blackjack County Chain (Red Lane) Gone A Long Time, Stratosphere Blues/I Believe In You, Back On The Train (Phish), Home of the Red Fox(Bill Emerson) > Ole Slew-Foot (Johnny Horton), Summertime (George Gershwin), Long Forgotten Dream, Nutshell (Alice In Chains) > Wargasm
Set 3: Turmoil & Tinfoil (With countdown to midnight, “Auld Lang Syne” played as midnight struck), Thirst Mutilator > Running, California Sober, I’ll Cry Instead (The Beatles) (Royal Masat on lead vocals), Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town (Pearl Jam), Proud Mary (Creedence Clearwater Revival), My Alice, Leadfoot, Ride Me High (J.J. Cale), You Can Have Her (J.D. Crowe and The New South), Little Maggie (Traditional)
