As the scene faded in with the sound of familiar opener “Red Daisy”, it felt like this could’ve been a pro-shot video from any of Billy Strings‘ sold-out arena shows. But as the band came into view, it was clear this was something else entirely. Lined up behind the titular minute piece of office furniture, with a small, reverent (not chomping) crowd gathered around, Billy Strings and his band resurrected some of the old-timey spirit at the heart of NPR‘s Tiny Desk Concert series.

As opposed to some of the more amplified recent Tiny Desk Concert performers like Turnstile, Tame Impala, or David Byrne, Strings and company—mandolinist Jarrod Walker, banjoist Billy Failing, fiddler Alex Hargreaves, and bassist Royal Masat—were a natural fit for the show’s stripped-down aesthetic. As NPR’s Kara Frame wrote in the video’s description, “It’s rare these days for an artist to ask for fewer microphones, but after warming up in our space, Billy Strings did just that.” Gone are the massive LED screens and battalion of guitar effects pedals that accompany his grandiose jamgrass arena shows, with Billy instead opting for, as he put it, “the way these instruments are meant to sound.”

Despite the lack of arena razzle-dazzle, Billy and his band still had ample opportunity to display their masterful musicianship. After “Red Daisy” and chilling murder ballad “My Alice”, Walker kicked off Highway Prayers instrumental “Malfunction Junction”. The band wove tangled webs of interlaced string arrangements, the titular guitarist no more important than any other member as he repeatedly ceded the spotlight to Walker and Hargreaves.

“We’ve been lucky to play a lot of cool venues,” Strings reflected between songs. “But this one’s different. It has that same soul to it because—I’ve seen so many amazing performances that happened right here and I kind of believe that love and spirit kind of soaks into this environment, so just standing here feels like a special thing.”

Rattling off some of his favorite Tiny Desks—Mac Miller, Goat Rodeo, and Phish, the latter of whom he’s played with (twice)—Strings reflected on the impact the series has had on him.

“We kinda, like, grew up on this,” he observed. “I remember back in the day, too, submitting my audition to be on here. It only took, like, I don’t know, 12 more years or something. ”

Billy Strings capped off his NPR Tiny Desk with his latest opus, “Gild the Lily”. While the song is often a springboard for ethereal improvisation, the brief ensuing jam stuck close to Strings’ traditional flatpicking. Like this and most other Tiny Desk Concert sessions, the “Gild the Lily” performance cut through the filters and emphasized the underlying bones of the song, immediately becoming a new favorite live version out of the 30 he’s played. Watch the full Billy Strings NPR Tiny Desk Concert below.

Billy Strings’ tour continues tonight, December 10th, in Tulsa, OK, ahead of a year-ending run through Texas for stops in Fort Worth (12/12), Austin’s Moody Center (12/13), and an intimate finale at the same city’s ACL Live at The Moody Theater (12/14). Look for tickets on Ticketmaster or try your luck on CashorTrade, StubHub, or VividSeats.

nugs All Access subscribers can tune in to all of Billy Strings’ remaining 2025 tour dates at no additional cost. Right now, nugs is offering 50% off your first year of All Access, dropping the price to $99. Start streaming on nugs here.

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Billy Strings: Tiny Desk Concert