Billy Strings Does A Quick "Catch And Release" With One-Off Show In Tampa [Videos]

Though the nation’s collegiate spring breakers have mostly returned to their classrooms, that didn’t stop Billy Strings from soaking up some sun in Tampa, FL on Tuesday. The one-off show at the Yuengling Center precedes Billy’s third annual trip to the St. Augustine Amphitheatre on the other side of the Sunshine State.

Though Billy Strings had only one night in Tampa, he made the most of it as he wove solo interludes into his two-set performance with his bandmates Billy Failing (banjo), Alex Hargreaves (fiddle), Royal Masat (bass), and Jarrod Walker (mandolin). The show began with one such solo foray, as Billy took the stage by his lonesome and introduced a cover of Keith Allison and Mark Lindsay‘s “Freeborn Man”.

That freeborn man onstage was then joined by the rest of his bandmates to kick off the rowdy number before hurdling through classics and covers alike including Billy’s “Watch It Fall”, Tim O’Brien‘s “Nellie Kane”, John Hartford‘s “With A Vamp In The Middle”, “Highway Hypnosis”, and more. Jarrod took his moment in the spotlight with lead vocals on “Nobody’s Love Is Like Mine” before the band once again left Billy alone.

Taking on a folksinger role, Billy regaled the audience with a tale of high jinx involving Vince Herman documented in “Catch and Release“. Strings continued his solitary interlude through his instrumental “Mackinac Rag” and his third-ever performance of Pearl Jam‘s “Soon Forget”. The rest of the band then re-entered the chat to finish out the set with “The Fire On My Tongue” > “Must Be Seven” > J.J. Cale‘s “Ride Me High”.

The quintet that collectively performs under the banner of Billy Strings would stay united throughout the rest of the show. Set two was loaded with covers, beginning with the opening “Dig A Little Deeper In The Well” by Roger Bowling and Jody Emerson. During the second frame, Billy’s mind drifted to his upcoming weekend on Florida’s opposite coast with Bob Dylan‘s “I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine” from 1967’s John Wesley Harding.

Audiences were owed a second set improvisational vehicle, which the band delivered with “Turmoil & Tinfoil”, followed by a calming reggae respite with Jimmy Cliff‘s “Sitting in Limbo”. After a nod to their jamgrass elders Greensky Bluegrass with “Reverend”, Billy and company tipped their cap farewell with Don Reno‘s “I’m Gone, Long Gone” before closing the encore-less performance with a rendition of “Freedom” around a single microphone.

Billy Strings returns to the stage tomorrow, April 20th, to kick off his St. Augustine Amphitheatre run. nugs.net subscribers can watch the shows live at no additional cost. Find out how here.

Billy Strings – “Freeborn Man” (Keith Allison, Mark Lindsay), “Watch It Fall” > “Nellie Kane” (Tim O’Brien) [Pro-Shot] – 4/18/23

Billy Strings – “Catch And Release” – 4/18/23

[Video: Lorianne Frattini]

Setlist: Billy Strings | Yuengling Center | Tampa, FL | 4/18/23

Set One: Freeborn Man (Keith Allison, Mark Lindsay) [1], Watch It Fall > Nellie Kane (Tim O’Brien), Highway Hypnosis, With A Vamp In The Middle (John Hartford) > Tentacle Dragon (Revenge Of The) (Béla Fleck), Nobody’s Love Is Like Mine (Carter Stanley), Catch and Release [2] > Mackinac Rag [2], Soon Forget (Pearl Jam) [2], The Fire On My Tongue > Must Be Seven > Ride Me High (J.J. Cale)

Set Two: Dig A Little Deeper In The Well (Roger Bowling, Jody Emerson), Fire Line > Reuben’s Train (Traditional), Hellbender, I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine (Bob Dylan), Secrets, Old Train (Nikki Pedersen, Herb Pedersen) > Turmoil & Tinfoil, Sitting in Limbo (Jimmy Cliff), Reverend (Greensky Bluegrass), I’m Gone, Long Gone (Don Reno), Freedom [3]

[1] Billy Strings solo intro
[2] Billy Strings solo
[3] Single mic