Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival stepped up its star power and surprises during its Friday night stop at the Hollywood Bowl. From famed actor-turned-Beach Boys regular John Stamos banging away on percussion behind Willie, to Billy Strings breaking out a brand-new tune (and a nearly 20-minute, jammed out “Turmoil & Tinfoil)—not to mention standout sets by Bob Dylan and Sierra Hull—the third night of this year’s 10th anniversary tour was not to be missed.
At 92, Willie Nelson remains a road-tested wizard of outlaw country, and Friday night was proof that the fire’s still in the belly. With John Stamos on percussion and his son Micah Nelson (a.k.a. Particle Kid) sharing vocal duties, the setlist read like a road-worn postcard from the American songbook. The iconic singer-songwriter opened his set with “Whiskey River”, and went on to cite such classics as “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys”, “On the Road Again”, and even a beautifully haunted “Georgia (on My Mind),” with faint whispers of the Grateful Dead’s “Sugaree” teased out on guitar.
Willie Nelson & Family — “Whiskey River” — 5/16/25
[Video: Drummerzzo]
The mic was passed generously throughout the set. Micah sang “(Die When I’m High) Halfway to Heaven,” a trippy tribute to one too many tokes, while Willie’s understated harmonies added a tinge of fatherly pride. Their father-son duet on “Everything Is Bullshit” (yes, that’s the title) turned philosophical, feline, and strangely sweet, complete with Micah’s impromptu cat noises and an introduction calling it a “love song.”
Then came the sendoff: a joyful, star-studded finale that saw Billy Strings, Sierra Hull, Lily Meola, and Machine Gun Kelly join Willie for “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” and “I Saw the Light”. Johnny Knoxville even showed up, albeit without any Jackass-style pranks.
If Willie was the warm-hearted elder statesman, Bob Dylan played the grizzled ghost of Americana past: part preacher, part trickster, part wandering bluesman. His set was mysterious, brooding, and full of curveballs, from deep cuts like “Forgetful Heart” to recently debuted covers like “I’ll Make It All Up To You” (Charlie Rich) and “Share Your Love With Me” (Bobby “Blue” Bland).
His voice, worn and crackling, lent weight to “Things Have Changed”, “To Ramona”, and “Desolation Row”, as well as a spine-tingling “All Along the Watchtower”. He dropped in surreal stage banter, at one point asking someone in the front row, “What are you eating down there?” The 83-year-old songwriting legend closed with a stripped-down “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right”, on the heels of “Blind Willie McTell”.
No flash. No frills. Just the sound of a man who’s spent six decades battling the devil at the crossroads and somehow still came out grinning.
As for Billy Strings, everyone’s favorite jamgrass flamethrower turned the Bowl into a hoedown on Saturn.
Bob Dylan — Hollywood Bowl — Los Angeles, CA — 5/16/25 — Full Audio
[Video: yapenogo]
He opened with “California Sober”, without a cameo from Willie, and never looked back. Over the next 70 minutes, Billy mixed old-school bluegrass with freaky improvisation, swampy breakdowns, and head-spinning genre shifts. He leaned into traditional covers like “Ole Slew Foot”, “Uncle Pen”, and “Sally Johnson” (the last of which gave fiddler Alex Hargreaves a chance to really shine), nodded to George Gershwin with a floaty “Summertime”, and uncorked a soul-melting electric-style solo on “Heartbeat of America”. He even debuted a new song, “I’m One of Those”, giving the Hollywood crowd a world premiere soaked in heartfelt lyrics and twangy precision.
But the true centerpiece was an absolutely mind-bending 20-minute odyssey through “Turmoil & Tinfoil”. Billy began the tune with a tease of The Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood”, then detonated into a psychedelic jam that touched bluegrass, space jazz, and the Inspector Gadget theme. It was equal parts barn burner and acid trip, and the Bowl—historically more tuxedo than tie-dye—howled like a campfire gone nuclear.
Billy Strings — Hollywood Bowl — Los Angeles, CA — 5/16/25 — Partial Audio
[Video: yapenogo]
Before all of that madness, Sierra Hull provided one of the evening’s most musically dazzling sets. Her interplay with her fiddle player on multiple instrumental jams was jaw-dropping in its precision, and songs like “Muddy Water” and “Come Out of My Blues” showed why she’s a modern mandolin powerhouse. Her cover of Tears for Fears’ “Mad World” was eerie, elegant, and unexpectedly emotional, an outlaw lullaby if there ever was one.
Sierra Hull — “Mad World” (Tears For Fears) — 5/16/25
[Video: localguy8]
All told, the Outlaw Music Festival’s 10th anniversary visit to the Hollywood Bowl bypassed clean edges and polished production in favor of grit, groove, and a cross-generational lineup that embodied the outlaw ethos.
Where else can you see Bob Dylan asking about your snacks, Willie Nelson jamming with Uncle Jesse, and Billy Strings teasing cartoon themes during a cosmic bluegrass epic?
That’s Outlaw, indeed.
Outlaw Music Festival continues this week with stops in Idaho and Washington, wrapping the West Coast leg on Sunday at The Gorge Amphitheatre. Find tickets and a full list of dates here.