To ring in 2018 proper, the bluegrass juggernauts of Greensky Bluegrass took to the Riviera Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, for a proper New Year’s Eve celebration. The spectacular show saw the band use “Hot Dogs On Parade”, an instrumental track of 2011’s Handguns, as a theme throughout their New Year’s Eve run. In addition to performances of the number each show leading up to the New Year’s Eve show, during the New Year’s celebration itself, the appeared in each set along with numerous teases throughout. The group also changed the lyrics of “The Four” during the second set to “I think I’ll have another hot dog” instead of “I think I’ll have another cocktail,” in keeping with the hot dog theme.

To set the tone of the evening, during the first set’s “Hot Dogs On Parade”, the full band transferred over to acoustic guitars while Anders Beck, Paul Hoffman, and Michael Arlen Bont busted out kazoos for the tune. This first rendition came ahead of a take Old And In The Way’s “Midnight Moonlight”, during which Greensky invited Billy Strings, Lindsay Lou (Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellies), and Billy Failing out for the cover, and Billy and Dave Bruzza showed off some truly awe-inspiring picking during their guitar duel.

Greensky Bluegrass with Billy String, Lindsay Lou, & Billy Failing, “Midnight Moonlight”

[Video: Michelle Batson]

Greensky Bluegrass rang in the new year just after the start of set two following takes on “Gimme Some Lovin'” and “Living Over”. After the traditional performance of “Auld Lang Syne”, the band jammed out the song into “Living Over”. Coming out of “The Four” (with lyrics changed to foreshadow what was to come next), the band hit “Hot Dogs On Parade” yet again before launching into their non-stop sprint to the end of the show which saw the group weaving between “Tarpology”, “One Slip”, and teases of “Hot Dogs On Parade”.

Predictably, for encore, “Hot Dogs On Parade” made yet another appearance. However, during the break, kazoos were passed out to the crowd, so that audience members could also join in on the hot dog parade. Then, to close out the night in full, the band recalled the second set’s opener, performing the reprise of “Gimme Some Lovin'”.

Setlist: Greensky Bluegrass | Riviera Theatre | Chicago, IL | 12/31/2017

Set 1: What’s Left Of The Night > Run Or Die, Room Without A Roof, Just To Lie > Hold On > Miss September, For Sure Uh Huh, Hot Dogs On Parade, Moonlight Midnight*, Leap Year

Set 2: Gimme Some Lovin’, Living Over > Happy New Year! > Auld Lang Syne > Living Over, Steam Powered Aeroplane > Past My Prime, Handle With Care, The Four > Hot Dogs On Parade > The Four > Hot Dogs On Parade, Tarpology > One Slip > Tarpology > Hot Dogs On Parade > Tarpology > One Slip > Tarpology

Encore: Hot Dogs On Parade, Gimme Some Lovin’ Reprise

You can listen to full audio from Greensky Bluegrass’s hot dog-heavy new year’s celebration below.

[Audio: Ryan Stearns]

[Photo: OntheDL Photography via Greensky Bluegrass’ Facebook page]