The Billy Strings experience: A trial by bluegrass

I didn't know much about the guitarist and his band going in, but came away a fan of the whole scene

Billy Strings and his band, from left, Jarrod Walker (mandolin), Royal Masat (upright bass), Strings (guitar), Billy Failing (banjo) and Alex Hargreaves (fiddle).

In the weeks and days leading up to seeing two nights of Billy Strings, I found myself wondering what I’d gotten myself into.

Concert buddy Shawn shot me a text — must have been during the dog days of winter and he caught me in the right mood. I’d listened to some of Strings’ studio work and some live performances in preparation and could hear the talent, but … it was bluegrass. I’m open to a lot of genres of music, but bluegrass had never appealed to me.

The “Shakedown” area in the parking lot of Allstate Arena in Rosemont.

I started coming around when we walked over to the grounds of Allstate Arena in Rosemont. In one corner of the arena’s massive parking lot was what’s known as the “Shakedown,” which is basically a hippy shopping festival.

But it wasn’t until we got inside and the band started that I realized why the Grateful Dead crowd had gravitated toward Billy. From start to finish, for two nights, it was a visual and auditory extravaganza.

It was an unexpectedly memorable weekend that opened my eyes to a piece of the concert world I hadn’t previously experienced.

Shawn and I pregaming at Shakedown, wearing some of our bounty from the shopping area earlier in the day.

A big part of the fun was hanging with Shawn. I think I can speak for Shawn in saying we’re both happy to have found a friend with some common interests who will say, “Fuck it, let’s go,” and become an impromptu hippie for the weekend!

Once your inside the arena, Allstate Arena isn’t bad — especially with the setup Billy Strings uses where the arena is cut in half.

Here’s a look at the shows that made me a Billy Strings fan:

VENUE: Allstate Arena, Rosemont. This was my second time there — the first was Sturgill Simpson in May. It’s dated on the exterior and in the concourse, but the arena area itself works — especially in the setup Strings used where half the arena was cut off. The sound was outstanding for an arena (or anywhere).

Shawn and I with Steepwater merch guy Tony, who also sells shirts at Shakedowns.

MERCH: Several T-shirt, poster, sticker, patch, CD and vinyl options at the show. And more. Just a really strong all-around merch table — I got a poster, some stickers and a free postcard. Plus, there was lots of great stuff at Shakedown — I picked up a Jerry Garcia Wolf hat, which came with a free pair of rainbow Grateful Dead sunglasses, and bought a tie-dye shirt from Steepwater merch/Shakedown T-shirt guy Tony.

⬆️VIDEO CLIP: “Fire Line”

VIEWING SPOT: We were in the 100 level on the right side (facing the stage) just a couple rows off the floor. They were great seats. If you can find “The Ambassador” seat — you’ll know by the State of Amorica stickers — you’re in the right place!

⬆️VIDEO CLIP: “Living Like an Animal”

CROWD: Five star crowd. It was packed — I didn’t see an empty seat. Start to finish, both nights, people were dancing and swaying, singing, cheering and … not talking! It was glorious. Most of the same people were there both evenings, except the slightly annoying couple from the first night were replaced by a fun Deadhead dad who brought his (disinterested) 18-year-old son. Also, both nights, someone was taken out of our section by medical personnel.

OPENER: None

⬆️VIDEO CLIP: Guitar soloing from “Reverend”

THE SHOWS: Photos, videos and audio don’t do Strings’ spectacle justice, and words fall even shorter. My expectations of what I’d see at a bluegrass concert with six players on acoustic instruments were shattered. Late in the first set I stepped out to use the restroom and realized I needed ear plugs before I went back in. It was the loudest concert I’ve been to. With the earplugs in, it sounded perfectly clear. That’s how I knew, for the first time, I really needed them. The band played two hours, 40 minutes both nights, with a 20 minute break between sets.

The lights circles were a big part of the show.

Musically, each instrument brings an integral part of the sound, but it revolves around Strings’ virtuosic playing. Just watching his hand work up and down the neck is eye-popping.

And you can see his hands on his guitar because of the giant video screen behind the band that is sometimes showing closeups of them playing their instruments but is sometimes working in tandem with the big round lights above the stage to make a trippy backdrop.

⬆️VIDEO CLIP: “Nights in White Satin”

SETLIST HIGHLIGHTS: Not being that familiar with Strings, these are the songs that stood out. To start the second set on the first night, he played “Gild the Lily” followed by “Stratosphere Blues/I Believe in You,” which was probably my favorite stretch of music from the two shows (though that’s beginning to change on repeated listens). Other highlights were, from the first night, “Show Me the Door” and The Moody Blues’ “Nights in White Satin,” and from the second show, “Leaning on a Travelin’ Song,” “Highway Hypnosis” and — these may have been the biggest ‘Wow’ moments — Black Sabbath’s “Planet Caravan,” into banjo legend Béla Fleck’s “Tentacle Dragon (Revenge of The),” into Led Zeppelin’s “Four Sticks.” Also, continuing with the Zeppelin theme for the weekend, “Doin’ Things Right” had a “The Ocean” tease.

⬆️VIDEO CLIP: “Four Sticks”

NIGHTS 1 VS. NIGHT 2: This was a true two-night show — no repeats. I preferred Night 1 slightly over Night 2, with the second set pushing it over the edge. The second set of Night 2 was close. I think, as a new, casual fan, I preferred the songs from Night 1, but that hardcores might prefer the fireworks of Night 2.

Billy Strings and his band perform at Allstate Arena.

CHATTER: Strings doesn’t say a lot, but he did have this gem as he came out for the encore on the first night: “I want to thank you so much and just before I let you go, remind you: Don’t let your meat loaf, keep your stick on the ice, watch your top knot, keep your shiny side up, and if you ain’t in bed by midnight, come home. We love you folks.”

Billy Strings is a 32-year-old guitarist from Lansing, Michigan.

Who is Billy Strings?

Strings is a 32-year-old guitarist from Lansing, Michigan, who has played professionally since he was 19 and came on the scene with the album Turmoil & Tinfoil in 2017.

He toured relentlessly for the next two years, building up his reputation and sharing the stage with a diverse set of musicians. In 2019, he released his second album, Home, which won Best Bluegrass Album at the 63rd Grammy Awards.

Strings has played with the same group live for many years — Jarrod Walker (mandolin), Royal Masat (upright bass), Strings (guitar), Billy Failing (banjo) and Alex Hargreaves (fiddle) — Hargreaves was added as a permanent member in 2022. In 2024, Strings released Live Vol. 1., which won Best Bluegrass Album at the 67th Grammys.

He learned bluegrass from his step-dad, Terry Barber — he recorded an album with Barber in 2022 — but he’s also a rock and metal fan, incorporating aspects of those genres and also psychedelia into his music, particularly live.

If you're curious but skeptical, I get it — I was too. Just go to the show. You’ll get it, or have a good time trying.

⬆️VIDEO CLIP: The band takes their bows

More video clips

⬆️ “Gild the Lily”

⬆️ “Leaning on a Travelin’ Song”

⬆️ “Planet Caravan” guitar solo

⬆️ “Doin’ My Time”

⬆️ “Show Me the Door”

⬆️ “Doin’ Things Right”

More photos