Photo: Stevo Rood
On Thursday, July 17, Billy Strings took part in its latest Australian escapade, performing at the ICC Sydney Theatre. The concert, which occurred in the nation’s most populous city, wheeled in classics from the bluegrass ether and the band’s catalog. The group carved a nostalgic pathway lined with references to traditional bluegrass themes that evoked spiritual reflections and travel references. The concert was padded with extemporized instrumental extensions that showcased their earned reputation as industry favorites, a statement reflected in the slew of International Bluegrass Music Association nominations received this week.
The ensemble opened the night by referring to their 2019 studio LP, Home, on “Taking Water,” which led the charge into follow-ups, including “ Highway Prayers’ feature “Be Your Man” and “Long Forgotten Dream.” The arrival of “Bronzeback” and “Away From the Mire” marked the final step in the band’s lean toward originals. Ultimately, the group packed the midsection of their first frame with a four-piece sequence of covers, including “Streamline Cannonball,” which struck the aforementioned motif and nodded to the open road.
Distance and travel were referenced again during “10,000 Miles From a Friend” and the set ending, “Reuben’s Train.” Following the concert’s halfway break, the whole band retook the stage, gathering at the stage’s center and positioned around a single microphone and delivering “Freedom,” traditionals “Dark Hollow,” and “Sally Johnson.” The bandleader took on the ensuing number alone, a hair-raising a cappella exploration of spirituality on “And Am I Born To Die?” The band returned next, and so did the references to mobility on “Leaning on a Travelin’ Song.”
George Gershwin’s “Summertime” was a seasonal treat that sounded before a sequence of originals: “In the Clear,” “Heartbeat of America,” and “In the Morning Light.” Next, the group paired traditional “Old Man at the Mill” with John Hartford’s “All Fall Down,” and capped the amalgamated compositions with The Stanley Brothers’ “Think of What You’ve Done.” Before concluding their time in Sydney, Billy Strings ended set two after “Meet Me at the Creek.”
For the night’s encore, they began with traditional, “Me Me a Pallet on Your Floor,” before striking the wheeling theme once more on “Ridin’ That Midnight Train.” After last night’s concert in Sydney, Billy Strings will play tomorrow, Saturday, July 19, at Riverstage in Brisbane City. Tickets remain on sale.
Billy Strings
ICC Sydney Theatre – Sydney
July 17, 2025
Set I: Taking Water, Be Your Man, Long Forgotten Dream, Bronzeback, Away From The Mire, Rank Stranger, Streamline Cannonball, Ernest T. Grass > Little Maggie, 10,000 Miles From A Friend, Fire Line > Reuben’s Train
Set II: Freedom1, Dark Hollow1, Sally Johnson1, And Am I Born To Die?2, Leaning on a Travelin’ Song, Summertime, In the Clear, Heartbeat Of America, In The Morning Light, Old Man At The Mill > All Fall Down, Think Of What You’ve Done, Meet Me At The Creek
Enc.: Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor, Ridin’ That Midnight Train
Setlist Notes:
- Full band around single mic
- Billy Strings solo a cappella
Setlist and notes via billybase.net.
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