On July 16, bluegrass phenom Billy Strings kicked off his nine-show, crowdless Nashville tour at the city’s new Brooklyn Bowl, welcoming previously-announced guest Marcus King.

Strings and his band opened the show with “Watch It Fall” off his 2019 LP Home. Standout covers from the first half also included Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs’ “Doin’ My Time” and Doc Watson’s “I’m Going Fishing” as well as a take on the Grateful Dead’s “China Doll,” which bled into “So Many Miles”> “Dealing Despair.”

Set two featured a version of J.J. Cale’s “Ride Me High” (a favorite of fellow jam scene regulars Widespread Panic), but the real highlight was King’s appearance.

The South Carolina native joined Strings for twangy, unplugged versions of George Gershwin’s “Summertime” as well as Jimmy Reed’s “Big Boss Man.”

Strings’ tour will continue at Brooklyn Bowl Nashville on July 17 and continue on July 18-19 in the Station Inn, July 22-23 at City Winery, July 24-25 at the Exit/In before closing on July 26 at 3rd & Lindsley.

Visit StreamingStrings.com to purchase passes.

Check out the full setlist and photos from the inaugural show below:

Billy Strings
July 16, 2020
Brooklyn Bowl, Nashville

Watch It Fall, Slow Train, While I’m Waiting Here, Doin’ My Time, I’m Going Fishing, China Doll> So Many Miles> Dealing Despair, Enough to Leave, Away From the Mire

Dust in a Baggie, Pyramid Country> Ride Me High, Must Be Seven, Summertime^, Big Boss Man^, Ernest T. Grass> Little Maggie