Photo via Billy Strings’ Instagram

On Saturday, Billy Strings brought his tour to The Filmore in Detroit and paid tribute to the late Duane Allman on what would have been his 75th birthday. His encore cover of Allman’s “Little Martha” marked the first time the Michigan-born musician played the song publically, though he had played it during a webcast in August of 2020.

Strings and his band got the show underway with a cover of The Orginal Caste’s “One Tin Soldier,” then “Dust In A Baggie,” which was followed by “Hellbender,” which comes fresh off of String’s 2021 LP Renewal. Strings along with mandolinist Jarrod Walker, banjo player Billy Failing and bassist Royal Masat moved on through their first set with a triple coupling of tracks with “Old Train”> “Turmoil & Tinfoil,” “Riding Out The Winter”> “Doin’ Things Right,” and “Fire Line”> “Running the Route.” They closed the first set with another track off Renewal, “The Fire On My Tongue.”

The second set kicked off with a cover of Tony Rice’s “Cold On The Shoulder,” which was followed by “Slow Train” then “Love and Regret.” A cover of Black Sabbath’s psychedelic slow jam “Planet Caravan” followed and then flowed into “Hollow Heart.” Strings original “Long Forgotten Dream” prefaced a cover of the Grateful Dead staple cover of John Phillips’ “Me and My Uncle.” Strings continued the night with covers of Johnny Cash’s “Big River” and Doc Watson’s “My Love Come Rollin’ Down.” They closed the second set with “Hide And Seek,” which featured a tease of “Eye Of The Tiger.”

Strings encored with two Allman Brothers Band material, starting with Duane Allman penned “Little Martha.” The instrumental track off of 1972’s Eat A Peach is the only song credited only to Duane Allman. They brought the show to a close with the Alman Brothers Band “Midnight Rider.”

Billy Strings
The Fillmore Detroit – Detroit, MI
Nov. 20, 2021

Set I: One Tin Soldier, Dust In A Baggie, Hellbender, Old Train > Turmoil & Tinfoil, Riding Out The Winter > Doin’ Things Right, Fire Line > Running the Route, Show Me The Door, Fire On My Tongue

Set II: Cold On The Shoulder, Slow Train, Love And Regret, Planet Caravan > Hollow Heart, Long, Forgotten Dream, Me And My Uncle, New Camptown Races, Big River, Love Come Rollin’ Down, Hide And Seek

Enc.: Little Martha, Midnight Rider

Setlist via setlist.fm