Last night, Billy Strings and his fellowship completed their Away From The Shire Lord Of The Rings-themed Halloween celebration at the ExploreAsheville.com Arena in Asheville, N.C. Strings was joined by mandolinist Jarrod Walker, bassist Royal Masat, banjoist Billy Failing, fiddler Alex Hargreaves, Duane Trucks on percussion, Rushad Eggleston on cello and Anh Phung on flute. For the final stretch of their musical journey towards Mount Doom, the ensemble made many nods to the iconic film and epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien.

The Halloween night show kicked off with a 10-minute solo by Eggleston, dressed as Smeagol, titled “Smeagol’s Metamorphosis.” Next, the Strings took to the electric guitar for a cover of Led Zepplin’s “Ramble On” before they played “Highway Hypnosis.” Next came a song as a nod in regards to the power of Olórin, now known as Gandalf the White, Black Sabbath’s psychedelic “The Wizard.” Strings moved back to the acoustic for a cover of “Ready for the Times To Get Better” by Crystal Gayle before once again grabbing Les Paul for a rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire.” They pushed onward with Doc Watson’s “Walk On Boy,” and Marty Robbins’ “When It’s Lamplighting Time in the Valley.” Strings once again equipped his Les Paul for “Leaders” before playing Yonder Mountain String Band’s “Sorrow Is a Highway” with the lyrics “Sauron is a Highway.” They concluded the first set at a low point in the tale with Widespread Panic’s “All Time Low” and the fate of the fellowship uncertain.

Strings and his band started the second set with a cover of Bill Monroe’s “Mother’s Not Dead, She’s Only Sleeping,” replacing “mother” with “Frodo.” After playing “Know It All” the group began their musical interpretation of the Battle of the Morannon. First came “Hellbender,” which was followed by “Dealing Despair, and the traditional “Dealing Despair.” The drawn-out fight continued with Led Zeppelins’ “The Battle of Evermore,” a 1971 classic known for its lyrics that allude to the source of the evening’s theme. Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” and Pink Floyd’s “Fearless” came next. Strings then added two of his own additions to the mix, perhaps detailing the destruction of the one ring: “Fire Line” and “The Fire on My Tongue.” Next came Mother Love Bone’s “Crown of Thorns,” along with the perfect traditional for the evening “Long Journey Home.”

The fellowship of Strings encored with a pair of songs from the films Howard Shore’s “Concerning Hobbits” and “A Walking Song.” To conclude the incredible run of pageantry, celebration and music, Strings sent the event to the Undying Lands with “Down by the Seaside” by Led Zeppelin.

Billy Strings
ExploreAsheville.com Arena – Asheville, N.C.
Oct. 31, 2022

Set I: Smeagol’s Metamorphosis (with Rushad Eggleston) (cello solo), Ramble On (Led Zeppelin cover) (Billy on a Les Paul), Highway Hypnosis, The Wizard (Black Sabbath cover) (Billy on a Les Paul), Ready for the Times to Get Better (Crystal Gayle cover), Fire (The Jimi Hendrix Experience cover) (Billy on a Les Paul) Walk On Boy (Doc Watson cover), When It’s Lamplighting Time in the Valley (Marty Robbins cover), Leaders (Billy on a Les Paul), Sorrow Is a Highway (Yonder Mountain String Band cover), All Time Low (Widespread Panic cover)

Set II: Mother’s Not Dead, She’s Only Sleeping (Bill Monroe cover) (with lyrics altered to ‘Frodo’s Not Dead’), Know It All, Hellbender, Dealing Despair, Soldiers Joy ([traditional] cover), The Battle of Evermore (Led Zeppelin cover), War Pigs (Black Sabbath cover) (Billy on a Les Paul), Fearless (Pink Floyd cover), Fire Line, The Fire on My Tongue, Crown of Thorns (Mother Love Bone cover), Long Journey Home ([traditional] cover)

Enc.: Concerning Hobbits (Howard Shore cover) (Billy on guitar synth), A Walking Song (Howard Shore cover), Down by the Seaside (Led Zeppelin song)