Photo Credit: Jesse Faatz

Last night, Dec. 31, Billy Strings took the stage at UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans for his final performance of 2022. The concert saw the Michigan-bred musician and his team–Billy Failings, Royal Masat, Jarrod Walker and Alex Hargreaves–deliver three packed frames of music filled with originals and choice covers that beckoned to some of Strings’ musical influences. The New Year’s Eve gig also included two debuts: a take on Willie Nelson’s “Hands on the Wheel” and a cover of Blaze Foley’s “Rudee Down in New Orleans.” Then, as the clock struck midnight, the artist welcomed the New Year with a display of confetti, balloons, and The Doc Watson Family-written “Riding the Midnight Train.” 

The night got underway with “Slow Train” followed by a selection of covers, including the Jerry Reed-penned “The Likes of Me,” Chris Henry’s “West Dakota Rose,” and the aforementioned live debut of Nelson’s “Hands on the Wheel.” To follow, Strings paired “Fire Line” with the traditional “Reuben’s Train” and continued with “Love and Regret” from his 2021 release, Renewal. Next, the band cut into Bill Monroe’s “Where Is My Sailor Boy” before closing the first set with “All Fall Down” by John Hartford. 

Set two opened with a live debut of Foley’s “Rudee Down In New Orleans,” a locationally fitting choice for the first-time rendition. Of note, Strings debuted Foley’s “Let Me Ride in Your Big Cadillac” the night before. Read more here. The frame carried on with additional covers, which touched on material produced by Keith Allison, Frank Wakefield and The Stanley Brothers. Then, Strings and company dug into a trio of self-written tunes before the traditional “John Hardy.” Then, as the show reached its halfway point, the jammers played “Running the Route,” which came before additional covers and eventually a set-closing rendition of the fan favorite, “Dust in a Baggie.” 

As the third and final frame arrived, the band rolled into “Meet Me at the Creek,” which was capped with a lively celebration as the clock struck midnight. The band welcomed 2023 with a cover of The Doc Watson Family’s “Ridin’ The Midnight Train.” Then, Strings delivered a selection of tunes of Home and Renewal before cutting into four covers to conclude the third and final set. For the night’s encore, he ran through a take on Jimmy Martin’s “Tennessee.” 

After the show, the artist posted a New Year’s greeting to Facebook, where he promised a three-night 2023 New Year’s Eve return to UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans. Following the artist’s celebratory shows, he will take some time off the road before returning on Feb. 2 for a sold-out stand at 1ST Bank Arena in Broomfield, Colo. 

Scroll down to view last night’s complete setlist. 

Billy Strings 

UNO Lakefront Arena – New Orleans 

Dec. 31, 2022 

Set I: Slow Train, Likes Of Me (Jerry Reed), West Dakota Rose (Chris Henry), Hands On the Wheel (Willie Nelson)1,  Fire Line > Reuben’s Train (Traditional), Love & Regret, Where Is My Sailor Boy (Bill Monroe), All Fall Down (John Hartford)

Set II: Rudee Down In New Orleans (Blaze Foley)2, Freeborn Man (Keith Allison), End Of The Rainbow (Frank Wakefield), Rank Stranger (The Stanley Brothers), Everything’s The Same, Heartbeat Of America, In The Morning Light, John Hardy (traditional), Running The Route, With A Vamp In The Middle (John Hartford), Tentacle Dragon (Bela Fleck), Dust In A Baggie

Set III: Meet Me At The Creek3,  Ridin’ That Midnight Train (The Doc Watson Family), Nothing’s Working, Secrets, Bronzeback, Home, The Train That Carried My Girl From Town (Doc Watson) > Love Like Me, Highway Hypnosis, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town (Pearl Jam), Home Of The Red Fox (Bill Emerson), Little Maggie (Traditional) 

Enc.: Tennessee (Jimmy Martin)

Notes: 

1. FTP- Willie Nelson

2. FTP- Blaze Foley

3. 2023 was greeted with confetti and balloons at midnight

Setlist via billybase.net.