Screenshot via nugs.net
On October 31, Billy Strings kicked off his two-night run at the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore. For the occasion, the bluegrass artist and his crew adapted 2000’s O Brother, Where Art Thou?, opening the night in the fertile valley of the Mississippi Delta–1937 to be exact.
Act I: True to the script, the black and white striped-clad chain gang emerged, high stepping center stage, Strings, Billy Failing, Royal Masat, and Jarrod Walker [sans Alex Hargreaves] huddled around a single mic for a hair-raising a capella “Richard Petty.” In the background, fellow detainees hammered stone, staying on beat with the foursome’s claps. Rather than remain fixed at center stage, the group dispersed across the venue’s central platform, now joined by Hargreaves.
The theatrical mobility increased as the remaining chain gang broke free, with some actors ascending into the audience. At the same time, the band itself offered its first debut of the night, a take on the traditional “Lonesome Road Blues.” Sinking their teeth into the movie’s soundtrack, “The Big Rock Candy Mountain” conjured visions of a stowaway’s paradise while alluding to the storyline and noting the band was on the run–a part of the storyline that was exemplified through the placement of originals Renewal’s “Running the Route” into Home’s “Running.”
“You Are My Sunshine” served as the night’s communal centerpiece. To increase crowd interaction, the lyrics of the American standard were displayed on screen behind the act. While still providing instrumentals, the band stayed lyrically silent, instead preserving the final lines of the number for the audience. Sierra Hull, Lindsay Lou, and Rachael Davis, dressed in white robes and gray bandanas, delivered a capella “Down In The Valley To Pray.” Gathering around a single mic, the trio sweetly swung the fabled tune while actors in identical garb referenced the film’s famous baptismal scene.
Next, Strings returned with Chris Thomas King for a duo take on Skip James’ “Hard Time Killin’ Floor Blues.” The decorated blues guitarist assisted his host in striking a sound of sorrow and took the lead, allowing Strings to get acquainted with a Paul Beard Resonator Legacy E Squareneck. Calling his band back to the stage, plus Jerry Douglas (dobro), Widespread Panic’s Duane Trucks (drums) and King remained on lead, and the expanded act [red devil fire dancer included] released a staggering take on “Gravedigger Gonna Cut You Down.” Cut to the radio and back to the band, spirits lifted with Steve Miller Band’s “Take the Money and Run,” playing to the disc jockey’s mention of a trio of bank robberies. Strings swapped axes ahead of the latter, picking up his PRS Electric, which coincided with Cris Jacobs’ Halloween debut–he led the electric classic, which lent heavily into improvisation before returning to expected form ahead of the outro. “Keep On The Sunny Side” was followed by intermission, but not before Leftover Salmon’s Vince Herman turned up for his acting debut.
Act II: “This second act is a real live wire…”
With references to the adapted storyline, the warden searched for Strings, a recourse in the narrative at play. “I’ll Fly Away” represented the official return on the musical front, with Hull, Lou, and Davis sharing the lead on the Albert E. Brumley classic. Complimenting the scene, an aerial dancer twirled on a ring against a sky background at center stage. For Strings’ second set debut, he stepped out with a trio of youngsters for one of the night’s many debuts, Maybelle Carter’s “In the Highways (I’ll Be Somewhere Working for My Lord).”
Hull, Lou and Davis were back at center next, using only their vocals on “Didn’t Leave Nobody but the Baby” the main band joined but did not play, instead, enchanted by jug totting ladies who intoxicated the five players before they asked the audience to “Meet Me At The Creek.” The Strings’ original was an ideal fit for the night, given its reference to the water, the song’s lyrical current and the film nod that would come to unfold on stage. The number represented another extended instrumental segment, allowing the musicians to stretch out and take turns on the lead. Rather than close out the Turmoil & Tinfoil original, the group continued with pulls of the 2017 set, segueing into “Spinning” and “Planet Caravan” for some of the night’s headiest and most accentuated collection of musical moments. Trucks reemerged for the Black Sabbath number, fixing his backbeat to the Paranoid pull.
Back to five, Strings, Failing, Masat, Walker, and Hargreaves, played through Renewal originator, “Hide and Seek,” featuring a tease of Men Without Hats’ “Safety Dance.” Reprising the night’s traditional roots, the on-stage presence fluctuated with the addition of Hull, Lou and Davis, as well as cellist Nat Smith’s event debut. A peak came in the form of Hargreaves’ instrumental interlude, which gave way to Herman’s return and another message from the radio.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? actor Tim Blake Nelson, who played Delmar O’Donnell, reprised his character’s signature “In the Jailhouse Now,” adding the tune’s expected yodel throughout. Highs continued with Emry Arthur’s “Man of Constant Sorrow,” one of the night’s bust-outs, last played on May 6, 2022. Herman had leaned heavily into his acting role until the arrival of his co-write, Leftover Salmon’s “Let In a Little Light,” when he joined Strings and company on stage, taking the lead.
T. Bone Burnett gave a fully-fledged lead on vocals and guitar during a cover of Johnny Cash’s “When the Man Comes Around” supported by the band. Acting, the band was taken into custody; meanwhile, their namesake gave the audience a haunting solo, a capella, called “O Death.” Cutting from traditionals to Led Zeppelin’s “When The Levee Breaks,” Trucks’ count pronounced his arrival, filled out with Douglas, the band, and Lou, who was on fire during her lead, sharing lines with Strings, who otherwise rocked out on his Gibson Custom EDS-1275 Double Neck Electric Guitar in seductive cherry red. Lou donned a choir robe, pulling a likeness to Robert Plant in spirit.
A message from WCFG radio alerted the audience that time was coming to a close. As the hosts spoke, the complete lineup gathered, spreading across the stage for W. B. Bradbury, Rev. J. Hascall’s aptly titled “Angel Band.” Dueling mandolins from Hull and Walker, a belted lead from Davis, followed by the full group roar. Lou led the next set of lines for what became a pattern of female leads and full ensemble harmonies.
Strings thanked the crowd and showed gratitude before wishing them a Happy Halloween and his own mother some love on her birthday. The bluegrass golden boy reminded the audience there’s more tomorrow night.
Catch Strings’ special full performance of his new hit album Highway Prayers and more tonight on nugs.net.
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Billy Strings
CFG Bank Arena – Baltimore
Oct. 31, 2024
Act I: Richard Petty 1, 2, Lonesome Road Blues 3, Big Rock Candy Mountain 4 5, Running The Route > Running, You Are My Sunshine 6, 7, Down the River to Pray 3, 8, 9, Hard Time Killin’ Floor Blues 10, 11, 12, 13, Gravedigger Gonna Cut You Down14, 15, Take the Money and Run16, 17, Keep On The Sunny Side18, 19
Act II: I’ll Fly Away8, 20, 21, In the Highways (I’ll Be Somewhere Working for My Lord) 22, 23, Didn’t Leave Nobody but the Baby 3, 8, 24, Meet Me At The Creek > Spinning > Planet Caravan 25 > Hide and Seek 26, 27, I Am Weary (Let Me Rest) 28, 29, Man Of Constant Sorrow 30, In the Jailhouse Now 3, 31, Man Of Constant Sorrow 32, Let in a Little Light 33, 34, When the Man Comes Around 35, 36, O Death 3, 37, When the Levee Breaks 38, 39, Angel Band 40, 41
Notes/setlist via billybase.net:
- Band (minus Alex) around single mic front of stage
- Chain gang hammering rocks, keeping the beat
- FTP – Traditional
- FTP – Harry McClintock
- Prisoners are freed from their chains and on the run; deputies are looking for them
- FTP – The Pine Ridge Boys
- Crowd sing along
- Performed by Sierra Hull (Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist), Lindsay Lou (Bluegrass and Americana singer and songwriter), and Rachael Davis (multi-instrumentalist)
- w/ congregation dancers circling them while singing
- Duo Billy Strings w/ Chris Thomas King (New Orleans Grammy and Country Music Award winning blues guitarist, actor, and author)
- FTP – Skip James
- Chris Thomas King on lead vocals
- Billy Strings on a Paul Beard Resonator Legacy E Squareneck Guitar
- w/ Chris Thomas King on lead vocals and Duane Trucks (Widespread Panic drummer)
- FTP – Fairfield Four
- w/ Cris Jacobs (Local American singer and songwriter) on guitar , Jerry Douglas (dobro), Duane Trucks (drums), Royal on electric bass guitar and Billy on his PRS Electric
- FTP – Steve Miller Band
- Last Time Played 2023-12-29 | 49 Shows
- w/ Billy on his PRS Electric Guitar, Royal on electric bass guitar and Duane Trucks on drums
- FTP – Albert E. Brumley
- w/ an aerial dancer suspended center stage with aerial hoop
- Billy Strings Duo w/ trio of children
- FTP – Maybelle Carter
- Sirens circling artists on stage w/ jugs of alcohol and full of temptation
- w/ Duane Trucks (drums)
- “Safety Dance” (Men Without Hats) tease
- Cyclops defeated and carried off stage
- w/ Nat Smith (cello), Lindsay Lou (guitar, vocals), Sierra Hull (mandolin, vocals), and Rachael Davis (vocals)
- Last Time Played 2012-03-23 | 1373 Shows
- Alex Hargreaves solo instrumental
- w/ Tim Blake Nelson (American actor and director) on lead vocals and Jerry Douglas (Dobro)
- Last Time Played 2022-05-06 | 225 Shows
- FTP – Leftover Salmon
- w/ Vince Herman on lead vocals (and on guitar) & Jerry Douglas (dobro)
- w/ T. Bone Burnett (American Producer and Guitarist) on guitar and lead vocals
- FTP – Johnny Cash
- Jailers taking away band while Billy Strings sings solo a capella front of stage
- w/ Billy on a Gibson Custom EDS-1275 Double Neck Electric Guitar Cherry Red, Cris Jacobs (electric guitar), Duane Trucks (drums), Lindsay Lou sharing lead vocals and Jerry Douglas (dobro)
- FTP – Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy
- w/ Everyone minus the children
- Last Time Played 2023-12-29 | 49 Shows
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