Billy Strings: Run Up to Virginia
The jam band scene evolves over time to create shapeless forms of matter that manifest into the many bands and permutations that cover the entire musical spectrum. Along the way, certain flag bearers emerge who create names for themselves as they fan the flames of inspiration and innovation, taking influence from previous jam stalwarts while adding their own flavor to the gumbo.
At the moment, Billy Strings are the ones shining new lights onto the jam band world and creating a massive following in the process. The bluegrass leg of the scene is proving to be one of its most active subgenres, and Billy Strings undeniably reigns as the king of this movement.
Photo by Jesse Faatz
The band returned to Virginia on the night of my 35th birthday for a one-night stand at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville. Help me celebrate as I take a look at the evolution of Billy Strings, their meteoric rise through the scene, and the excellent performance that unfolded in the cusp of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Thinking About the Days I’ve Left Behind
One aspect of what set the Dead apart from the other bands of their era was that they didn’t follow any set musical paths. They created a new style of playing by combining all of their influences (folk, rock n’ roll, blues, jazz, etc.) and paid tribute to each of them equally through studious devotion to the craft of live performance. They rolled everything into one, lit it up and passed it around the crowd.
Billy Strings carries on that tradition of taking influence from everything that came before to forge something new. The Dead is very much part of the blueprint, as are the innovations of the modern masters like Phish and Widespread Panic. Billy applies those inspirations of experimental rock to a foundation based in the traditional bluegrass style. A seamless union of old and new.
Photo by Jesse Faatz
I had been waiting for my first chance to finally see Billy’s show for myself. Richmond used to be a somewhat regular stop for the band, but over the last 2-3 years their popularity has skyrocketed. Their last Richmond show took place at the Richmond Raceway in 2022, where tickets were readily available for the 6,000 person venue. I elected to skip this one in favor of DSO’s two-night run at The National as part of their 25th anniversary tour the same week, thinking he would be back soon. A year after that, they sold out two nights at the much larger John Paul Jones Arena down the road in Charlottesville. Billy Strings had suddenly outgrown most of the active venues in my hometown.
Their takeoff into larger venues still featured regular stops around the mid-Atlantic area, but the timing never quite lined up for me to make the necessary trips. Finally, with the announcement of their 2025 Spring Tour, Billy Strings was coming back to JPJ, and it was on the night of my 35th birthday. Sometimes it pays to wait.
Photo by Jesse Faatz
The cool Spring day brought sunshine across the entire drive from Richmond’s cityscape into the green surroundings of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Charlottesville sits comfortably in one of the loveliest areas of the state shrouded in immersive nature and mountain views, and the town itself has developed into quite the musical hotspot. Its numerous small and medium-sized venues bring in a wide selection of bands new and old, and JPJ Arena is one of the few in VA big enough to contain the crowds that now flock to Billy Strings. All the details painted a wonderful picture of the live music perfection to come.
Grab a Beer and Tap Your Feet
It might have been a Tuesday night, but the faithful came out in full swing to fill the 15,000-seat room with the kind of enthusiasm you expect to see with the Dead or Phish. I overheard several people predict an “Old Home Place” opener – a tune by The Dillards brought into the jam world via Phish’s classic cover – for its shoutout to Charlottesville, but Billy instead went for the traditional “John Hardy” and its Virginia-based story. A welcome surprise met with massive cheers from the crowd.
For the rest of the first set, Billy and his bandmates showcased an incredible display of musical knowledge punctuated by flawless chemistry between instruments. In a stroke of good fortune in the pre-sale, I lucked out by scoring tickets dead center from across the stage. A fantastic perspective to take in all of the details.
Photo by Alex Falls
I was first struck by how seamlessly the five members of the band could weave in and out musical sections and segues. Using country and bluegrass as the foundation, the band leaps out into huge explorations that defy musical boundaries. No matter where your tastes lie, Billy Strings strikes a balance to satisfy any live music fan. The virtuosic guitar player might be the band’s namesake, but each member takes every opportunity to lead the charge during the jams. No one outshines any of the others as they all work in harmony to create massive musical landscapes together.
Throughout the first set, the band nimbly navigated through intricate country compositions and improvisational spaces. Bathed in a light show that even the most diehard Phish fans would call impressive, the set brought the crowd together through incredible playing and plenty of VA shoutouts in songs like “Wait a Minute”, dedicated to Charlottesville local Jay Starling, and a “Shenandoah Breakdown” that reached for the skies. They might only be here for one night, but they made it feel like they were right at home.
Right Here to Stay
The second set showcased a band playing at the top of their game. At every turn, the crowd felt dialed in. From my seat, I encountered basically zero of the usual distractions you can run into during a show. While I’m sure there were chompers hiding in some sections of the massive room, everywhere I could see had people looking forward to the stage tuned into every musical twist and turn the band explored. Not only has the audience for Billy Strings grown tremendously, but they also manage to keep everyone in attendance focused on the music. An impressive feat in a college-driven crowd where the party can sometimes outweigh the show.
Photo by Jesse Faatz
They leaned heavily into their country roots with a long string of heartfelt ballads through the bulk of set two. Even during the slow moments, the band still found moments to reach out into experimental territory and audience attention never waivered. Billy Strings and his bandmates know full well how to ebb and flow through various sonic stylings to create dynamic sequences, where touching moments of lyrical beauty accentuate the blazing peaks elsewhere in the show.
We were then treated to one of those stunning peaks with an extended “Meet Me at the Creek” to wrap up the second set. The 22-minute excursion is one that needs to be heard to be believed. Few bands have the chemistry and dexterity that Billy and his bandmates exercised in this closing section. A superlative display of high-energy music that ferociously broke out of the bluegrass box to rock us all into a celebratory dance-fest.
I walked away from my first Billy Strings show with one question: is it always this good? I posed this question in the band’s subreddit, and every response confirmed, yes indeed, these guys are just that good. Their ability to go on and perform a potential “best-ever” performance each and every night shows just how well-deserved their rise in success is. They’re putting in the work to be some of the best musicians in the scene, and they deliver for the fans who turn out every night.
Photo by Jesse Faatz
I couldn’t have imagined a better way to celebrate my 35 trips around the sun than the experience of my first Billy Strings show. I can’t wait to see how the band grows as they continue treading new paths through the bluegrass and jam band scene. At this point, not even the sky can limit their success.
This show is available to stream on Nugs.net
Featured Photo by Jesse Faatz
