By Wright Montague

John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville. Photo credit: @billystrings via Instagram.

On the night of Friday, April 17, bluegrass protogé Billy Strings took the stage in John Paul Jones Arena for the first of his two-night Charlottesville run. After a Friday afternoon lacrosse game, Freddie Reed (‘27), Henry Wooten (‘27), and I made the trip up to Charlottesville to meet classmates Fletcher Bor (‘27), Jack Neese (‘26), and Reid Moyer (‘26) before the show. As we walked into the arena, the crowd was packed, and making it to the floor was a journey of its own. Strings and his band took the stage and opened with “Leaning on a Travelin’ Song.” 

Strings, born William Lee Apostol, started playing the guitar, along with other instruments, at a young age after his mother married bluegrass player Terry Barber. His mother married Barber after String’s biological father passed away from drug use. While growing up with his stepfather in Michigan, Strings was introduced to many classic bluegrass pickers, such as Doc Watson, Bill Monroe, and Larry Sparks. Many of those artists, in addition to The Grateful Dead, Widespread Panic, Phish, Pearl Jam, Def Leppard, Led Zeppelin, and many others, inspired his jamgrass fusion of music. 

Throughout Strings’ career, he has released multiple studio albums, starting with 2017’s Turmoil & Tinfoil. He won two Grammys and received multiple nominations, most recently for his 2022 album Me and Dad, which he recorded with Barber. Outside of his success in the studio, Strings is renowned for his live performances. 

Billy Strings in concert. Photo credit: @billystrings via Instagram.

In preparation for my first time seeing Strings in Charlottesville, my brother Porter Montague (‘23), who has seen Strings in concert a few times, described his shows as “electric.” He later added, “[Billy Strings] finds a new way to amaze you with every song and knows how to get the music to click.” Strings first attracted attention due to a video from 2012 of him playing in a random basement before his career took off. The video gained millions of views, and since then, Strings’ combination of genres and improv playing style has earned him a large following among bluegrass and jam band fans. 

During his April 17 and 18 shows, Strings was set up on stage with his typical line up of Jarrod Walker on the mandolin, Billy Failing on the banjo, Royal Masat on the stand-up base, and Alex Hargreaves on the fiddle. The five band members stretched across the stage one by one as set one opened, and from the very start of the show, I was blown away by the flow of the music. Each player took perfect solos as the rest of the band kept the jam alive. 

The most notable hits from the first set were his original songs: “Leaning on a Travelin Song,” “California Sober,” and “Watch it Fall.” His additional covers of “Old Home Place,” a song fit for a Charlottesville show due to its history and meaning and originally recorded by The Dillards, and String’s jam edition of Bill Monroe’s “Shenandoah Breakdown,” were some more songs that captured the audience. When I asked Collegiate parent Mark Nanavati, who was at the show, what he thought it was that made Strings so special, he said, “In my mind, Billy and the rest of the boys are musical savants. Their ability to blend traditional bluegrass standards with improvisational jams blows me away.” 

At the end of the first set, the rest of the band walked off stage, but Strings stayed and walked up to the microphone, and to the shock of the crowd, said, “I figured I would pick a few more.” Strings then went on to play multiple songs solo while his band rested. He played seven songs, switching to banjo for two. His solo set included  “Sorrow and Me,” a new song that had never been played live or recorded before. 

John Paul Jones Arena during “Red Daisy.” Photo credit: @billystrings via Instagram.

After a first set that included a psychedelic jam and bluegrass fusion, and an intermission filled with classic bluegrass played solo, String’s re-energized the crowd by starting the second set with one of my personal favorites, “Red Daisy.” Strings managed to turn it into a jam that captured the crowd. He and his band are able to craft their long improvisations in the middle of their traditional songs with the help of their pedals and effects. During a break in the music, Wootten (‘27) remarked on the amazing use of effects. He said, “the noises that they make with their instruments are like something from a fever dream.” There are no drums in the line up, but Strings and his band are able to use certain players to keep a rhythm and guide the jam, while others take solos. 

The use of lights synced to the music also added to the atmosphere. At the end of the second set, Strings went back and forth between slower traditional songs and longer jams. During arguably the best jam of the night, “Meet Me at the Creek,” the combination of excitement from fans, lights, and of course the skill of Strings’ playing made it an experience that could never again be replicated. 

There are not many ways to describe the talent and range of Strings. In a text I sent to a few friends after the show, I simply described him as a “long-haired wizard in his craft.” Strings has the capability to play many styles of guitar. He frequently practices music written by classical composers such as J.S. Bach and is able to implement it into his improvisations. Bor said his favorite part of the show was when Strings brought out his double-neck Martin guitar. 

From the floor of JPJ Arena on the first night. Photo credit: Wright Montague.

Following “Meet me at the Creek,” the band gathered center stage. They sang “Richard Petty” around one microphone. Strings transitioned the show from a frenzy of jamgrass into slow acapela that captured how bluegrass is traditionally performed. Strings later finished the night with an upbeat edition of “Old Slew Foot.”

Walking out of the arena, we saw many Collegiate alumni, and we all concurred that it was a show full of talent that was unparalleled. While I did not witness night two, everyone I spoke to that attended seemed to enjoy Strings live as much as I did. Night two consisted of more jamgrass fusions and many of his hits. A fan favorite of the night seemed to be “Hide and Seek.”

At the end of the night, before the encore, Strings suddenly broke his leg backstage. Strings had planned to come back on stage before his last few songs on a skateboard. While practicing on the board backstage, Strings slipped and had to be taken to the University of Virginia Health Center. Since the injury, Strings had initial intentions to continue with his tour, but after meeting with doctors, he has since postponed future shows. Fans will have to wait until July to see Strings perform once again, at Austin City Limits at the Moody Theater.