SETLIST:
Set One: Old Home Place, In the Morning Light, Everything’s the Same, Walk On Boy, West Dakota Rose, Watch It Fall, Fire On My Tongue > Clinch Mountain Backstep, Likes of Me > Thunder
Set Two: Beauty of My Dreams, Running the Route > Taking Water, Know It All, Love & Regret, June Apple, Away From the Mire > Pyramid Country > Gotta Jibboo > Pyramid Country > Must Be Seven > Away From the Mire Encore: Nellie Cane, If Your Hair’s Too Long, There’s Sin In Your Heart
On a picture perfect day in Vermont, a crowd of eager fans filled the lots at the Champlain Valley Expo to see the Billy Strings Band. We arrived early and ended up parked in the middle of several folks who I recognized from the band’s fan pages as being ‘on-tour.’ From my vantage point, both in person and online, this group of friends brought together in the name of their favorite band, have formed a road-family that is tight knit. We ran into many people we know from our own branch of road-family we’ve formed at festivals. The parking lot quickly turned into a road-family-reunion. For many this was their first taste of live music after almost 18 months.
Once the gates opened fans made their way across the big meadow to the stage. Only the second venue on this tour without seating restrictions, the crowd stood close together at the general admission event. As the band approached the stage, they were spotted over the fence and the crowd roared. The band members soaked in the crowds energy as they took the stage.
As soon as the show got started the crowd of committed fans began singing along to the original songs. Some were sporting t-shirts they had specially made for the event with various salutes to the band. The most popular theme being “BMFS” which stands for Billy (expletive expletive) Strings. The song choices for this night saluted the band Phish in several ways. From covering songs Phish covers to covering the Phish original “Gotta Jibboo” delighting those in the crowd in the know.
At one point Billy addressed the crowd, sharing his observation of the immense energy and joy emanating from the crowd. As the sun set behind us, we must have been quite the image from the band’s vantage point. The band reflected the energy back to the crowd. The encore began with Nellie Kane, a song by Tim O’Brien (Hot Rize), a traditional sounding song and a nod to Phish who covers it regularly.
The final song of the night, “If your hair’s too long there’s sin in your heart” a fun, traditional sounding song, delivered with sarcasm from this mostly long-haired band. Billy Failing (banjo) was glowing and smiling throughout this final song. Jarrod Walker (mandolin) had donned a pair of futuristic sunglasses that added to his already super cool appearance on this night. William Apostol aka Billy Strings had also added a pair of silly sunglasses for the encore, they seemed to increase his joy if possible! Royal Massat (bass) always delivers the cool factor and did not disappoint on this night in Vermont.
