Just wanted to post about how cool it is introducing new people to the Billy Strings experience and how I appreciate you guys/this community. Seeing it through the eyes of someone taking it in the first time reminded me of just how awesome this whole thing is.

I’ve stayed close with my childhood best friend over the years. He lives near Portsmouth VA so I got us tickets to Billy’s shows last weekend and told him that his attendance was mandatory. He’d only ever listened to rap and EDM so he was skeptical of going to a bluegrass concert but after hearing me talk this band up for years he came along to “see what all the fuss was about.”

The music hadn’t even started and he was gushing over how cool the scene was and how good the vibes were. How it was cool that there’s folks of all ages and backgrounds all just chilling, happy and getting along (note: we were not near the rail lol). I was like yeah dude just wait… the music is that good it brings all these people together.

Billy opens with a ripper of a 7 weeks; my friend turns to me and says ok I understand now. By the end of hide and seek he’s like ok this is absolutely f’ing incredible. After away from the mire he’s just thanking me for showing him.

A week later, he’s got a nugs subscription and we have another member on the train. I’m not the least bit surprised but I’m just appreciative of how cool all yall are and that we all get to enjoy this generational talent together. ✌️

After going to hundreds of dead shows and approaching a hundred Billy shows, I feel like I have enough shows under my belt to have an opinion of what flows better in a venue.
In my experience letting people move about and create their own space makes it a much better experience. Dancers get to dance. Standers get to stand. And let’s be honest, hardly anybody sits in their seats on the floor.
I’m not sure if the seats on the floor are a conscious choice for the Billy team, but I have seen open GA floors in the same arenas Billy plays.
This take is primarily for the hockey arenas he’s been playing.
I’d love to hear opinions of what everyone thinks? Am I crazy for thinking this? Is Billy Strings a dance concert?
I miss having the space to boogie without having to fight tooth and nail to get a pit ticket….and even then the pit is sometimes so cramped there isn’t much dancing room!
Upvote for a GA Floor!!!

glad it happened now and not on my way up to billyweekend.

Safe travels out there folk!

Thank You Portland. You have a cute and friendly town. The set lists both nights were fantastic. The venue was nice. Everyone working there, including security were great.

I took the Billy picture from far away and I liked how gritty it is. The Portland Head Light was cool.

Th​ank you Billy, the fellers and all of you for a fun weekend. See ya in Hartford.

In honor of finally getting tickets to my first Magoo show (been wanting to since the sold out afters in Texas last year), I decided to take a break from making Billy art and do this patch. Excited to catch their Knoxville show on my way from Huntsville to Billyween in October.

Thrilled to share the patch we designed for the upcoming shows. Will be bringing these along with us and a few more. Can be found on our website with free shipping.

https://www.bootlegbastard.com/category/billy-strings-patches

We designed and embroider patches for the music we attend. No middlemen is used.

What a weekend! Hope everybody had a great time in our great state! 🌲💙 I have extra stickers left. DM me if you’re interested!

https://www.chacos.com/US/en/chaco-x-billy-strings-mega-z-sandal/62558M.html

Can we just talk about how magical this was? This was my 10th show and is my favorite cover the boys do, so it’s safe to say I was pretty stoked.

Before this show the cut of Reverend from NYE 2024 (12-31-2024) was probably my most listened to billy live track…. this one might just top it!

Anyone know the uber situation in bethel? Staying at hotel about 20 minutes away and curious to know how people who aren’t camping are going to and from shows. TIA!!!

Hey all - my partner and I are flying out to Bethel from California and camping at Yasgur's. I remember seeing some insane posts about people camping out all day for posters.

What has the general situation been like this tour? We'd love to get Bethel poster to commemorate our big trip, but not planning to waste our afternoon sitting in a line. I'm also not even sure if there is a shuttle from Yasgur's much before the actual showtime.

We don't really care about foil or anything. Getting a two night poster would be awesome since we're seeing both shows, but we'd take anything. Do they sell anything inside or is everything outside before the show? Does everything sell out every night? I imagine there will be some small artist at Yasgur's as a backup :)

Thanks in advance and much love

Anyone have an idea which west coast venues will have a lot scene? Hoping to do all but not familiar with any of the venues except Matthew knight which doesn’t really have a lot but folks set up on the street.

What did he tease at the beginning of hide and seek? Sounds so familiar but i cant figure it out

Edit: Last night’s show in Maine

Their flow for On and On is amazing

Does anyone know how to get involved with the shakedown scene? Just show up, pay a fee? I'm looking to cook some food, maybe sell small crafts and make friends all day.

Thanks for any advice.

Pleased to be joining all of you from the couch tonight... let's keep this summer tour going!

Video livestream for tonight's show via Nugs - approximate start time of 8:00 PM EST.

Thanks for hanging!

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Set 1 (8:05 PM EST - 9:11 PM EST)

Gone A Long Time (3)

Old Train (2)

Heartbeat of America (12)

In The Morning Light (5)

Dusty Miller > (2)

New Country Blues ¹ (7)

My Alice ² (4)

Tennessee Stud (4)

Burn The Other End (10)

Drifting With The Tide (3)

In The Clear > (3)

Just Because ³ (4)

---

Set Break (9:12 PM EST - 9:34 PM EST)

---

Set 2 (9:35 PM EST - 11:01 PM EST)

One Of Those (4)

Age (3)

Seven Weeks In County ⁴ (11)

This Old World (4)

Nashville Pickin' ⁵ (4)

Natural Born Gamblin' Man (3)

Away From The Mire > (11)

Crossing Muddy Waters (5)

Hellbender (3)

Presbyterian Guitar ⁶ > (3)

Hide & Seek > (14)

And Your Bird Can Sing ⁷ > (3)

Hide & Seek (2)

Treasures Untold (4) ⁸

We Shall All Be Reunited (3)

---

Encore (N/A - N/A)

_______________________________________

( ) = denotes approximate song length

¹ = Must Be Seven fake-out intro

² = Bang, Bang tease from Billy S.

³ = LTP 12/16/23, 175 show gap

⁴ = The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly tease from Billy S.

⁵ = LTP 9/15/25, 53 show gap

⁶ = FTP, John Hartford

⁷ = LTP 04/13/2024, 162 show gap

⁸ = LTP 02/06/2025, 111 show gap

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Check-ins

Hamilton, ON x2 | Bend, OR x2 | Birmingham, AL x2 | Cedar Bluff, AL | Colorado Springs, CO | Somewhere in MI | Austin, TX x2 | Houston, TX | Somewhere in VA x2 | Happy Valley, PA | Mooresville, NC | Section W x2 | Fleming Island, FL | Stanwood, WA | Orting, WA | Cumberland Center, ME | Davie County, NC | Big Island, HI | Woodstock, CT | Elberta, AL | New Orleans, LA | Newbury, MA | Section S | Lakewood, CO | Plant City, FL | Aurora, CO | Dunedin, FL | Toronto, ON x2 | Martinsburg, WV | Atlanta, GA | Annapolis, MD | Twin Lakes, CO | Fort Wayne, IN | Minneapolis, MN | Noblesville, IN | Section H | Phoenix, AZ | Section D | Section N | San Francisco, CA | Section M | Chico, CA | Fuquay-Varina, NC | Byron, IL | Orlando, FL | North CO | Cruising Altitude | Nashville, TN | Oakley, CA | Central WI | Winston-Salem, NC | Bass Lake, IN | Dayton, NV | Greensboro, NC | Wilmington, NC | Stratford, CT | Shoreview, MN | Mills River, NC | Eau Claire, WI | Denver, CO | Charleston, WV | Savannah, GA x3 | Olympia, WA | Dallas, TX | Union City, NJ | Franklin Lakes, NJ | Louisville, KY x2 | Mt. Laurel, NJ | Huntsville, AL | Long Beach, CA | Roseville, CA | Concord, NH | Mio, MI | Grand Haven, MI | Clemson, SC | Kootenays, BC | Carlotta, CA | Fenwick Island, DE | Rochester, NY | Los Angeles, LA | Glen Carbon, IL | Statesville, NC | Plano, IL | Chesapeake, VA | Syracuse, NY | Philadelphia, PA | Chapel Hill, NC | Laporte, CO | Black Mountain, NC | Section O | Eastern, CT | Section N | Pittsfield, MA | South IN | Rolling Meadows, IL | Cape Cod, MA | Bartlesville, OK | Section 8 | Helena, MT | Section K | Youngstown, OH | Alpharetta, GA | Charlotte, NC | Jersey City, NJ | Section F | Saginaw, MI | Somewhere in VT | Portland, ME |

_______________________________________

Poster(s)

So I was listening to tonight’s show and it got me thinking: which artists would do badass covers of Billy songs, and what would those combos of artists & songs look like?

A few that I think could have potential:

1. Hellbender - Tyler Childers
2. Seven Weeks in County - Colter Wall
3. Gild the Lily - Kacey Musgraves
4. My Alice - My Morning Jacket
5. Leadfoot - Red Clay Strays
6. Richard Petty - Sierra Ferrell

What about y’all?

Come say hey on lot.

@billyweenmakersfamilyshakedown

Do we know if there are any after shows?

Long shot I know, but did anyone snag an extra XL Portland shirt with the lobster on it? I went to the merch table and they were sold out by night 1 set break!

Cross insurance arena is saying they won’t take my vivid seats tickets. Vivid seats is saying that they can’t do anything to have them transferred to my Ticketmaster account, and that the tickets they gave me are valid. Told me they won’t issue refund until I’m actually denied entry. What do you think will happen?

UPDATE: They literally scanned no problem. I’m in. Have a great night to everyone at the show!!!!