Billy Strings Pulls Out All the Stops During Night One of Two at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena

It was an evening of fast-grass, steady jams and good times during Billy Strings' first of two nights at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena.

On Friday (Feb. 28), the six-stringed savant performed a career-spanning set to a sold-out crowd. Along the way, he showcased tunes from his latest album, 2024's Highway Prayers, paid homage to bluegrass greats and welcomed some of Music City's elite onto the stage over the course of his 3-hour-long display.

Strings took the spotlight at 8:00 p.m. sharp, just as plumes of pungent smoke rose to the arena rafters and concertgoers abandoned their shoes, readying restless feet for a night of twirling and tapping.

The artist kicked off his near-30-song set with a cover of Jimmy Martin's 'Tennessee'. He warmed up the crowd with a bluegrass ode to the Volunteer State, emphatically singing, "Tennessee (Tennessee) / I hear you calling me (I hear you calling me)," with help from his incendiary band.

From the jump, Strings – alongside banjoist Billy Failing, bassist Royal Masat, mandolin player Jarrod Walker and fiddler Alex Hargreaves – pulled out all the stops. They enticed the crowd with hits, deep cuts and traditional covers, spinning 3-minute-long songs into mind-boggling 15-minute jam sessions and stringing audience members along with impossible displays of instrumental dexterity.

Strings tunes, like 'Dust in a Baggie', 'Leadfoot', 'Gild the Lily' and his usual Willie Nelson-assisted 'California Sober', were all crowd pleasers, the packed house unable to keep from singing along to the twang-fueled numbers.

Throughout the night, the artist was filled with gratitude, taking several moments during his two-set showcase to thank everyone who came out. He spoke of his love for Music City, a place he has made his home over the years, shared his appreciation for a venue like Bridgestone, as well as recognized Nashville's many talented inhabitants, a couple of whom he welcomed onto the stage.

Greensky Bluegrass's Anders Beck dropped by for a few songs, playing dobro on a traditional number like 'Come Down the Mountain Katie Daly', a cover of Greensky's own 'Reverend', and more. Toward the night's close, fiddler Jason Carter of the Travelin' McCourys also made an appearance for a four-song encore bluegrass dreams are made of.

As midnight neared, Strings ended the evening with a nod to the great Bill Monroe, playing his jaunty 1950's standard 'Uncle Pen' like few truly can.

Strings, for hours and to a rapt arena, valiantly showcased bluegrass – all of its gentle and furious and jam-worthy malleability – and made it into the true star of the night.

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