Album Review – Billy Strings – “Live Vol. 1”
#520.7 and #520 (Jamgrass, Bluegrass) on the Country DDS
We are living in the Billy Strings era of bluegrass. Irrespective of how anyone might feel about his music, it is Billy who is defining these moments in the discipline, and is doing so in large share through his live performances. As his studio albums do well but still struggle to make a major impact, his multi-night sellouts at arenas and amphitheaters demand recognition from everyone in the subgenre, and the music industry at large.
Forget enjoying the music with the enhancement of psychedelics. Even stone sober, Billy Strings and his band can take your mind places otherwise inaccessible under normal circumstances, opening up portals of enjoyment and understanding that is nothing short of life-altering, and in a way that perhaps has never been experienced in the entire pantheon of music before, at least in such vibrant and enriching ways. And it’s all executed with such effortlessness, or seemingly so. Billy strings plays guitar like the rest of us breathe.
All the more reason to release a live album of Billy Strings music, or even a series of them to capture and chronicle the Billy Strings phenomenon for future generations if nothing else, though it’s pretty great to enjoy recorded versions of live performances in the present tense too.
But it isn’t that Billy Strings doesn’t come with some consternation. Bluegrass fans must share this phenomenon with jam band fans and that skunky smelling incense that always seems to follow them around. Willie Nelson had to figure out how hippies and cowboys could coexist at Austin’s Armadillo World Headquarters, and so does Billy. A bluegrass fan may look around at the audience and wonder if the Grateful Dead is playing, while dudes in Grateful Dead T-shirts marvel at all the cowboy hats in the audience and worry if they’re Feds.
When it comes to Billy Strings and Live Vol. 1, it’s the hippies and jam band folks who win out. Sure, there are multiple traditional bluegrass moments on the record, including the beginning track, which is Billy’s much beloved “Dust in a Baggie,” and the album’s acapella conclusion, “Richard Petty.” There is also a pretty killer cut of “Ruben’s Train” on the back half of one of the extended tracks, and a couple of other more traditional bluegrass moments.
But the lion’s share of Live Vol. 1 represents those moments when Billy Strings, Billy Failing (banjo), Royal Masat (bass), Jarrod Walker (mandolin) and Alex Hargraves (fiddle) walk to the edge of the musical abyss, jump off with only a loose understanding of what’s about to happen, and yet always seem to stick the landing when they return to reality. It’s quite the spectacle to behold.
Really, if you’re going to release a live album, you might as well focus on these more improvisational moments, because they’re much more unique and valuable than live versions of more structured songs. That’s the thing about a Billy Strings live show: you never know what you’re going to get. You might get a ton of traditional bluegrass covers, or you might get the soundtrack to a Ken Kesey acid test. No two performances are alike. That’s part of the fun.
But it’s fair to warn the fans from the country and bluegrass side of the equation that they may feel a little alienated by this album, and it just might not be for them. It’s more emblematic of the jam band side of Billy, and maybe even to a degree that isn’t entirely representative of most of his live shows. Usually when you see Strings live, he’ll step on the guitar pedal that makes his acoustic sound like an electric once or twice. This album captures those moments five or six times. It might even inadvertently work to instill more order in the chaos of Billy’s music in the way it highlights so much of his acrobatic work.
Obviously when you’re pulling from a host of different live recordings like Strings does here as opposed to one cohesive concert, song selection is paramount. This is just Vol. 1. There may be a Vol. 20 when all is said and done, including albums that represent more of the traditional side of Billy’s bluegrass music.
For all that Billy Strings has accomplished so far, this is just the start. It’s volume one. And the acolytes, offshoots, understudies, and prodigies growing up under the influence of Billy Strings are just now finding their feet. Who knows where this all ends up. But where it’s at right now is captured for eternity in this volume. And whether it’s the 20-minute renditions of songs or the whole wingspan of the Billy Strings career, it all feels rather epic.
7.8/10
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August 12, 2024 @ 8:17 am
great album, billy is unstoppable.
Any intent to review jamey johnson’s two song single drops of “What a view” and “trudy”
August 12, 2024 @ 8:34 am
My original intent was to write a review of those two songs. But frankly, I just don’t have enough of an opinion on them to make an article out of it. They’re fine I guess. But it’s a cover and a love song. I feel like we’re still waiting for that big Jamey Johnson return moment with his studio output. Not sure that was it.
August 12, 2024 @ 9:54 am
It has been almost 15 years.
Time flies.
August 13, 2024 @ 9:45 am
Personally, I can wait another 15.
August 16, 2024 @ 6:11 pm
Saw billy strings apostol few years ago …I haven’t jumped on the wagon yet , yes he’s good …the not the only slick picker, there is feller in australia. Mitch Cullen who is slick too an d he plays didgeridoo..as do I… yep Billy is good , he’s not the only one. Til he feeds 5000 people with 2 fish ill like him and envy his status
August 12, 2024 @ 8:57 am
I to my shame have not seen Billy strings live yet. But I really enjoyed this. I guess for me the jam band stuff really hit. Surprised to hear that’s not representative of his typical concert that’s the impression I had gotten. But I thought this was great
August 12, 2024 @ 9:45 am
I’ve been in the camp that views Billy as primarily a jam band act. But I know he does play trad grass too. He’s done entire shows of trad grass, such as his Ryman appearances, and that one-off American Legion show. My one and only show live that I witnessed was about 70% jam and 30 % straight grass. Look at it this way, the jam band scene brings a lot of people to the party. Big money there. Anytime there’s a Dead related act touring, it’s always a stadium or arena filler. No surprise that Billy courts those fans, why wouldn’t he? It’s the difference between playing for a few thousand at a small grass fest, and playing for 10,000- 20,000 and up. I get it. But I doubt he ever entirely abandons straight grass, he has deep respect for the roots of his music.
He’s a little bit of everything. But, clearly he’s outgrown the little trad fests that are all over Kentucky and Ohio and West Virginia, the type of fests where you find Joe Mullins and The Radio Ramblers, Russell Moore, Darrin and Brooke Auldridge, Lonesome River Band and the like. That’s a different animal entirely
August 13, 2024 @ 9:58 am
Maybe he hasn’t decided to court the jam bands crowd at all. Maybe that’s just who he is. And Billy Strings and that crowd found each other. Possible, isn’t it? Maybe even probable.
Billy hasn’t abandoned anything. He’s him. He has no duty to anyone or anything that came before him. He plays what he feels and those that came before him have provided the inspiration that make him Billy Strings. I don’t know that he’s outgrown the small bluegrass festivals at all, but I’m certain his fan base has.
August 12, 2024 @ 10:16 am
I am not sure what his traditional setlist looks like, but at the farewell festival, it was a good mix. It was 50/50, and he brought up Sierra Hull, so they had duel mandolins going. My guess is this is the norm, and he has a good mix but also jams on most of them. I will definitely see him again when I have the chance.
August 12, 2024 @ 10:45 am
That was a fun show.
August 12, 2024 @ 12:41 pm
Every time I have seen Billy Strings live, it is at least 50/50. Playing “Freeborn Man” and “Big Spike Hammer” with Zach Top was an all-time treat at Under The Big Sky Fest. This album felt more jam than any time I have seen him, and I have seen him a lot.
August 12, 2024 @ 10:35 am
You definitely have to see him live. It’s fun watching him stalk around the stage during other members’ solos or watching the crowd go nuts when he breaks from a pedal/effects-laden jam back into straight acoustic, like with Highway Hypnosis for example. Most everyone knows when those transitions are going to happen and the lighting plays to those moments as well.
August 12, 2024 @ 11:50 am
“Strings and his band can take your mind places otherwise inaccessible under normal circumstances, opening up portals of enjoyment and understanding that is nothing short of life-altering”
I don’t know, my normal circumstances take me pretty far.
“and in a way that perhaps has never been experienced in the entire pantheon of music before”
It’s probably enough to celebrate Billy Strings as a wonderful guitar player who, like the Dirt Band before him, brings bluegrassers and hippies together. His addition is bringing the rockers into the mix.
I’m all for it. The laptop has been the instrument of choice for decades, and it’s great to see acoustic instruments back in the mix. Taylor Swift inspired girls to take up guitar. Zach Bryan writes songs that anyone who knows four cowboy chords can play. Molly Tuttle is the Sha’Carri Richardson of bluegrass, setting the bar for speed. And so on.
Psychedelia is a side-show. Strings and his generational pals are good because they make things *grow.*
August 12, 2024 @ 12:22 pm
Absolutely love this album.
It reminds me of a quote by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. They said they were a bluegrass band who could play rock which set them apart from the rock bands who tried to add acoustic instruments.
Same with Billy, the super solid bluegrass backing is always there no matter where he goes.
I haven’t managed to see him yet, but its been on my list since he was still playing small gigs.~
August 12, 2024 @ 12:30 pm
Saw him Saturday (well couldn’t actually see the stage well) and it was more jam than I personally like but it was killer sounding. What impressed me was the hard driving rhythm but realizing that they had no drummer. Cool guys, great jams!
August 12, 2024 @ 1:42 pm
It’s great to have some top quality recordings of Billy, really loved Highway Hypnosis, which is one of my favorite studio cuts as well along with Heartbeat of America.
If I’m being really not picky, I do wish he would have used some ‘studio magic’ to make the tracks blend together vs each song fading out at the end to make it feel like a cohesive set/show.
I hold a special place in my heart for Pantera’s Official Live 101 Proof – one of my high water marks for live albums, comes as close as possible to capturing full essence of a band in the wild.
August 12, 2024 @ 6:57 pm
I’ve been enjoying the album well enough, but I keep getting an unpleasant feeling when I have to switch to the second CD. The runtime of the CD version is 77:34, which would have fit on one CD with 2:26 to spare.
It’s unfortunate that the digital version has two “bonus tracks” that could have easily fit here, and I’m unsure of the reasoning for putting this on a double CD. I’ve done the math once (need to do it again to make sure I’m correct) on his upcoming 2 CD studio album and it appears to be short enough to fit on a single disc as well. Hopefully it’s got a hidden track or two to fill things out.
Why would an album be released on two CDs when it could fit on one? Well, if it were 120 minute long or more, it would be so the RIAA counts each sale as two separate units. But that’s not the case here, so I’m a bit flummoxed.
August 12, 2024 @ 8:28 pm
I really can’t speak specifically about this situation because I don’t know. But I do know that we’ve now entered an era where physical releases are being formatted for vinyl first, and then the CD is formatted to be similar to the vinyl. Often it used to be vice versa. Billy Strings really isn’t a juggernaut with sales. He has no RIAA certs. So I don’t really see them doing this for that purpose, but you never know.
August 12, 2024 @ 8:24 pm
One of the things I love most about Billy is that no matter who he plays with, he blends in and delivers incredible music. I saw him at Allstate Arena and there was a great mix of bluegrass and jam. I love the Live Album . To me it seemed like one disc was a little more traditional, but I’ve listened to both over and over again. Can’t wait for the new Studio album to be released.
August 12, 2024 @ 8:39 pm
Ok I’ve never noticed this until now, but good lord does he look like the reincarnation of Ronnie Van Zant, at least in the face
August 12, 2024 @ 9:33 pm
Trigger, I’m a bluegrass fan, so much so that I’m on the board of our region’s bluegrass music association, which puts on concerts, workshops and educational events for seniors and school kids. I go to the big festivals in our region (northeast) and get news from other web and podcast outlets. All that is background to this: I think you’re overstating the impact Billy is having on the bluegrass world, which is its own subculture, with various niches, of course. He’s always welcome here but he’s really a jamgrass act now, like Yonder Mountain String Band, the Infamous Stringdusters, or Leftover Salmon. Those acts might- MIGHT- appear at a few of the more jamgrass oriented festivals like Rockygrass or Grey Fox, but they’re too big (and too amplified) for most bluegrass festivals and wouldn’t really go over at Bean Blossom anyway. He’s just not part of the bluegrass scene in the same way anymore, though certainly a few of his songs are done at jams. None of this takes away from the fact that he’s presenting a bluegrass band format to hundreds of thousands of folks who may never have seen one before and that’s great. Some of them will find their way back to older bands and the icons of the genre, much as “Old and In the Way” inspired thousands of Deadheads to go back and listen to the Stanleys and Bill Monroe. It’s all good.
August 12, 2024 @ 10:27 pm
I wouldn’t 100% disagree with this assessment. As I tried to emphasize in the review, there are two separate worlds that the music of Billy Strings straddles. And though he’s definitely in the bluegrass world overall, I can completely understand how those in the more traditional established circles of bluegrass see him as something a step apart from what they do. I think this album reflects this.
At the same time, I also can’t think you can deny the rabid popularity and appeal of what he’s doing, and how this will define this era of bluegrass overall. He’s not the only thing that will define it. But he’s definitely playing a leading role. How significant it will be is probably for the future to decide.
August 13, 2024 @ 8:50 am
Hi again Trigger, I think we agree more than we disagree. Of course it’s great that thousands of people are being exposed to a bluegrass band format. I play mandolin at the local jams and the fact that Jarrod Walker is exposing tens of thousands of people to great mandolin playing is nothing but good for bluegrass and the niche mandolin industry: if people start taking up banjo and acoustic guitar and mandolin because of Billy Strings (or Yonder Mountain, or Leftover Salmon, or a Phish acoustic set) that’s good all around, because those folks will buy some instructional materials or go on Youtube and discover the early generations.
As mentioned above, we saw this exact phenomenon with the album (and some shows) “Old and In the Way,” which showed millions of Deadheads and rock fans another side of Jerry Garcia, and turned them on to more traditional grass. That was accelerated later by David Grisman releasing his albums with Jerry to a whole new generation.
I also agree with Kevin that there’s no hard and fast line between trad grass and jam grass. We know who is on one side or another, but there are lots of folks straddling that line, including Molly Tuttle, East Nash Grass, AJ Lee and Blue Summit, and Steep Canyon Rangers among many others. As you’ve said many times, Trigger, while the crap that’s being blasted out of commercial radio – in any format- is insulting to the human spirit, it’s a great time for real musicians to be making real music, which real people actually crave.
PS- Kevin, my name is a joke, taken from one of the right-wing commenters here who used it as an insult on someone who said something he didn’t like. I’m a vegetarian so it fit.
August 13, 2024 @ 6:17 am
Tofu,
You worded it well. What I’ve unsuccessfully tried to say for awhile about Strings is that he operates in a different scene than the trad grass world. Until you dip into that realm, such as going to some of the many trad fests that are out there, you won’t get it. Those fests typically don’t get any media attention whatsoever, and unless you are in the scene you never even know about them. Also, many of the most hard- core fans in that genre are super persnickety, and tend to favor the most stringent adherents to the Flatt and Scruggs model over anything else. I was amazed at one point when I overheard a conversation between some of these folks. and they viewed Alison Krauss as a complete sellout that they found repulsive. I was stunned. But such is the reality. I well remember the day Infamous Stringdusters came to my favorite little grass fest, and the audience was less than wowed. Personally I loved what they did and became a fan, but I’m that rare person that likes the jamgrass and the hard-core trad- grass. Billy does too, yet I’m seeing that he’s built a rock star following out of that more progressive crowd. Not a thing wrong with that. In fact I don’t see a jamgrasser as somehow lesser in any way, it’s just a different approach.
One thing I disagree with is that if you play a 50/ 50 blend that somehow means your not a jamgrasser. It’s not about percentages at all. If you jam and go into extended improvisation routinely in your shows, you are a jamgrass artist. This is much like rockbands that would play short songs without extended jamming, but then go into a jam mid- set, mixing up the tempo, stretching solos out and taking the music sideways before bringing it home. The Allman Brothers would play like this, but during the set would also do a number of songs straight. That’s my take. I realize its an unpopular one around SCM, but I’ve yet to understand why. Billy Strings is a great and influential player regardless of how he’s categorized. Perhaps everyone can at least agree on that.
August 13, 2024 @ 8:40 am
Billy Strings is a jamgrass artist. Billy Strings is a traditional bluegrass artist. He is not one or the other. He is both. He is not Leftover Salmon, or the String Cheese Incident, or Greensky Bluegrass, or the Infamous Stringdusters who almost never play traditional bluegrass except for maybe a song or two during a set. He’s also not the Del McCoury Band, because he does play stuff that is definitely considered “jamgrass.”
The last album Billy Strings released, “Me/And/Dad” is 100% traditional bluegrass. It was nominated for a bluegrass Grammy.
I saw Billy Strings play twice this summer. The first time was opening the Telluride Bluegrass Festival with Chris Thile. It was 100% a bluegrass set, set around one microphone with the two men singing into it. It wasn’t jamgrass at all.
The second time I saw him perform in Montana, it was 50% traditional bluegrass, and 50% jamgrass.
The crux of this entire review was to say, “This album appeals more to the jamgrass people than the traditional bluegrass people.” Yet somehow the prevailing conversation is how it’s not traditional bluegrass, as if this is a point of contention.
I think there are a lot of folks from the traditional bluegrass world who would like to think Billy Strings is not relevant to that world because they want to keep the art form pure and I respect that. But I think he most definitely is relevant to that world. Meanwhile, if you asked Sam Bush or Vince Herman, they would tell you Billy Strings is WAY more traditional bluegrass than they are.
Billy Strings resides in both bluegrass worlds. He’s the bridge.
August 13, 2024 @ 5:16 am
I read the article and listened to the 2 songs at 6:00 a.m. It sure started my day off on a great note. Thanks Trigger! Oh yeah, and you also Billy!