Strings loves his bluegrass

Before launching into the closing song of the most generous 2:40-hour show, Billy Strings told the crowd, "Thank you for listening to bluegrass music. I think it's great music, and I'm glad you do too. Just keep on listening to Bill Monroe and Doc Watson and Tony Rice...and the goddamned Stanley Brothers too." (No way, Ralph Stanley would have gone for "goddamned").

Chances are Monroe would not have much cared for the modern bluegrass of Strings, which also incorporates a lot of jam band sounds (no surprise given the amount of tie-dyed t-shirts in the crowd), the blues ("Blues Stay Away From Me," from The Delmore Brothers catalogue), religious songs and country.

But no matter as Strings yet again how excellent a performer and player he is.

The jam band appellation was well-deserved – for a while anyway. He shot out of the box with a cover of Bill Emerson's "Home of the Red Fox." At 10 minutes in duration, Strings followed the formula that has made him so successful.

Strings is an acoustic guitar ace himself (he's won a bunch of honors from the International Bluegrass Music Association), which he ably demonstrated over the course of two sets. He also manages to make it sound at times like he's playing electric guitar, infusing a different tone to bluegrass.

For the uninitiated, Strings might as well put the word Band after his band because Strings was not anything close to a one-man band (for the most part). The typical MO for Strings was that each band member would have a go at showing their stuff in the lengthier songs, a frequent occurrence.

Strings was aided time and time again by his fellow musicians – Alex Hargreaves on fiddle; Royal Masat on upright bass; Billy Failing on banjo and Jarrod Walker on mandolin. They set the course on the opener and never let up. All are uber players.

Strings apparently thought so much of Walker that he literally introduced Walker four times (it was a joke, though, during the band intros)! He could have done the same for his other three mates.

Strings may have stretched it out on the first few songs, but eventually he also tightened it up with a slew of songs clocking in under three minutes.

Strings also had a solo stint out front, playing acoustic guitar and banjo, on a few Doc Watson songs – "Nashville Blues" and "Georgia Buck."

One would think it must be hard to get the crowd going, if not the band, in taking a 20-plus minute break in between sets. But Strings scorched through a lengthy instrumental he wrote, "Libby Phillips Rag," in the same formula as "Home of the Red Fox" by jamming away.

The second set offered a few change ups from the first set. In traditional bluegrass fashion, the quintet crowded around a single mic at the front of the stage for a three-song stint. Among them was the song by Christian songwriter Bobby Davidson, "If Your Hair's Too Long (There's Sin in Your Heart)." It's a humorous song, of course. Even funnier considering that Strings' hair goes beneath his shoulder blades. He also changed a line near the end to namecheck the Grateful Dead ("You'll live a life of fear and dread if you listen to the Grateful Dead") to cheers.

Strings threw a couple of country songs into the set as well, "Roy Acuff's "The Streamlined Cannon Ball" and the fun encore of Johnny Horton's "Ole Slew-Foot."

Strings showcased different sides tonight, and whether jamming, bringing down a bunch of notches or solo, there was no let up.

Strings hung around for a bit after the music ended, taking in the adulation, while making it clear he appreciated it as well. Strings is doing the bluegrass genre a favor. Strings certainly loves bluegrass. With outings like this, Strings made that abundantly clear.