Billy Strings is currently on an arena tour, hosting psychedelic bluegrass blowouts with his full band in Charlottesville, Va., and Cary, N.C., this week. But after a full summer playing big rooms and outdoor amphitheaters—including some dates on Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour—he’s scaling things back in September.
That month, Strings will play a brief run of shows with one of his guitar mentors, Bryan Sutton, in a stripped-down trio format with low-end help from bassist Royal Masat. The short tour hits intimate venues around the South, starting at the Bluegrass Hall of Fame & Museum’s Woodward Theatre in Owensboro, Ky., on September 5, and making stops in Boone, N.C., and Nashville, Tenn., before finishing in Chattanooga on September 16. (See a full list of Billy Strings tour dates below.)
The tour announcement comes on the heels of Strings and Sutton’s surprise-released new album, “Live at the Legion,” which just dropped last week. As bluegrass fans could surmise, the 20-track effort—recorded at Nashville’s American Legion Post 82—features some serious flat-picking guitar prowess. The set features bluegrass classics like “Tom Dooley” and “Salt Creek,” as well as a speedy take on Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright.”
Fret acrobatics are on serious display during the guitarists’ version of Doc Watson’s “Way Downtown,” which features Strings and Sutton trading verses, as well as fleet-fingered solos during the instrumental breaks.
Live at the Legion is now available on streaming platforms, and there’s a pre-order for vinyl and CDs here.
BILLY STRINGS TOUR DATES
April 15—Charlottesville, VA—John Paul Jones Arena (SOLD OUT)
April 17—Cary, NC—Koka Booth Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT)
April 18—Cary, NC—Koka Booth Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT)
April 19—Cary, NC—Koka Booth Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT)
May 13—Phoenix, AZ—Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre (Outlaw Music Festival Tour)
May 15—Chula Vista, CA—North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre (Outlaw Music Festival Tour)
May 16—Los Angeles, CA—Hollywood Bowl (Outlaw Music Festival Tour)
May 18—Wheatland, CA—Toyota Amphitheatre (Outlaw Music Festival Tour)
May 20—Nampa, ID—Ford Idaho Center Arena
May 22—Spokane, WA—ONE Spokane Stadium Outlaw Music Festival Tour)
May 24—Ridgefield, WA—Cascades Amphitheater
May 25—George, WA—The Gorge Amphitheatre (Outlaw Music Festival Tour)
May 30—Grand Rapids, MI—Van Andel Arena
May 31—Grand Rapids, MI—Van Andel Arena
June 6—Rosemont, IL—Allstate Arena
June 7—Rosemont, IL—Allstate Arena
June 11—Kansas City, MO—T-Mobile Center
June 13—St. Louis, MO—Chaifetz Arena
June 14—St. Louis, MO—Chaifetz Arena
June 20—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena
June 21—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena
July 15—Melbourne, Australia—Margaret Court Arena
July 17—Sydney, Australia—ICC Sydney Theatre
July 19—Brisbane City, Australia—Riverstage
July 22—Auckland, New Zealand—Spark Arena
August 8—Milwaukee, WI—Fiserv Forum
August 9—Minneapolis, MN—Target Center
August 12—Fargo, ND—SCHEELS Arena
August 15—Bozeman, MT—Brick Breeden Fieldhouse
August 16—Missoula, MT—Adams Center
August 19—Vancouver, BC—Commodore Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
August 20—Vancouver, BC—Commodore Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
September 5—Owensboro, KY—Bluegrass Hall of Fame & Museum – Woodward Theatre*
September 6—Owensboro, KY—Bluegrass Hall of Fame & Museum – Woodward Theatre*
September 11—Boone, NC—Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts*
September 12—Boone, NC—Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts*
September 14—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium*
September 15—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium*
September 16—Chattanooga, TN—The Signal*
*Billy Strings & Bryan Sutton with Royal Masat
Photo by Joshua Black Wilkins