Live music review: Billy Strings Moody Center debut kicked off Austin run with 3-hour spectacle

Grammy-winning, flat-picker, Billy Strings is only 30, but the Nashville-based guitar powerhouse plays like a seasoned veteran. Armed with a backing band that takes the assignment seriously, Strings and his band always take the stage with an ass-kicking mission statement in mind. With two nights of music prepared for Austin at Billy Strings Moody Center debut Friday and Saturday, Strings unveiled three and a half hours of music, with the first night of the residency being his’ longest live show to date. From covers, originals, and a rumored sit-in from the one-and-only Willie Nelson, stakes were high for String’s anticipated return to Austin. For those who have yet to experience the greatness of guitar impressario and his band, Strings makes a habit of changing the setlist from show to show.  Every gig is unique. Friday night in Austin was no exception. The results were a spectacle that had Strings and his trusted gang of twangy misfits leaving it all out on the stage by the gig’s end. 

When concertgoers arrived at Austin’s new sports arena at the University of Texas’, Moody Center, there were various music fan personas milling about. Whether Strings is entertaining jam-band people, the alt-country music fans, or just your average everyday music fan, Strings always has something on the table for everyone to enjoy. Despite being a bluegrass act, Billy dabbles in rock and roll, psychedelic rock, folk music, and almost every genre he can emulate on his glorious 6-string acoustic. It comes as no surprise at this point that his band is performing at Billy Strings Moody Center stand, as his’ last couple shows at Austin’s Stubb’s Amphitheater were sold-out as sold-out gets, with sparse resale tickets going for astronomical sums when the shows came to town last Fall.

Upon arriving at the venue for the first evening, an usher at Moody Center assured me that Billy had canceled the intermission for that evening, which meant the audience was in for one, long, massive shebang of three solid hours of String’s brand of arena jam-grass. The crowd was ready to rage when Billy took the stage just after 8 pm. Strings started his set with “I’ll Be Gone a Long Time,” an opportunity Strings uses for a lyrical shoutout at whichever tour stop the group finds themselves. When Strings and Company launched into the jam vehicle “Thirst Mutilator,” the band was off to the races, with endless guitar shredding from Strings. His quintet that wasn’t letting up for anything either. Deep into the jam, Strings launched into fan favorite “Dust In A Baggie,” making for an epic arena singalong.  

Another early highlight was a cover of John Hartford’s “All Fall Down.” Billy took this 70s classic as his own, shredding every lick and tackling every vocal harmony with buttery smooth ease. My concert buddy called this tune, and let’s say he reacted with whiskey-infused ecstasy when Strings busted into the number. Hartford was a respected contemporary of the late Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin, casting Strings as another legend-in-the-making to pass Hartford’s songwriting to the masses. 

Perhaps the biggest jam of the first half of the set came in the form of String’s 2021 release “Wargasm.” This cut showed the guitarist’s gaggle of musicians firing on all cylinders, with the whole ensemble demonstrating their luminous chops to the fullest extent. When the explosive tune ended, most in the audience expected an intermission, which didn’t come, confirming the usher’s earlier statement. Instead, the ensemble left Strings onstage by himself, allowing the bluegrass titan to serenade the audience solo, wielding only his guitar. 

For String’s solo playing intermission, the maestro took things in an immersive, relevantly historical direction. To elaborate, Strings has always shown appreciation for Austin songwriting legend Blaze Foley. Even resorting to wearing shirts that read, “Listen to Blaze Foley.” String’s willingness to share music he loves to younger music fans is truly inspiring for someone of his stature. It’s no wonder the likes of Willie Nelson have shown appreciation for the lighting-fast come-up of Billy Strings and his all-star cast. For his tribute to Blaze Foley, the artist unveiled “Cold Cold World,” a tune that’s as haunting as it is moving. Who would have thought we’d get a tribute to Blaze Foley in a sports arena 34 years after the country artist’s tragic murder?

Strings also included a cover of another legendary Austin songwriter, Townes Van Zandt whose “Pancho and Lefty” has been covered most famously by Willie and Waylon Jennings. The selection was apropos as campus adjacent venue Hole in the Wall where Van Zandt often performed and sometimes worked is a short walk from Moody Center.

When the ensemble returned to the stage, the Friday night shindig was far from over. Strings continued to shred the night away, busting out his impeccably fun ear-worm originals and heart-warming covered classics. His Turmoil and Tinfoil original “Pyramid Country” was a honky-tonkin’ affair that had the whole stadium on their feet, which is saying something because this was approaching the 3-hour mark of the show with no breaks in the action. Strings and friends hacked through this instrumental tune seamlessly, segueing into “Know It All,” a cut from Strings’ 2021 studio effort, Renewal. The singalong that could be heard throughout the massive arena was contagious. This is when the performer’s universal appeal really revealed itself, at Billy Strings Moody Center soiree.

The encore showed Strings at his most personable. When he returned to the stage, without his guitar, the audience appeared skeptical. Billy approached the microphone and delivered an a cappella version of “And Am I Born to Die?” by The Doc Watson Family, a long-noted influence; this selection overjoyed the audience. Some attendees struggled to keep quiet while Strings waded his way through the soft tune.

For the night’s final song, String’s ensemble reappeared, this time to gloriously send the audience off in the most remarkable way. The epic finale came in the form of yet another Doc Watson cover, “Riding That Midnight Train.” The Doc Watson classic resulted in another ten-minute plus jam. When the performance concluded, the venue’s jumbotrons read, “See you tomorrow.” They know what Billy-fanatics are up to, and there was another night of music to come for Billy Strings Moody Center stand.

Billy Strings continues the band’s North American summer tour through August before heading to Europe.

All photos by Case Cockrell

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