Wed Jan 01 06:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Bluegrass Superstar Billy Strings Jams with Fans Before New Orleans Concert

**NEW ORLEANS, LA –** Billy Strings, the acclaimed bluegrass artist, surprised fans before his New Year’s Eve run opener at the UNO Lakefront Arena on Sunday. In a heartwarming display, Strings joined fans in pre-show jams on Shakedown Street, echoing a similar impromptu performance at a North Carolina concert 18 months prior. Photos and videos of the event quickly circulated online, showcasing the down-to-earth nature of the rising star.

The unexpected pre-show jam session set the stage for an electrifying performance. Strings and his band, featuring Billy Failing, Royal Masat, Alex Hargreaves, and Jarrod Walker, delivered a high-energy setlist spanning classic bluegrass tunes and deep cuts. The show featured notable covers, including songs by the Stanley Brothers, John Hartford, Jeff Austin, Johnny Winter, Danny Barnes, Townes Van Zandt, and Gordon Lightfoot, as well as several debuts, including Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”

The two-set performance showcased Strings’ versatility and musical prowess, blending familiar favorites with unexpected surprises. The concert also included a heartfelt tribute to the late Jeff Austin with a cover of “15 Steps,” further underscoring the emotional connection Strings shares with his fans and musical inspirations.

Fans can find videos and photos from the show circulating online, and tickets for the rest of Billy Strings’ New Year’s run are available through Ticketmaster, Stubhub, and CashOrTrade. Information on how to stream the remaining shows is also available online. The opening night setlist is included below. This unexpected pre-show interaction, combined with the powerful performance, cemented an unforgettable start to Strings’ New Year’s run in New Orleans.

**Setlist:**

**Set 1:** If I Lose (The Stanley Brothers) > Red Daisy (Billy Strings), Seven Weeks in County (Billy Strings) > Pyramid Country (Billy Strings), The Fire on My Tongue (Billy Strings) > Fire on the Mountain (Bill Monroe), I’m Still Here (John Hartford) > Taking Water (Billy Strings), Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down (Charlie Poole & The North Carolina Ramblers), 15 Steps (Jeff Austin) > Secrets (Billy Strings)

**Set 2:** The Cuckoo ([Traditional]), Slow Train (Billy Strings), Ain’t Nothing to Me (Johnny Winter), Pretty Daughter (Danny Barnes), Home (Billy Strings), Happy Hollow (Billy Strings), Don’t Let the Sunshine Fool You (Townes Van Zandt), The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (Gordon Lightfoot), In the Clear (Billy Strings) > Temperance Reel (Tony Rice), Psycho (Eddie Noack) > Away From the Mire (Billy Strings)

**Encore:** Roll On Buddy Roll On (Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys)

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