Billy plays with fans in the parking lot before the start of the New Year’s Day Run in New Orleans (Review/Photos/Videos)

Billy Strings has always been a man of the people, but fans are going wild ahead of his 2024 New Year opener UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans never expected that the man himself would be there for some casual pre-show jams on Sunday.

This wasn’t the first time Strings caused a stir among fans before his own concert. He did the same thing just a year and a half ago before appearing on Coca Booth Amphitheater in Cary, NC. As his star continues to rise, the likelihood of such drop-ins becomes less and less, but apparently not zero. Photos and videos posted by fans show the bluegrass star soaking up the vibes on Shakedown Street and even jamming with some lucky fans.

Such close encounters with Billy may have been worth the price of admission, but that was just the start of an otherwise unforgettable evening of fun on the pitch. Later he took the stage with his band consisting of Billy fails (Banjo), Royal Masat (Bass), Alex Hargreaves (violin) and Jarrod Walker (Mandolin) Strings started the end of the year with some big jams and deep cuts.

After opening with the Stanley brothersThe band launched into their first extended jam with “If I Lose” and “Red daisy” on “Seven Weeks in County,” setting the tone for a cosmically charged run. This satisfying introduction led into “Pyramid Country” and a fiery combination of “The Fire on My Tongue” and “Fire on the Mountain” (by Bill Monroenot those Gratefully dead song of the same name).

Billy Strings – “If I Lose” (Stanley Brothers) > “Red Daisy”, “Seven Weeks In County” – 12/29/24

The first sentence continued with John Hartford“I’m Still Here” and “Taking Water,” followed by “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down,” which fit the run’s gambling theme. Strings then paid tribute to the deceased Jeff Austin featuring a cover of “15 Steps” with a teaser “Thunder” – an original song based on lyrics by the Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. Before taking the set break, the band finished “Pyramid Country” and closed the exciting first frame with “Secrets.”

Strings started set two with “The Cuckoo” and “Slow Train” and dusted themselves off Johnny Winters‘s country song “Ain’t Nothing to Me” for the first time since August, followed by Danny Barnes“Pretty Daughter” and two originals, namely the title track from his 2019 studio album Home and “Happy Hollow” from his latest album Highway prayers.

The highlight of the second set came with the debut of “Don’t Let the Sunshine Fool You.” Townes Van Zandt And Gordon Lightfoot“The Wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald” was only played for the second time after its debut in Cologne more than a year ago.

Billy Strings – “The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald” (Gordon Lightfoot) – 12/29/24

(Video: Todd Neal)

“In the Clear” was part of another debut, Tony Rice‘s “Temperance Reel”, previously Eddie Noack“Psycho” and “Away From the Mire” crowned the set. Strings rolled the dice again before saying, see you later, and ended the first night with Bill Monroe’s “Roll on Buddy, Roll on” as an encore.

Check out photos and fan-shot videos from Billy Strings’ New Year’s Day kickoff at the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans below. Scroll down for the full setlist. Find tickets for the run on Ticketmaster, Stubhub or CashOrTrade and find out how to stream the run here.

Billy Strings – “I’m Still Here” (John Hartford), “Taking Water” – 12/29/24

(Video: MB1 Music)

Setlist (via bmfsdb): Billy Strings | UNO Lakefront Arena | New Orleans, LA | 12/29/24

Sentence 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)
Sentence 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)