Billy Strings - Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY, 2-18-2021 | Albums That Should Exist

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Billy Strings - Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY, 2-18-2021

Paul says: Here's another concert from the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. It's not actually from the April 2026 Port Chester leak. But I came across it while searching for more from that leak. It appears to have been some kind of webcast, so the sound quality is an excellent soundboard. The star this time is Billy Strings.

Strings occupies an unusual spot in terms of musical styles. He is typically called a bluegrass artist, and there is definitely a heavy aspect of that in his music. His father was a bluegrass musician and he developed a love for that kind of music from an early age. But he also grew to love rock and even heavy metal, and played in those kinds of bands as a teenager. 

He especially has found an audience with fans of "jam band" music, for instance sometimes playing entire concerts of Grateful Dead covers. Consider that when he got married in 2023, Trey Anastasio of Phish, Les Claypool of Primus, and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead played at the marriage reception. That's not what you'd expect of a typical bluegrass musician! 

And while this concert contains a lot of bluegrass songs, it also contains some left field choices, such as a cover of "Dark Star," probably the Grateful Dead's most praised psychedelic jam song, as well as "Bird Song," also by the Dead. Most of the rest of the songs are originals, except for "Home of the Red Fox," "Ole Slewfoot," "Sorrow Is a Highway," "Dusty Miller," and "Takin' a Slow Train."

Note that this concert took place during the social distancing phase of the Covid pandemic. So, while it took place in the Capitol Theatre, the venue was entirely empty. That's why there's no audience response at the ends of songs.

Here's his Wikipedia entry if you want to know more:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Strings

This album is an hour and 58 minutes long.

01 The Fire on My Tongue (Billy Strings)
02 talk (Billy Strings)
03 In the Morning Light (Billy Strings)
04 talk (Billy Strings)
05 Long Forgotten Dream (Billy Strings)
06 Bird Song (Billy Strings)
07 talk (Billy Strings)
08 While I'm Waiting Here (Billy Strings)
09 talk (Billy Strings)
10 Home of the Red Fox [Instrumental] (Billy Strings)
11 Ole Slewfoot (Billy Strings)
12 talk (Billy Strings)
13 Sorrow Is a Highway (Billy Strings)
14 talk (Billy Strings)
15 Everything's the Same (Billy Strings)
16 talk (Billy Strings)
17 Must Be Seven (Billy Strings)
18 talk (Billy Strings)
19 Dusty Miller [Instrumental] (Billy Strings)
20 Dark Star (Billy Strings)
21 Love and Regret (Billy Strings)
22 Dark Star [Reprise] (Billy Strings)
23 talk (Billy Strings)
24 Takin' a Slow Train (Billy Strings)
25 Love like Me (Billy Strings)
26 talk (Billy Strings)
27 Pyramid Country [Instrumental] (Billy Strings)
28 Hide and Seek (Billy Strings)
29 talk (Billy Strings)

The cover image shows Billy performing at the Capitol Theatre in February 2021, but on a different date. It's from February 23, 2021, a few days after this concert.