Billy Strings fervor hits W. Michigan: No. 1 story of '25

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Michigan’s bluegrass hero returned to Grand Rapids in late May for two jam-packed, dazzling nights at Van Andel Arena, sparking pre-parties, a marketplace and more. Revisit the hubbub in words and images.

No. 1 Hometown Hero: Billy Strings on stage at Van Andel Arena in May. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to the No. 1 story of 2025 at Local Spins: Billy Strings’ much-buzzed-about homecoming stand at Van Andel Arena in late May that not only featured two jam-packed nights of bluegrass prowess at the arena, but a “Shakedown” event earlier in the week in Ionia County where he grew up, a vendor marketplace in downtown Grand Rapids and celebratory parties around town. Revisit this milestone week below, including new photos, and check out bonus coverage online here: The Loving Billy Strings Ecosystem

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For those uninitiated in the bluegrass universe of Billy Strings, his stratospheric success in a genre once relegated to a cubbyhole of Appalachian music and backporch pickin’ seems incongruous, especially considering the pervasiveness of pop music, mainstream country and rap.

But take one step into that world in an arena filled with rabid fans of all ages and something transcendent happens – newbies are transformed – as this virtuoso guitarist from a tiny Ionia County town masterfully melds the traditional and the non-traditional with equal measures of on-stage passion.

Toss in the fact that May 30’s concert at Grand Rapids’ 12,000-capacity Van Andel Arena was the first night of two straight, super-sized homecoming celebrations for the Michigan native and things were primed for an unprecedented spectacle that pinned the needle on the exhilaration meter and had many devotees dancing nearly non-stop all weekend.

Actually, ever since tickets went on sale for those “hometown” shows, anticipation had grown for the late May run taking place just a stone’s throw (or 10) from the place where Billy grew up and first put fingers to frets. It’s something he referred to often on opening night from the stage, acknowledging the West Michigan communities “that have shown me support ever since I was a little kid. I just want to let you know that I really love representing Michigan all around the country.

Billy and His Top-Shelf Band: Illuminated by brilliant lighting on Friday. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)

“We play lots of gigs and we don’t get to come here enough and we get to missing you guys. Thank you all so much for choosing to spend your evening with us and to come out to hear some music; that really means the world to us.”

Not only was it “good to be back home” to see friends from the area, but the guitarist reminisced about his favorite Ionia County fishing spot and gave a shoutout to the small venues he played “back in the day” — Skelletones, The Mixtape and The DAAC — while “picking up records from Vertigo (Music), which is still there.”

For avid fans, the love he expressed was mutual, as evidenced by the hoopla all week — a street party in Ionia, vendor marketplaces and pre-show performances in Grand Rapids that included Billy’s buddy, Mark Lavengood, playing as part of an all-star quartet at a busy Founders Brewing. It just added to the fervor that feeds on the Billy mystique while building a welcoming community of like-minded souls who tail him across the country.

PROUD TO BE HOME, PROUD TO PERFORM WITH A STELLAR BAND

So, the arena shows themselves — brilliant two-and-half-hour gems — proved unequivocally that Billy Strings is in a class of his own. That was on display from the early strains of “The Fire on My Tongue” and “Hide and Seek” to a scintillating cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Love or Confusion,” followed by the psychedelic genius of “Away from the Mire,” to his solo work on Doc and Merle Watson’s “Let the Cocaine Be” to “Dust in the Baggie,” “Wait a Minute” and “Roll On Buddy Roll On” that close it all out.

Joined as always by top-shelf bandmates banjoist Billy Failing, mandolinist Jarrod Walker, bassist Royal Masat and fiddler Alex Hargreaves, and enhanced by remarkable lighting, the Friday hoedown unleashed electrified, chest-rattling, progressive bluegrass that simply has no peer. It’s the sort of experience that can send shivers down your spine, deliver untold awe to your brain, bring tears to your eyes and make you laugh out loud at the same time.

Fervent Fans: The lineup outside Van Andel Arena. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” my friend Don Clapham remarked at one point. “It’s like a new genre of music.”

Billy Strings’ virtuosic, lightning-quick prowess alone deserves consideration as his generation’s Eric Clapton or Jeff Beck. But credit also belongs to each instrumentalist in his band, each pushing one another to new heights, from elevating Doc Watson classics to romping through the psychedelic-tinged rock of “Home,” with Billy once again turning his acoustic guitar into an electric axe of shredding delight.

“I’m proud to be here and I’m proud to be on stage with these fellers,” the guitarist said as the evening concluded, then sat quietly at the corner of the stage following the encore and after his bandmates had departed, just soaking in the cheers of 12,000 fans while realizing just how far this kid from Muir had come.

IONIA’S BILLY STRINGS SHAKEDOWN

The two-night stand followed a “Shakedown” event on Thursday, with Ionia rolling out the proverbial red carpet — or call it a psychedelic, hippie-hewn area rug — about nine minutes west of Muir, the hamlet where William Apostol, aka Billy Strings, grew up.

Street Jamming: Part of Thursday’s “Shakedown” (Photo/Anna Sink)

Serving as the first pre-party for the arena tour stops, the afternoon and early evening “Shakedown at The Paisley Fig” — with vendors, an open-mic and picking sessions on a closed portion of Main Street — served as an amiable, laid-back celebration of everything that Billy Strings has come to mean for his fans, friends and family.

It was about community and homeyness and supporting independent artists and merchants — many of whom have followed Billy Strings on tour in cities across the country.

“Like 50 percent of the reason I go is music, the other 50 percent is the people,” said Eric, a vendor from Wisconsin. “I feel Billy Strings has drawn a certain type of person. It’s just really beautiful.”

Gary, another vendor from Rochester, N.Y., said he was inspired by Billy Strings’ sobriety and has followed him to “just shy” of 200 shows over the years. “Him being sober and stuff helped me get sober,” he said, adding that the fan community is overwhelmingly “positive.”

Deb Apostol: Inside The Paisley Fig. (Photo/Local Spins)

“Everyone treats each other like family,” said Jeni Matuja, vice president of the non-profit H33ling the Herd, who helped organize the Shakedown with president Jillian Quinlan. “And everybody has stories. They say, ‘Oh yeah, I knew Billy when he was running around in school.’ I think everyone that came is really happy to be a part of it.”

It all took place outside The Paisley Fig shop co-owned by Billy’s mom, Debra Apostol, who clearly was pleased with those who descended Thursday on Ionia as part of the weekend celebration for her son (who also happened to sit in with Primus at Van Andel Arena on Wednesday as part of his homestand).

Although Billy himself wasn’t there on Thursday, his spirit seemed to pervade the upbeat event.

“It looks like a shakedown. It looks like (a) Billy (event) a lot,” Apostol told Local Spins, chatting at the back of her store. “We need more people like this in the community. We need ’em to stay.”

(Sadly, Debra Apostol passed away less than three weeks later, right after Billy Strings and band performed at the Charlotte Bluegrass Festival. Read more about that here.)

PHOTO GALLERY: Billy Strings at Van Andel Arena
Photos by Derek Ketchum