Mandolinist Sam Bush brought unannounced special guest Billy Strings on stage Thursday at the intimate, historic auditorium to the delight of stunned Grand Rapids fans. The review, photos and video.
Good Friends Together Again: Sam Bush with Billy Strings on the Royce Auditorium stage Thursday. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
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Mandolinist Sam Bush brought everything he promised, plus a lot more to the stage at St. Cecilia Music Center in Grand Rapids Thursday night.
While fans already were gearing up for a genre-melding, bluegrass-forward display of musical camaraderie, most were unaware of the surprises the night would bring.
At any bluegrass show in West Michigan it’s not unusual to hear the name Billy Strings being discussed, but it’s never a sure thing that he’ll show up on stage. But when Bush began talking about “running into friends on the road” and “someone who’s taken bluegrass music to a new level” while drawing a wider audience to the genre, some fans’ suspicions were proven correct.
Ionia County native and superstar guitarist Billy Strings took the stage to rousing applause as the room buzzed in excitement and appreciation for this pop-up appearance. The guitarist initially joined Bush and his band for traditional tunes that included the Stanley Brothers’ “Think of What You’ve Done” and Charlie Monroe’s “Bringing In the Georgia Mail” — and quickly showed off the chops that have made him a phenomenon.
Each musician on stage moved through challenging riffs and tempo changes with such ease and comfort that it would be easy to believe they were communicating telepathically with one another. Aside from a quick nod or an off-mic whisper between songs, every change and nuance was unfolding strictly via musical communication — all impressing the crowd of about 600, which was short of a sellout.
Unexpected Guest Star: Billy Strings (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
Outside of the surprise collaboration, Bush and his band — bassist Todd Parks, guitarist Stephen Mougin, banjoist Wes Corbett and drummer Chris Brown — shifted back-and-forth from the traditional bluegrass tunes of Bill Monroe and John Hartford to jam-heavy selections from the New Grass Revival catalog.
“This one’s taken lots of twists and turns with this current band and we’re gonna go through ‘em all tonight,” Bush said before launching into a reimagined take on New Grass Revival’s 1977 track “Crooked Smile.”
Bush also paid tribute to late bluegrass singer Ronnie Bowman who passed unexpectedly earlier this week. Bush’s song “Circles Around Me” served as a moment to quiet things down and reflect on the loss of a friend and fellow musician.
As the set end drew near, members of Bush’s band began trading in their string instruments for electric guitars. Even Bush himself opted for an electric mandolin as he hinted at what was to come by mentioning the book, “Dylan Goes Electric!”
The group invited Billy Strings back to the stage to close out the main set with a 15-minute rendition of Bob Dylan’s “When You Gonna Wake Up.”
The power of the electric instruments and psychedelic jams were enough to make anyone forget they were at a bluegrass show, but Billy — the sole player on stage with an acoustic guitar in hand — was quick to remind everyone where they were with an extended showcase of his lightning-fast picking skills.
After leaving the stage to thunderous applause and a standing ovation, the whole band, joined once again by Billy Strings, quickly returned for another song to close out the night in traditional bluegrass fashion.
“Nothing says love like a tune by Flatt and Scruggs,” Bush remarked before ending the show with “My Little Girl in Tennessee.”
PHOTO GALLERY: Sam Bush Band, Billy Strings at St. Cecilia Music Center
Photos by Derek Ketchum
VIDEO: Billy Strings with Sam Bush Band at St. Cecilia Music Center
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