The bluegrass powerhouse and GR’s hometown hero returns to Van Andel Arena for two straight nights later this week. Today, Local Spins’ Ryan McCahill previews this much-buzzed-about homecoming.
Home Again: Billy Strings is back in Michigan this week for a two-night stand. (Courtesy Photo/Jesse Faatz at Pine Knob Music Theatre)
TICKET GIVEAWAY: Congratulations to reader Theresa Hunt. She was selected at random from those entering our contest and won two tickets to see Billy Strings at Van Andel Arena on Friday, May 30. Scroll down for videos of some Billy Strings performances.
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Anyone who’s been to a Billy Strings Halloween show knows they’re far from a “traditional” Billy Strings concert.
Over the past several years, Billy and his band have built a reputation for putting on one-of-a-kind themed events full of costumes, theatrics, and wild covers.
That was especially true on Halloween of 2023, when Billy made his long-awaited headlining debut at Van Andel Arena with a five-hour marathon performance that blended skits, surprise guests, and deeply personal moments into one unforgettable night.
Dressed as Hulk Hogan, Billy leaned into the chaos with full commitment—at one point even joking on stage with longtime friend Mark Lavengood about how he’d been “taking his vitamins” dreaming of getting here, when just a decade earlier, they were busking outside Madcap Coffee trying to scrape together a few bucks for a cup of coffee.
Billy Strings as Hulk Hogan: Performing at the 2023 Halloween show in GR.
(Photo/Derek Ketchum)
That Halloween show almost didn’t happen the way fans expected.
Originally slated for Nashville, the Oct. 31 performance was abruptly relocated to Grand Rapids due to venue complications, sparking what fans online dubbed “The Van Andel Scramble.” Despite the last-minute venue change and a wave of frantic travel adjustments, the show sold out and went on to become one of the most talked-about events of Billy’s career, not to mention Local Spins’ most-read story of 2024.
It has also been on of the few live shows that has never been released on streaming audio, most likely due to licensing issues, which has only built to its lore.
While no one has ever doubted Billy’s rise—his rare talent with a guitar has taken him from Michigan sidewalks to sold-out arenas nationwide—it’s safe to assume that dream didn’t originally involve a handlebar mustache and a feather boa.
The shows he envisioned growing up in Ionia probably looked like what fans can expect on May 30 and 31, when he returns to Van Andel Arena for a two-night run of what promises to be pure, passionate, high-caliber Billy Strings.
But even growing up in Ionia, it would be hard to imagine a future where a bluegrass band is selling out arenas across the country—doing so with a blend of traditional standards and a psychedelic swirl of modern jam grass.
Known for never repeating the same set list twice, Billy keeps fans — both seasoned veterans and first-timers — on their toes night after night. The first leg of his Spring 2025 tour featured 11 shows across the Southeast, with each one delivering a fresh mix of originals and covers that spanned genres and generations.
From bluegrass staples like “Little Maggie,” “Blue Mule” and “Greenville Trestle High” to unexpected takes on “Tangled Up in Blue” (Bob Dylan), “Fearless” (Pink Floyd), “Nutshell” (Alice in Chains) and “Hyacinth House” (The Doors), the band has continued to stretch what a bluegrass show can sound like, without losing the roots beneath it.
One aside: While on the subject of Dylan, Billy recently made waves by joining the legendary singer-songwriter on stage for a “stunning” rendition of “All Along the Watchtower” at the Outlaw Music Festival in Spokane, Wash.
VIDEO: Bob Dylan and Billy Strings, “All Along the Watchtower”
A TOP-SHELF BAND AND A ROBUST EVER-MORPHING SET LIST
All of that genre-bending versatility wouldn’t be possible without the tight-knit chemistry of his longtime bandmates: Billy Failing on banjo, Royal Masat on bass, Jarrod Walker on mandolin and Alex Hargreaves on fiddle. Together, they move as one — whether locking into a delicate harmony on an old standard or launching into a 10-minute improvisational stretch that blurs the line between bluegrass and psychedelia. Their on-stage connection has become a defining part of the Billy Strings experience, elevating each show into something unique, unpredictable, and deeply collaborative.
With the second leg of the spring tour kicking off in Grand Rapids, fans are hoping to hear fresh takes on tracks from “Highway Prayers,” Billy’s most recent studio release. Songs like “Seven Weeks in County” and “Gild the Lily” already have proven to be launchpads for extended jams, offering plenty of room for the band to explore new directions live.
The Latest Release: A live recording with Bryan Sutton.
There’s also a well-deserved buzz around more intimate, single-mic performances of “Richard Petty” possibly being played, something which showcase the band’s dynamic range and ability to shift from thunderous to tender without missing a beat.
And fans may be in for even more surprises. During recent stops on the Outlaw Music Festival tour, Billy debuted two brand-new original songs — “10,000 Miles from a Friend” in Chula Vista and “I’m One of Those” at the Hollywood Bowl — both of which were met with immediate buzz among fans online. Whether these songs hint at a future studio project or are simply live one-offs, their emotional weight and lyrical depth suggest that Billy’s songwriting continues to evolve alongside his already celebrated musicianship. (View recent set lists at BillyBase.net.)
The two-day homecoming later this week has generated more than just the usual buzz due to Billy’s ultra-devoted home-state following. Vendors and fellow bluegrass musicians are staging what amounts to a three-day “Billy Fest,” with a Thursday (May 29) “Shakedown” on Main Street in Ionia (outside The Paisley Fig, co-owned by Billy’s mom) with a marketplace, open-mic and picking sessions. On Friday and Saturday (May 30-31), at the Courtyard Marriot in downtown Grand Rapids about a block from the arena, more than two dozen vendors will be joined by the band Silver Exchange and more merriment for pre-parties. Get the lowdown at Local Spins here.
Before returning to Grand Rapids, Billy Strings has taken to the road as part of the 10th anniversary Outlaw Music Festival, sharing the stage with legends such as Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan. The tour, which kicked off May 13 in Phoenix, also features a rotating cast of Americana heavyweights including Sierra Hull, Lake Street Dive and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. Billy’s inclusion on the lineup further cements his status as a rising torchbearer in the roots music world.
Of course, Grand Rapids has already seen glimpses of that energy over the past year as the powerhouse guitarist has embraced his now “hometown,” just 40 miles west of Muir, where he grew up.
Billy surprised fans last August by sitting in with Phish during their Van Andel shows, trading solos with Trey Anastasio in a moment that lit up social media. A few weeks earlier, he joined Greensky Bluegrass — his self-proclaimed favorite band — for a set at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
And in March, he stunned a packed crowd at The Pyramid Scheme with an unannounced metal show alongside his longtime hometown friends Flesh & Blood Robot, shredding through a face-melting set that showed just how wide his musical range runs.
Hospital Serenade: Billy Strings with a young fan at DeVos Children’s Hospital in April. (Photo/DeVos Children’s Hospital)
But perhaps the most touching appearance came earlier this month, when Billy returned to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids to play music for patients and families. Last September, he and his wife Ally welcomed their first child, River Roy Apostol, at the hospital.
The surprise visit was a heartfelt thank-you to the caregivers in the prenatal and NICU units. And with Grand Rapids affectionately known as “River City,” it wouldn’t be a surprise if a few river-themed songs make their way into the set lists this time around.
Oh and the Charlotte Bluegrass Festival just announced that Billy will be a special guest, performing Thursday, June 19, at The Eaton County Fairgrounds.
Also worth a listen as the homecoming show approaches is “Live at the Legion,” Billy’s recent collaborative album with flatpicking legend Bryan Sutton. Recorded live at Nashville’s American Legion Post 82, the 20-track collection features stripped-down, honest renditions of bluegrass and folk standards like “Way Downtown” and “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright.”
The raw, unvarnished sound offers a compelling contrast to the high-energy arena shows fans to which fans are accustomed. It’s a reminder that behind the spotlight, Billy remains deeply rooted in tradition and continues to honor it with every note.
Saturday’s show at the 12,000-capacity Van Andel is sold out, but a limited number of tickets remain for Friday night (May 30), available online here.
Those who can’t make it to the show, can still stream the performance — and the entire Spring 2025 tour — live on nugs.net. Whether you’re in the arena or tuning in from afar, this weekend promises to be another milestone moment in Billy Strings’ evolving story.
VIDEO: Billy Strings, “10,000 Miles from a Friend” (Outlaw Festival, 5/15/25)
VIDEO: Billy Strings, “Enter Sandman” (Van Andel Arena, 10/31/23)
VIDEO: Billy Strings and Phish, Van Andel Arena (8/6/24)
VIDEO: Billy Strings w/ Flesh & Blood Robot, The Pyramid Scheme (3/17/24)
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