Billy Strings – Live In Rosemount (Third Man Records Vault #66)

I was introduced to Billy Strings by my son, raving about Strings’ brilliant set at the 2022 Lollapalooza in Chicago. I have been to Lolla several times, and I was hard-pressed to imagine how a bluegrass band could succeed on the big stage of a pop music festival. So I checked out Billy Strings on streaming, and frankly, I was unimpressed. Strings and band were good, but so are a hundred other bluegrass bands, and they can’t command the attention of fifty thousand fans at a pop festival. So I kept listening, and the band grew on me, but I still didn’t fully get it. Then I saw Strings live in Phoenix at a large theater in the spring of 2023, and I got it – Billy Strings needs to be appreciated live.

My favorite Strings’ album is Live Vol. 1, released in 2024, because it is a live album. Now I have a new live release, Billy Stings Live In Rosemount. Per Third Man Records:

Billy Strings Live in Rosemont is the 66th installment of the Vault series. Recorded on May 25, 2024, at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL, this performance captures Strings and his band in peak form, more than 20 tracks unfolding with fire, finesse, and a sense of urgency that can only come from the stage. It was a night Billy Strings himself recognized as extraordinary, and the recording preserves every moment.

I saw Billy Strings a few days before the Rosemount show in Minneapolis (5/21/24 at The Armory), so it is nice to have a souvenir of that tour. Unlike Live Vol. 1, which cherry picks songs from several performances, Live in Rosemont is a single show. which provides a more authentic live show vibe.

Live in Rosemont is an excellent-sounding live recording and a quality vinyl pressing. My only complaint is that the music is spread across four LPs, and having to get off my ass every 15 to 20 minutes to flip sides or switch LPs. 21st-century problem. One of the benefits of vinyl is that it forces you to be a more engaged listener. I also get some pleasure knowing the only way to listen to this release is on a turntable (I guess this is why my audiophile buddies rip vinyl to digital).

I was a little disappointed in the packaging, which is just a simple gatefold cover with two LPs on each side, but I also appreciate that austerity resulted in a $75 price tag (including shipping), which is a tremendous value. I am always impressed by Third Man’s reasonable pricing.

Live in Rosemont was issued as part of Third Man’s The Vault series. The Vault is Third Man Records’ quarterly vinyl subscription club, where limited-edition packages, featuring exclusive vinyl and a mix of curated collectibles, are shipped straight to your doorstep every three months. Vault members enjoy exclusive access to presales, online store discounts, and other special perks. Third Man is flexible enough that you can join quarterly or sign up for an annual subscription and secure each release for the year. I sign up for a quarter when I see a release that catches my fancy. Great program.

In addition to Live in Rosemont, the Vault 66 package also includes the first-ever vinyl pressing of Strings’ self-titled solo debut EP, originally self-released in 2016. A six-song collection that introduced his voice and vision to the world (this EP is available on streaming and was issued on CD). This is a pretty impressive debut, as it includes several songs that are regular parts of his performance repertoire, like “Dust In A Baggie,” which, according to BillyBase.com, is his most-performed original song. The album includes three originals, two traditional bluegrass numbers, and one cover. The album’s style is traditional bluegrass. Still in his early 20s, his playing is hot, and his vision is clear. He is still a year away from bending the rules.

Live in Rosemont track list is a nice collection of pure bluegrass and Billy’s unique fusion. Here is the track list:

Side A

Slow Train

Away From The Mire

Side B

Living Like An Animal

Side C

Ernest T. Grass

The Fire On My Tongue

Know It All

Side D

Stone Walls & Steel Bars

Think Of What You’ve Done

In The Morning Light

Red Daisy

Side E

Libby Phillips Rag

Lumpy, Beanpole, & Dirt

Dust In A Baggie

Dusty Miller

Secrets

Side F

Love Like Me

Highway Hypnosis

Tennessee Stud

Reverend

Side G

Turmoil & Tinfoil

Slipstream

Side H

Enough To Leave

Cabin Song

Seven Weeks in County

Roll On Buddy, Roll On