In what has become a lauded Halloween tradition, Billy Strings staged a spectacle at the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore on October 31. 

Before the band made their grand entrance, the stage screen mimicked the start of an old-school Universal Pictures intro, but for this occasion, it showed “A Billy Strings Production” and listed the participants in the night’s performance. The pre-music move demonstrated attention to detail in the concert’s construction and was complemented by a compelling, tension-building string arrangement that led into the ensemble’s arrival. 

Joining Billy Strings, Royal Masat, Billy Failing, Jarrod Walker, and Alex Hargreaves at select times were special guests, including the cast of Leftover Salmon, Vince Herman, Drew Emmitt, Alwyn Robinson, Andy Thorn, Jay Starling, and Greg Garrison, and featured artists such as Cris Jacobs, Cory Henry, Adele Stein, Celia Hatton, and Ariana Molello, who congregated under the night’s title: Meet Me at The Creep: A Classic Halloween Performance. 

Despite the subtle squeak of the strings that came before Robinson’s stick-smacking countdown, which could have easily been mistaken for acoustics, the band ignited the onset of their Halloween concert with electric instruments, covering the Edgar Winter Group’s “Frankenstein.” The choice to step out and unleash a fierce exchange of instrumentation winked at the capacity of the fused ensemble, particularly Strings and Henry, before the bandleader dropped back, picked some sticks, and created rhythm with Robinson, in a move that stimulated the original track’s own percussive breakdown. 

After the night’s onset with the borrowed and aptly titled instrumental, the moon rose over a fog-heavy cemetery background, and the remaining musicians picked up their acoustic instruments for Bob Dylan’s “Tombstone Blues,” led by Walker, who passed the role to Strings during an ensuing debut of Pearl Jam’s “Alive.” Strings pulled out the electric guitar, nodding to Eddie Vedder in his rendering of the beloved track. 

The next portion of set one saw Strings, accompanied by Masat on electric bass, Henry on keyboards, and Robinson on drums, work through a series of originals that began with “Red Daisy,” before “Taking on Water” merged with “Hide and Seek.” They broke the motif through the arrival of Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire,” which was sung by the night’s constant behind the kit, Alwyn. “Mummies Theme” brought out Charm City Coven, Stein (cello), Hatton (viola), and Molello (fiddle) for a solo, before members of Strings’ band and guest joined in on a debut of Lee Ross’ “The Mummy’s Bracelet.”

Besides the exceptional level of playing administered by the band, their decision to offer a first-time cover of Jerry Garcia and David “Dawg” Grisman’s “Arabia” complemented the assemblage of material that leaned in a thoughtful direction, a nod to the greats and those who inspired the evening’s participants. Hargreaves took the lead on Bozie Sturdivant’s “Ain’t No Grave.” Debuts continued with Tom Waits’ “Way Down In The Hole” sung as a duet by Strings and Jacobs. 

The band submitted Bill Monroe’s “Mother’s Not Dead,” which was updated to “Mummy’s Not Dead” just for the occasion, before taking a break. The second half of the evening began with the Charm City Coven’s solo return and delivery of “Mummy’s Theme,” before Strings turned up on electric guitar for a first-time cover of The Beatles’ “Run for Your Life,” sung by Masat. To the pleasure of the crowd, Gordon Lightfoot’s tale of “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” was well placed ahead of the night’s debut of Greensky Bluegrass’ “Blood Sucking F(r)iends.”

Original “Highway Hypnosis” broke up the covers, before a return to others’ songs via Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” which included added instrumentals from the Coven, who stuck around for the “Dracula/Wolfman Theme” intros. Strings rendered a soft moment by playing Randy Newman’s “You’ve Gotta Friend in Me” for the first time. 

If the foundation remained intact after the fury that had been unleashed thus far, it was cracked and tattered, following Santana’s “Black Magic Woman,” another debut and high point. Bert Kaempfert and His Orchestra’s “L-O-V-E” found Failing and Walker sharing the lyrics of the first time cover, before referencing Turmoil & Tinfoil on “Dealing Despair,” and another original, “Home.” 

What happened next nearly blew the ceiling off the venue, four debuts that ranged from full performances of Phish’s “Wolfman’s Brother,” Tyler Childers’ “Bitin’ List,”  Sam the Sham and The Pharaohs’ “Little Red Hood,” and Ozzy Osborne’s “Bark at the Moon.” Keen listeners identified the narrative format that Strings used to tell his character’s story, which continued during the night’s encore, a first-time take on Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London.”

The latter brought Strings back to the electric guitar,  Masat on electric bass, Henry on keyboards, Robinson on drums, Jacobs on guitar, Herman on guitar, Thorn on banjo, Emmitt on mandolin, Starling on dobro, and Garrison on bass for an all-star siege of the Halloween rock and roll standard. The big band remained on stage for the perfect ending to an unforgettable night, the night’s concert conclusion, a first-time cover of the Boris Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers-written “Monster Mash.” Watch a video here.

Strings’ second and final night on the CFG Bank Arena stage included the return of Leftover Salmon, who sat in on select songs throughout Saturday’s follow-up. The night began regularly, with a significant lean on originals and borrowed material, associated with Sam Bush and, separately, John Hiatt. After submitting “Heartbeat of America,” Salmon members arrived to help their host through their own “Down In the Hallow,” sung by Emmitt, and representing a song Strings first covered in 2019. 

With the members of Salmon still present, the big group pushed through Hartford’s “Get No Better.” Herman sang the aforementioned track, which represented a return to Strings’ songbook, having been shelved since Jan. 26, 2025, and ending a 73-show performance gap. Strings led the final songs of set one, Bill Emerson’s original “Home of the Red Fox” and John Horton’s “Ole Slew Foot.”

Like the onset of Saturday’s shows, Strings went back to basics with just his crew, before Henry added keys during “Gild the Lily,” The Stanley Brothers’ “Harbor of Love,” “Dust in a Baggie,” Blaze Foley’s “Cold Cold World” and “Be Your Man.” Henry exited, leaving the band to deliver “Gone a Long Time,” the Doc Watson released “Tennessee Stud” prior to a set ending “Away From the Mire.” With Henry and Jacobs joining the band, the ensemble covered Jackson Browne’s “Running on Empty” paired with Phish’s “Back on the Train.” The final song was performed for the first time since Dec. 31, 2024, ending a 76-show gap. 

Strings and his band will take a couple of days away from the stage, resuming their live schedule on Friday, Nov. 7, and Saturday, Nov. 8, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. Both performances are sold out. For more information, visit www.billystrings.com/tour.

 

 

 

 

 

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Billy Strings 

CFG Bank Arena – Baltimore 

Oct. 31,  2025 

Set I: Frankenstein1,2,3 Tombstone Blues4,5 Alive6, 7 Red Daisy5 Taking Water5 > Hide and Seek5 Fire7, 9 Mummy’s Theme10 ,11 The Mummy’s Bracelet8, 12 Arabia13,14 Ain’t No Grave14, 15, 16 Way Down In The Hole17, 18, 19 Mother’s Not Dead2, 20

Set II: Mummy’s Theme10 Run For Your Life8, 21, 22 The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald2 Blood Sucking F(r)iends2, 23 Highway Hypnosis2 War Pigs7,24 Dracula/Wolfman Theme intro25 You’ve Gotta Friend In Me26, 27 Black Magic Woman7, 28 L-O-V-E7, 29, 30 Dealing Despair5 Home5, 24 Wolfman’s Brother7, 31 Bitin’ List7, 32 Lil’ Red Riding Hood7, 33 Bark At The Moon7,34

Setlist notes:

1. Billy Strings on electric guitar, Royal Masat on electric bass
2. w/ Cory Henry on Keyboards, Alwyn Robinson on drums, Cris Jacobs on guitar
3. FTP – Edgar Winter Group
4. Jarrod Walker lead vocals
5. Royal Masat on electric bass, Cory Henry on Keyboards, Alwyn Robinson on drums
6. FTP – Pearl Jam
7. Billy Strings on electric guitar, Royal Masat on electric bass, Cory Henry on Keyboards, Alwyn Robinson on drums, Cris Jacobs on guitar
8. Billy Strings on electric guitar, Cory Henry on keyboards, Alwyn Robinson on drums, Cris Jacobs on guitar
9. Alwyn Robinson on lead vocals
10. Charm City Coven solo – Adele Stein on cello, Celia Hatton on viola, Adriana Molello on fiddle
11. FTP
12. FTP – Lee Ross
13. FTP – Jerry Garcia and David Grisman
14. Jarrod Walker on mandola, Cory Henry on Keyboards, Alwyn Robinson on drums
15. Alex Hargreaves on lead vocals
16. FTP – Bozie Sturdivant
17. Billy Strings on electric guitar, Cory Henry on keyboards, Alwyn Robinson on drums, Cris Jacobs on guitar
18. FTP – Tom Waits
19. Billy Strings & Chris Jacobs on lead vocals
20. “Mummy’s Not Dead” lyric change
21. FTP – The Beatles
22. Royal Masat on lead vocals
23. FTP – Greensky Bluegrass
24. w/ Charm City Coven – Adele Stein on cello, Celia Hatton on viola, Adriana Molello on fiddle
25. Alex Hargreaves w/ Charm City Coven
26. FTP – Randy Newman
27. w/ Cory Henry on Keyboards, Alwyn Robinson on drums
28. FTP – Santana
29. Billy Failing and Jarrod Walker on lead vocals
30. FTP – Bert Kaempfert and His Orchestra
31. FTP – Phish
32. FTP – Tyler Childers
33. FTP – Sam the Sham and The Pharaohs
34. FTP – Ozzy Osbourne
35. FTP – Warren Zevon
36. Billy Strings on electric guitar, Royal Masat on electric bass, Cory Henry on Keyboards, Alwyn Robinson on drums, Cris Jacobs on guitar, Vince Herman on guitar, Andy Thorn on banjo, Drew Emmitt on mandolin, Jay Starling on dobro, Greg Garrison on bass
37. FTP – Boris Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers

 

 

 

 

 

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Billy Strings 

CFG Bank Arena – Baltimore 

Nov. 1, 2025 

Set I: My Alice, Whisper My Name, Malfunction Junction > The Fire On My Tongue, Crossing Muddy Waters, Heartbeat Of America, Down In The Hollow1,2,3, Get No Better1,4,5, Home Of The Red Fox1 > Ole Slew Foot1

Set II: Seven Weeks in County, Ernest T. Grass > Know It All, John Deere Tractor, Gild the Lily6, Harbor of Love6, Dust In A Baggie6, Cold Cold World6, Be Your Man6, Gone A Long Time, Tennessee Stud7, Away From The Mire

Enc.: Running On Empty6,8,9 > Back On The Train6,8,9

Notes:

1. w/ Leftover Salmon members Vince Herman on guitar, Drew Emmitt on mandolin, Andy Thorn on banjo, Alwyn Robinson on drums
2. Drew Emmitt on lead vocals
3. Last Time Played 2025-04-09 | 58 show gap
4. Vince Herman on lead vocals
5. Last Time Played 2025-01-26 | 73 show gap
6. w/ Cory Henry on keyboard
7. Last Time Played 2025-04-19 | 52 show gap
8. Cris Jacobs on guitar
9. Last Time Played 2024-12-31 | 76 show gap