Photo: Madison Dodd

On Saturday night, Billy Strings returned to the ExploreAshevilleArena.com to deliver his final live engagement in a string of four total performances at this specific venue. Last night’s Asheville, N.C. finale was chock-full of surprises that were folded into a love-tinged two-set delivery that nodded to the connotation of Valentine’s Day. During the Feb. 14 show, Strings was presented with the key to the city, welcomed a trio of special guests, Mark Lavengood, Chris Henry and Jon Stickley, and revived select songs that emerged as bust outs. 

Strings, Billy Failing, Alex Hargreaves, Royal Masat, and Jarrod Walked stepped out for the onset of last night’s concert and enacted a tender throughline from the start. “Love Like Me” opened the show ahead of the Sam Bush-inspired, Ebo Walker original “Whisper My Name.” The group returned to originals on “All of Tomorrow,” and followed up from the Turmoil & Tinfoil number with a take on “She Left Me Standing on the Mountain” into Jimi Hendrix’s “Love or Confusion.”

Strings paused before picking up “Pyramid Country,” which ultimately merged into a well-received “Spinning” and “Must Be Seven.” Next, Strings welcomed the concert’s first guest to the stage. Stickley provided dobro on Johnny Rivers-penned “Wait a Minute” and stuck around, assisting his host on his own “Sliding Rock,” which represented a bust out, last played by the band on Oct. 31, 2023. The aforementioned wrestling-themed Halloween concert featured Lavengood. Last night’s gig represented the group’s latest team-up, which continued during “Show Me the Door” and “How Mountain Girls Can Love.”

Strings received a momentous honor from Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer before beginning the second half of the performance. Manheimer presented Strings with the key to the city in recognition of his significant contributions to the local economy and support for the city’s residents. The band marked the moment by following up with the second set’s official opener, and aptly chose “This Heart of Mine.” 

Highway Prayers fixture “In the Clear,” and the first take on the Tony Rice released “Old Train” since April 13, 2024, came next. The band continued to perform their traditional arrangement of material, including “Turmoil & Tinfoil,” followed by “Nobody’s Love is Like Mine,” led by Walker. Masat took hold of The Beatles’ “I’ll Cry Instead” ahead of Strings’ siege of “Night in White Satin.” 

What followed was Strings and his band gathered round the can; Laventhal joined the five-piece on dobro and Henry on mandolin for “I Don’t Want Your Rambling Letters.” The latter had not been played since August 4, 2022; its arrival ended a massive 306-show gap. The previously outlined format ensued with “West Dakota Rose,” a Henry original and a known piece of Strings’ live repertoire, and ultimately, “Can’t You Hear Me Callin’.” 

The second set closed after “Gild the Lily.” The group’s encore consisted of two songs, both of which included guest Stickley on guitar. For the first time since Feb. 16, 2024, the ensemble revived Tim O’Brien’s “Nellie Kane” and capped the night with Jimmy Martin’s “Sophronie.” 

Next, Billy Strings will take his live show to Nashville for a four-night run, with shows at Bridgestone Arena (Feb. 20-21), the Ryman (Feb. 22), and the Opry House (Feb. 28). Tickets remain on stage for the final in a string of four gigs–the last of which is billed as Opry Celebrates: O Brother, Where Art Thou? Get tickets here.

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Billy Strings 

ExploreAshevilleArena.com – Asheville, N.C.

Feb. 14, 2026 

Set I: Love Like Me Whisper My Name All Of Tomorrow She Left Me Standing on the Mountain Love Or Confusion Pyramid Country Spinning Must Be Seven Wait a Minute1 Sliding Rock1, 2 Show Me The Door1 How Mountain Girls Can Love1

Set II: This Heart Of Mine3 In the Clear Old Train4 Turmoil & Tinfoil Nobody’s Love Is Like Mine5 I’ll Cry Instead6 Nights In White Satin I Don’t Want Your Ramblin’ Letters7, 8, 9 West Dakota Rose7, 8, 10 Can’t You Hear Me Callin’7, 8, 11 Gild the Lily

Enc.: Nellie Kane12 Sophronie12

Notes:

1. w/ Mark Lavengood on dobro
2. Last Time Played 2023-10-31 | 172 show gap
3. At the beginning of the second set, the Mayor of Asheville, Esther Manheimer, presented the key to the city to Billy Strings in recognition of his help through the years to the local economy and the people of Asheville.
4. Last Time Played 2024-04-13 | 141 show gap
5. Jarrod Walker on lead vocals
6. Royal Masat on lead vocals
7. Full band around single mic
8. w/ Chris Henry on mandolin and Mark Lavengood on dobro
9. Last Time Played 2022-08-04 | 306 show gap
10. Jarrod Walker and Chris Henry (who wrote “West Dakota Rose”) mandolin intro
11. Last Time Played 2024-02-16 | 150 show gap
12. w/ Jon Stickley on guitar