Billy Strings brought his barn-burning bluegrass show through the SGHR on Tuesday night. Billy (William Apostol) with bandmates Billy Failing (banjo), Jarrod Walker (Mandolin) and Royal Masat (bass) have perfected a special kind of bluegrass that is at times more traditional than the typical modern “jamgrass” bands on the scene while still reaching peak moments of psychedelic improvisation that make even veteran bluegrass bands blush.

I got the chance to meet Billy Strings (William Apostol) and talk to him about his psychedelic-tinged bluegrass band’s upcoming April 24 show at the SGHR while backstage at the Columbus BrewGrass Festival in early March. Billy Strings had just finished a tour opening for bluegrass heavy hitters Greensky Bluegrass, and I was curious whether the band had a different mindset when opening vs. the headlining tour that is coming through the SGHR.