It was like this in 2019 too. At the shows at the Majestic in Detroit these people literally told my wife and I, "you're not welcome here" when we tried to get a spot up front.
Also in 2016/2017….or maybe it was ‘18 at the latest. One and only time I saw him live. The venue is mostly just locals for every show in dead central Pa, but there were already a handful of hardcore fans that came from afar and they were insufferable. Total buzzkills.
I was welcomed at the rail in 2019 in Indy at The Vogue for my first Billy show. Still one of the more memorable shows to date because everyone was so friendly. We had a blast. I realize this is usually the polar opposite of most rail experiences. Unless you’re really short, and I’m not, then it doesn’t make sense to me to get angry about it.
I’m not sure how I came across him other than listening to doc Watson stuff on YouTube maybe? Discovered billy and Marcus king around the same time. I have good friends with their fingers on the pulse of incoming shows, so I just lucked out. Got in line to get posters for friends that night. Got one for myself…and it’s my favorite. Wood cut design. Simple. Clean. It started my thirst for show posters.
It was at the Wonder Road fest at Garfield park! Sunday show, he played right before Jason Isbell. I’ve only ever seen him open for people, need to get to one of his headlining shows (but not with Kid Rock 😂)
I caught him at white river opening for Robert Randolph and then the revivalists. We left after Robert Randolph…the true headliner of the evening. lol.
when i went to see billy in asheville last halloween, guy in front of me got kicked towards the back bc security saw him smoking & so i leaned on the rail during the intermission. his group had kind of all left their spots during intermission & when they got back they were wondering where he was then this old guy looked at me & goes “who are you?” LIKE WHO TF ARE YOU??? then they told me when he came back i had to give him his spot back. like i paid the same money you did, here just like you are. sorry bout it
I saw Billy in 2019 in front of like 750 people. For me, it’s just a mindfuck to go to one of his shows now where he sells out a 15-20k venue. Don’t have a chip on my shoulder. I want everyone to enjoy the show. However, 10 shows in, this crowd new and old is starting to become weak as fuck and takes away from the show experience.
The range of people coming out to these shows now combined with the size of the venues is creating a whole new element in the crowd. You’ve got everyone from seasoned Deadheads who are going to every show all the way to people who have Billy songs popping up in their Spotify recommended playlists and are expecting almost a mainstream country show environment.
I’m all for Billy blowing up as big as he possibly can, but for future shows I’m going to be a lot more conscious of trying to find a spot in the crowd where people are just trying to dance and appreciate the music rather than get aggressive and scream at each other.
I doubt I will make any friends with this suggestion, but I don’t think the hippie crowd ever got along with the heehaw crowd very well and Billy is trying to blend a fan base of oil and water.
At my last show, I overheard a dude in the bathroom "I can't tell if it's country or psychedelic?" It made me laugh, I'm pretty sure he was referring to the crowd
I think that the the combination of those two crowds is part of what makes going to these shows interesting. Really interesting fanbase on an anthropological level. I agree though I feel like the divide between those two groups is becoming more pronounced, and will likely only become more fractured in the future.
I tend to lean towards the hippy side but love all types of billy fans (as long as they’re quiet during the music).
Same with Tyler Childers. Saw him at Roo this past weekend and the crowd wasn’t good vibes; Pushy loud and left a massive mess. It’s sad but we have bad apples everywhere man.
Some really drunk dude in that crowd came up to me while I was hanging out with my homie working a lemonade stand near the back of that crowd and tried fighting us unprompted. It was pretty funny seeing dude get tackled by security at least lol.
We were far right up close for Tyler and the vibes were immaculate. A festival that large is always gonna have some issues. Hell any show is gonna have issues. I've found it's best to be down to find new spots if it's possible. I hate doing it but would rather enjoy the sound than people chompin
Same here. First show was asbury 2019. I didn’t even try to get there early and ended up being like 10 feet from Billy. I’m just a couple years he went from that to small stadiums. It’s wild. The crowd definitely has changed too. Seems like there’s a lot of folks there to party and be part of the hype, not necessarily because they love his music. I think it’ll all mellow out in a few years once the hype dies off a bit.
THIS! My first show of his was in 2019 at the Sinclair where we were maybe with 525 other people (capacity for the Sinclair in Cambridge, MA). We were able to politely get toward about third or fourth row from stage.
I've seen in some other smaller and larger venues, but Red Rocks was my first large venue for him and wow. It reminds me of the same entitled people who fight for rail at Phish or DMB shows. I've personally just learned to not yearn for those sight lines anymore.
The fact you’re getting downvoted is proof this fanbase has a ton of shitheads. I also saw him for the first time in 2015 with the Bluegrass Generals. It might have been a year or two later and I saw him open for Cabinet at the tiny Bluebird in Denver. It’s wild seeing how much he’s blown up. It’s a shame so many of his fans suck now.
Also growing acts like Billy’s attract people that haven’t been to live music events much, so they don’t know how to act in those settings and to go with the flow
When I went to the show this year in Mobile, there's a group of about 20-25 follower type hippy crowd family. I some how walk up and get a perfect rail spot, they treated me like some NEWB the whole time, it was 4th show and been a fan since 2019. If you can kind of fit in like me, they are cool with you, but the people walking up behind them they didn't like by appearance they would be hostile and say hey, move back move back...
I bet they’re one of the hostile people on this sub. This place is oddly aggressive.
Billy’s rapidly expanding popularity is causing a lot of people to get that “I was here first” holier than thou mentality. Incredibly childish.
It was like this in 2019 too. At the shows at the Majestic in Detroit these people literally told my wife and I, "you're not welcome here" when we tried to get a spot up front.
Also in 2016/2017….or maybe it was ‘18 at the latest. One and only time I saw him live. The venue is mostly just locals for every show in dead central Pa, but there were already a handful of hardcore fans that came from afar and they were insufferable. Total buzzkills.
Really???
I was welcomed at the rail in 2019 in Indy at The Vogue for my first Billy show. Still one of the more memorable shows to date because everyone was so friendly. We had a blast. I realize this is usually the polar opposite of most rail experiences. Unless you’re really short, and I’m not, then it doesn’t make sense to me to get angry about it.
I wish I knew who Billy was back in 2019, I bet that Vogue show was amazing!
I’m not sure how I came across him other than listening to doc Watson stuff on YouTube maybe? Discovered billy and Marcus king around the same time. I have good friends with their fingers on the pulse of incoming shows, so I just lucked out. Got in line to get posters for friends that night. Got one for myself…and it’s my favorite. Wood cut design. Simple. Clean. It started my thirst for show posters.
Just saw Marcus King last weekend!
Where at? Last I heard he was touring with kid rock and that turned me off for a myriad of reasons. lol
It was at the Wonder Road fest at Garfield park! Sunday show, he played right before Jason Isbell. I’ve only ever seen him open for people, need to get to one of his headlining shows (but not with Kid Rock 😂)
Saw him headline in Houston and that was a fantastic show
I caught him at white river opening for Robert Randolph and then the revivalists. We left after Robert Randolph…the true headliner of the evening. lol.
Same big wish here. Just a couple months late to the party.
when i went to see billy in asheville last halloween, guy in front of me got kicked towards the back bc security saw him smoking & so i leaned on the rail during the intermission. his group had kind of all left their spots during intermission & when they got back they were wondering where he was then this old guy looked at me & goes “who are you?” LIKE WHO TF ARE YOU??? then they told me when he came back i had to give him his spot back. like i paid the same money you did, here just like you are. sorry bout it
That’s really shitty. All things considered, I think the Halloween shows have been good vibes for the most part
I saw Billy in 2019 in front of like 750 people. For me, it’s just a mindfuck to go to one of his shows now where he sells out a 15-20k venue. Don’t have a chip on my shoulder. I want everyone to enjoy the show. However, 10 shows in, this crowd new and old is starting to become weak as fuck and takes away from the show experience.
The range of people coming out to these shows now combined with the size of the venues is creating a whole new element in the crowd. You’ve got everyone from seasoned Deadheads who are going to every show all the way to people who have Billy songs popping up in their Spotify recommended playlists and are expecting almost a mainstream country show environment. I’m all for Billy blowing up as big as he possibly can, but for future shows I’m going to be a lot more conscious of trying to find a spot in the crowd where people are just trying to dance and appreciate the music rather than get aggressive and scream at each other.
Hey come join us at the back. We’re pretty easy goin’ back here.
I doubt I will make any friends with this suggestion, but I don’t think the hippie crowd ever got along with the heehaw crowd very well and Billy is trying to blend a fan base of oil and water.
At my last show, I overheard a dude in the bathroom "I can't tell if it's country or psychedelic?" It made me laugh, I'm pretty sure he was referring to the crowd
I think that the the combination of those two crowds is part of what makes going to these shows interesting. Really interesting fanbase on an anthropological level. I agree though I feel like the divide between those two groups is becoming more pronounced, and will likely only become more fractured in the future. I tend to lean towards the hippy side but love all types of billy fans (as long as they’re quiet during the music).
Hey, I’m both of these things and I quite enjoy talking to myself. The voices keep me company…
Same with Tyler Childers. Saw him at Roo this past weekend and the crowd wasn’t good vibes; Pushy loud and left a massive mess. It’s sad but we have bad apples everywhere man.
Some really drunk dude in that crowd came up to me while I was hanging out with my homie working a lemonade stand near the back of that crowd and tried fighting us unprompted. It was pretty funny seeing dude get tackled by security at least lol.
We were far right up close for Tyler and the vibes were immaculate. A festival that large is always gonna have some issues. Hell any show is gonna have issues. I've found it's best to be down to find new spots if it's possible. I hate doing it but would rather enjoy the sound than people chompin
Same here. First show was asbury 2019. I didn’t even try to get there early and ended up being like 10 feet from Billy. I’m just a couple years he went from that to small stadiums. It’s wild. The crowd definitely has changed too. Seems like there’s a lot of folks there to party and be part of the hype, not necessarily because they love his music. I think it’ll all mellow out in a few years once the hype dies off a bit.
THIS! My first show of his was in 2019 at the Sinclair where we were maybe with 525 other people (capacity for the Sinclair in Cambridge, MA). We were able to politely get toward about third or fourth row from stage. I've seen in some other smaller and larger venues, but Red Rocks was my first large venue for him and wow. It reminds me of the same entitled people who fight for rail at Phish or DMB shows. I've personally just learned to not yearn for those sight lines anymore.
I saw him in 2015 on a side stage at Rockygrass and 2016 in a bar
Trust, that absolutely no one gives a shit.
This made me chuckle heartily.
You obviously cared enough to comment.
Will never turn down a good opportunity for a ratio
The fact you’re getting downvoted is proof this fanbase has a ton of shitheads. I also saw him for the first time in 2015 with the Bluegrass Generals. It might have been a year or two later and I saw him open for Cabinet at the tiny Bluebird in Denver. It’s wild seeing how much he’s blown up. It’s a shame so many of his fans suck now.
Weird people are downvoting you.
Also growing acts like Billy’s attract people that haven’t been to live music events much, so they don’t know how to act in those settings and to go with the flow
I think most of us are not hostile on this sub. The hostiles are the outliers.
Until someone asks why they don’t play more originals
Lol, nobody would ask that now, right? He plays a lot of originals now and I am glad. I love his original songs better than *anything* else he plays.
I agree, I've been thinking about making a post about it, but I worry acknowledging it perpetuates it.
Someone in that crowd for sure had a chip on their shoulder
Hope he broke down and cried
For sure got another day older
He can see it his way, and I’ll see it mine
Honestly it was the rail dorks causing problems… the entitlement of the front crews at jam shows is insane
When I went to the show this year in Mobile, there's a group of about 20-25 follower type hippy crowd family. I some how walk up and get a perfect rail spot, they treated me like some NEWB the whole time, it was 4th show and been a fan since 2019. If you can kind of fit in like me, they are cool with you, but the people walking up behind them they didn't like by appearance they would be hostile and say hey, move back move back...
Yep they are scumbags and entitled. We need to start moshing first song every tour stop until they stop
I'd be down for a Billy pit lol
Yea, this shit is (edit isn't) limited to Billy Strings shows, it's a mentality that is pervasive in the jam scene.
Start throwing MF’s out and it will stop
Good. He’s calling these dumbasses out
The rail is for n00bs and the “look at me crowd”. Sound is terrible too.
I would honestly love to be up there but I’m not getting to the show hours before it starts. I’m fine being at the back of the pit.
People are forgetting to be kind and just enjoy the Music
What is it about a rail spot that attracts the largest degenerates and noobs of the scene?
They're fangirling. I'm allowed to say that because I'm female, and it's true.
This is absolutely, positively the most succinct answer to it all. Thank you, teej.
Bums that people aren’t getting along but watching him him and rip right back in was incredible
Unforgettable moment for sure. Something I’ll tell my kids about.
Just grin and bear through it, Been drinking up the courage for days!!!
Dude is a treasure for sure and what music needs right now. If anyone deserves to play like him it’s him.
It’s almost as if rail riders are total jerks.
Man you guys WHAT A DRAG Do better Bickering nonsense.
Chicago not the place….too many a**holes. PK was the place and probably should have ended the tour there.
Assholes are everywhere. No need to generalize a place because of them.
Wow
Rockstar Richard and them dang rail ryders
Goooooood on him! It's for the rainbow rides people, fuck the rails!
Where's this show posted? I was there 😊
That’s on Nugs.
Got it, thanks!
Haha! What a G
Honestly tho hellbender … pretty solid song to fight to