charlottesville | Apothecary Shed

Billy Strings from the Pit

April 18, 2025

gem music billy strings, charlottesville, concert, live music 2 Comments

So ya thought ya
Might like to go to the show?
To feel the warm thrill of confusion
That space cadet glow

Our friend Betty loves loves loves Billy Strings. She has been to a bajillion shows and seems to know all the regulars by name. We went to our first Billy Strings show with her. That was a good call.

First thing we did was sneak into the Pit by shoulder surfing and looking confident. No problem. We even worked over to the fiddle side. Everyone was nice for the most part.

We moved out of the pit to our seats after a bunch of songs. We bought merch.

We also had some excellent seats arranged by Scott (thanks Scott).

Things got trippy.

All in all an excellent show. Will see again…

Last Things First: Nickel Creek and Andrew Bird, Oh My

July 26, 2024

gem art, concert, photography andrew bird, bluegrass, charlottesville, chris thile, concert, fiddle, live music, mandolin, mike viola, nickel creek, pavilion, romey, violin 1 Comment

This was the kind of show you get to see once every long time. Just wow. We were in the fourth row in the Charlottesville Pavilion. Here’s how the show went, from the end to the beginning. You know, last things first.

Anyway, what’s better than Nickel Creek OR Andrew Bird? How about some joint songs as an encore? I mean just listen to these two songs. So much joy and so much talent packed tight to a condenser circle.

Andrew Bird and Chris Thile are both at the top of their game. As a fiddle and mandolin player I can only watch slack-jawed.

Tumbleweed.

An as yet unreleased travel song written jointly.

The Nickel Creek set was excellent with Chris Thile exhibiting his particular manic genius with great enthusiasm and much fun. Such the jester. And the best mandolin player alive on the planet. Or, hell, maybe all time.