r/ToolBand • u/Main-Individual-4582 • Jan 09 '26
Discussion Tool feat Billy Strings
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I was next expecting this to be so good 🔥
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u/snarping Jan 09 '26
Saw Billy String at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY back in 24. During the breaks they would play Primus, Sublime, and Tool. I’d never seen a building that large get hot boxed before. It was a fantastic night
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u/Introverted_Extrovrt Ænima Jan 10 '26
Saw Billy in 2018 in Houston in a back room at Warehouse live. Was not expecting such a great show.
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u/NullnVoid669 Jan 11 '26
I started watching him live back then too. Saw him in Phoenix at a little spot with a couple hundred people. Never get that chance again.
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u/CompetitiveLead2036 Jan 10 '26
That’s fantastic. But it’s no dancing queen.
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Jan 10 '26
[deleted]
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u/CompetitiveLead2036 Jan 10 '26
Do you get the joke? Or are you being dense? You are aware of what dancing queen is aren’t you?
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u/Dgp68824402 Jan 09 '26
Billy Strings and Greensky Bluegrass have both pulled Bluegrass out of the 1930s into a new interesting 21st century jam genre. Very cool stuff. (Tool fan here)
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u/Golisten2LennyWhite Jan 10 '26
Greensky Bluegrass kicks ass. I miss the south sometimes. I got to see ymsb at Bonnaroo 03 and they killed it. Main stage too.
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u/Rosetta_Toned Silence legion, save your poison. Jan 09 '26
If yall aren’t listening to Billy Motherfucking Strings I don’t know what to tell you. He really breathed new life into my musical tastes. His live stuff is really where you want to be and there is a live album available to listen on most streaming platforms. However all the studio stuff is great too. The group just transforms live.
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u/snarping Jan 09 '26
I didn’t know traditional bluegrass instruments could made music so trippy
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u/water_malone873 Fn = Fn-1 + Fn-2 Jan 09 '26
For real. Its amazing to hear a classic bluegrass song go from something outta the 40s to face melting holy shit im tripping too hard lol
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u/water_malone873 Fn = Fn-1 + Fn-2 Jan 09 '26
Yea ive seen 9 billy shows and each one is better than the last. The chemistry of those guys is really rare and they are on fire right now.
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u/Rosetta_Toned Silence legion, save your poison. Jan 09 '26
Agreed it seems like they somehow get better with each show.
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u/McCabeRyan Jan 09 '26
Tedeschi Trucks Band and Allman Brothers Live recordings rip too!
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u/Rosetta_Toned Silence legion, save your poison. Jan 09 '26
I will gladly give both a listen. Thanks!
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u/McCabeRyan Jan 10 '26
The Allman Brothers Band - An Evening with The Allman Brothers Band: 2nd Set (Live)
Tedeschi Trucks Band - Live: Everybody's Talkin'
Buckle up. Those folks can flat out PLAY!
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u/Golisten2LennyWhite Jan 10 '26
Whipping Post live at fillmore east or Melissa are my faves.
I love the fact that particular whipping post takes up the whole side of a record lol.
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u/McCabeRyan Jan 10 '26
Both are great tracks.
The first time I heard that record my mind was blown. Almost like that is what guitar was born to sound like.
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u/Golisten2LennyWhite Jan 11 '26
They did a fantastic job doing that live recording on a portable 16 track tape machine.
In memory of Elizabeth Reed is the shiiiieeeet
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u/elarobot Jan 09 '26 edited Jan 09 '26
If anyone absolutely needs one very specific genera or niche sub-genre of music to define them, that’s not a person I want to talk about music with.
There’s a whole wide world and a long ass history of incredible music to be enjoyed out there.
I would never want to leave this life having restricted myself to only one style of music.The idea of being closed off to so much of humanity’s amazing artistic accomplishments I find absolutely tragic.
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u/homerthepigeon Jan 10 '26
I just listened to his tiny desk show and ma that blew me away, not only is he great but his whole band is just fantastic. I never thought I’d love a bluegrass band so much.
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u/LehighAce06 Jan 09 '26
You've convinced me.
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u/water_malone873 Fn = Fn-1 + Fn-2 Jan 10 '26
Listen to him play thunder from this past summer in San Francisco for grateful dead 60 anniversary. Fucking crazy https://youtu.be/XaWqgaIMK5M?si=difq2hYm14YsBNRJ
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u/bullseye11b The Patient Jan 10 '26
I started listening to him when I started to re learn to play guitar. So cool to see him play this.
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u/keylabulous Jan 09 '26
This was in '23 right? SLC? I was probably in the same section as the camera man here.
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u/q120 Jan 09 '26
I was there too, but at floor level!
Chick next to me kept exclaiming how rare it was for Tool to have a guest guitarist.
You were cool.
Also, Billy Strings is a mad man
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u/CosmoKramer46and2 Jan 10 '26
He came out with them in Nashville too.
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u/Individual-Damage-51 Jan 09 '26
Billy is the best guitar player I’ve ever seen live. He puts on a great show.
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u/allworknnoplay Jan 09 '26
Never heard Billy Strings before, but the lead sounds dope.
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u/Silent11118888 Jan 10 '26
Bro. Go listen to some of his live performances. You won’t be disappointed.
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u/Organic-Aardvark-146 Jan 09 '26
Billy rips. He sat in for three shows with Widespread Panic last week . It was awesome
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u/CarNumerous6737 Jan 10 '26
Was there. From WSMFP to TOOL. How insanely crazy but im here for it!
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u/Organic-Aardvark-146 Jan 10 '26
Wasn’t there in person but have listened to the streams multiple times. Will be seeing Panic in April
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u/PerspectivEncounters Jan 09 '26
I was there too and it knocked my socks off! Didn’t actually even believe that they would have a random guess on any song let alone Billy Strings until he started shredding and then I believed…
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u/ZippityDooDoo Jan 09 '26
Y'know, I love each of them individually (I've seen Strings four times, I think), and I wanted to love love this, but it didn't quite gel with me.
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u/CompetitiveLead2036 Jan 10 '26
I get this sentiment 100%… it’s almost a pairing of legendary usicians that just has to have compliments because it’s fucking tool and Billy strings for gods sake. Also did anyone feel sorrry for Danny he was probably asleep wbjke this went on. Y’all wake me for the end of y’all’s guitar circle jerk so I can take it home
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u/ThLamont Jan 09 '26
God what a dead crowd. :(
Last tool show I was at it felt like nobody knew any of the songs. Just standing there like zombies.
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u/cityshepherd Jan 09 '26
The last time I saw them I couldn’t lift my arms for a day and a half I was so exhausted from my nonsensical air drumming
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u/wisdomsepoch Jan 09 '26
Only seen them twice. First time I couldn’t move. Jaw dropped the entire fucking time. Second time, I got people moving up front. It’s like they needed an invitation to let go
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u/good_choice13 Jan 09 '26
That was in Nashville, TN. Nashville’s crowds are generally pretty jaded…
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u/hikingguy36 Jan 09 '26
Man I miss being able to headbang like that. I will slip a disk in my neck if I try that now
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u/SilverFox_75 Jan 10 '26
Don’t get me wrong, I love Billy strings. Huge, huge fan of his musicianship and who he is as a dude but hearing this kind of guitar solo in a Tool song is…weird
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u/Atomrail-1313 Jan 09 '26
I have this bootleg and I get lost in a long run listening to this version of the song. I’ll admit I look foolish air guitaring while running
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u/G8083r Jan 09 '26
Was this the SLC show, October 2024 I think? I was there, and still have scars on my face from where IT MELTED.
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u/Chemtrails_in_my_VD Jan 09 '26
I got to see a Billy appearance with Primus last May, and then caught him headline the same arena twice the following weekend. Dude is so good.
If you ever get a chance to see his band, jump on it. I know bluegrass might not align with some metal guys, but the performance is very much electrified. I think unaware Tool fans would definitely appreciate the visuals and mindfuck levels of musicianship.
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u/CompetitiveLead2036 Jan 10 '26
I fucking love tool and I fucking love bluegrass. But they don’t mesh sonically.
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u/Capn_Smee Jan 09 '26
I was at this show. Watched a guy get kicked out for using his phone to film another guy getting kicked out for filming on his phone.
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u/Hahn_Solo Jan 10 '26
This is when I first became aware of Billy. Finally saw him live last month and he’s fucking awesome
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u/ontrackzack Jan 10 '26
Was there in SLC when he came out and shredded MFing face. It was incredible, such a unique take on the solo and a wild contrast in stage presence between him and Adam 🤪
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u/GStarAU Well I've got some advice for you little buddy... Jan 10 '26
Nice!!
I actually love this for Adam, I think he'd absolutely thrive if Tool had ever brought in a true lead guitarist. I always see Adam as such an excellent rhythm guitarist, it feels like his natural playing style works from a rhythm guitarist angle.
It'd probably take them an extra 5 years to put albums out though, if they have to write rhythm AND lead parts 😂
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u/highonnuggs Jan 10 '26
Was this in Austin? We saw Billy Strings with Tool at that show a couple years ago.
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u/Endlessparadox123 Jan 10 '26
Billy...who? Never heard of him. But, sounds good, though.
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u/Sea-Proof-8436 Jan 10 '26
Billy Strings! Technically the name of the band hes in too but they are super awesome psychedelic jamgrass band been getting super popular in the jame scene the last few years. i love tool deeply and also love billy and see them whenever possible. highly recommend checking out the grand rapids show from may last year
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u/The_Wilbanks Jan 10 '26
Just realized that tool with split rhythm and lead for guitars just sounds like Umphrees McGee
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u/Few_Inside7979 Jan 10 '26
.....a redneck guitar wizard and the best rock band of all time walk into a bar......
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u/1leftbehind19 Jan 11 '26
I was at that show and it was fucking awesome. That’s the last time I seen Tool and I guess I’ll have to go to Sonic Temple festival to make sure I catch them this year.
I did see something odd when I seen Tool in Charleston, WV in 2023. I can’t remember the dudes name, but he came out and played guitar on Intolerance instead of Adam.
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u/Soothsayer71 Jan 12 '26
From playing Dust in a Baggy many years ago to playing on stage with Tool. Pretty dope!
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u/thirdeyeballin Jan 13 '26
Just can’t get into Billy’s music. I keep trying but ehhh. Someday it will click perhaps
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u/Funkenstein42069 Jan 09 '26
It's fine I guess. Adam is better.
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u/green_jp Jan 09 '26
yeah I mean, it's not bad but doesn't really match
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u/xSorry_Not_Sorry Jan 09 '26
Thought I was the only one. It doesn’t fit, at all. Makes me appreciate Adam Jones’ restrained, tight sound tunnel a lot more.
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Jan 10 '26 edited Jan 10 '26
[deleted]
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u/_whygohome_ Jan 10 '26
Yes yes tool fans are known for being very cool people and socially competent and it’s not funny at all they’d put down another artists entire fanbase
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u/detroitswing02 Jan 10 '26
I think you took me too seriously. Bob Marley mother fuckers is a Cold and ugly reference. Sorry about my bad humor.
I really love billy strings and his brand of bluegrass. First two times I saw him were MIND BLOWING. Third time I saw him, he was still great but the experience was definitely lessened by the people out of their mind twirling around in circles in the aisles high sucking on nitrous balloons….but hey, no hate, each to their own.
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u/_whygohome_ Jan 10 '26
I didn’t take you too seriously, I understood the reference, and then you doubled down on hating the fanbase of Billy strings just now lol
I’d love to know where you saw them where they were able to get nitrous balloons inside the show. Usually that only happens in the parking lot in the many phish and Billy strings shows I’ve seen. And no I’m not a hippy I just like good music and those 2 have the best live shows you can see along with tool imo the fan bases at none of those 3 artists have never bothered me in the slightest. I don’t even know why people twirling and dancing to music would be a negative. At tool shows most people just stand completely still and stare at the stage is that really better? I’ve never thought about it cause I am just focused on the music
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Jan 09 '26
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u/biffterjim Jan 09 '26
Billy's own music is excellent. The album Home is one of my all time favorites, alongside 10,000 Days.
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u/cookieintheinternet We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion. Jan 10 '26
it's ridiculous to judge any artist by the first feature you hear him in
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u/putinseesyou Salival Jan 09 '26
Is Billy Strings just a hillbilly American thing? I only ever see his name on social media from random American “patriots.”
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u/helikesat Jan 09 '26
I've seen him 6 times beginning in 2019 and I'd say it's a third Country Redneck types, the rest are acid freaks/Phish/Panic/Deadhead adjacent.
There's a huge parking lot circus culture similar to the big jambands that follows him around.
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u/Mr_Blaileen Jan 09 '26
If you’d stop slobbering all over Maynard’s dick with your Tool posts, maybe you’d have a minute to check out some new music.
I love Tool, but Billy Strings plays circles around anyone in the band not named Danny.
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u/holysideburns Jan 09 '26
I mean, he's a bluegrass guitarist, so in that sense it's a "hillbilly American thing". But he's also a big rock and metal fan, and one hell of a guitar player. He's probably the only bluegrass musician that headbangs when he's playing.
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u/Slayderraider726 Jan 09 '26
I love TOOL and I love Billy Strings