A convalescing Billy Strings made a surprise return to the stage — crutches and all — on Sunday night (May 31) in his home state of Michigan.
Back on April 18, the Grammy-winning Americana stalwart broke his left fibula and tibia while skateboarding backstage after a concert in Charlottesville, Va. He underwent immediate surgery and subsequently rescheduled his next four shows until August — although Dave Grohl did offer Strings the use of the throne that he used after breaking his leg in 2015, later lent to Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose.
Strings has been recuperating since, but on Sunday, he showed up as a special guest during Primus’ portion of the Claypool Gold tour stop at the Meadow Brook Amphitheatre in suburban Detroit. Announcing the appearance of a “buddy,” Les Claypool told the crowd that “normally he would come bounding out here, but he took a little tumble a few weeks ago, so we have a chair for him tonight.”
Strings came out on a pair of crutches and seated himself on a stool, then showed that his hands were still in fine shape as he shredded on electric guitar, trading licks with Claypool and guitarist Larry “Ler” LaLonde during performances of “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver” (which Claypool rechristened “Billy’s Big Brown Beaver”) and the even more furious “Too Many Puppies.”
Strings’ next performance will be a taping for Austin City Limits on July 2, followed two days later by an appearance at Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater, also in Austin, Texas.
The Claypool Gold tour — which also includes the Claypool Lennon Delirium and Les Claypool’s Fearless Frog Brigade — runs through July 4, finishing in Napa, Calif.
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