Billy Strings combines bluegrass and extreme metal at his own festival in Michigan

Billy Strings, the virtuoso bluegrass musician who has been making waves in the American Americana and jam scene for years, turns out to be a devoted metal fan as well. For his own festival, the Ionia Freak Fair in his hometown of Ionia, Michigan, he has set up a dedicated metal stage alongside the main stage where bluegrass takes center stage.

According to reports, the metal stage will feature acts including hardcore band Bane and Canadian tech death legends Cryptopsy. Strings has previously shown his love for Cryptopsy by recording a guitar solo for a re recording of material from that band's 1994 catalog. With the Ionia Freak Fair, he is now literally bringing those two worlds together. Strings reportedly promised attendees they can expect death metal, hardcore, and grindcore, among other things.

It is striking that a big name from the Americana world would so explicitly choose to blend genres with extreme metal, but it fits the reputation Strings has built as a musician who refuses to be confined by genre. The festival takes place in August and promises to be a remarkable combination for fans of both sweeping bluegrass and heavy guitar driven music.

Sources: Consequence, Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan