Billy Strings was most of the way through a second show at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va. on Saturday night (April 18) when an offstage incident reportedly shut down the show before the Grammy-winning bluegrass star couple play an encore.
While Strings has not yet commented on the mishap in detail, according to Roanoke’s WFIR News, the 33-year-old picker broke his leg during the second of two sold-out shows at the arena when he attempted a kick flip on his skateboard backstage and went down in a heap. Strings posted an X-ray of the aftermath in which serious breaks of his tibia and fibula are visible just above the ankle. The singer/guitarist did not add any additional comment other than the date of the show and a leg emoji.
He also included the show’s setlist, featuring evidence that (per Setlist.fm) Strings did not play the same kind of 5-6 encore set he performed at the venue the previous night. Responding to a “get well soon” comment from the band Thursday, Strings wrote, “understanding in a skateboard accident,” appearing to confirm that the accident was skate-related.
There doesn’t appear to be video of the incident — and a spokesperson for Strings had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment at press time — though Strings did post a killer pic on Saturday of himself pulling off a sky-high ollie backstage, his board several feet off the ground, as well as another shot in which he’s skateboarding his gear around before that night’s show.
In comments on his X-ray post, Strings jokingly responded to a fan who wrote, “we all saw this coming with the skating vids,” in reference to the singer’s earlier skating-related clips and avowed love of riding, with the admission, “I know [sighing emoji] y’all were right.”
Strings is slated to perform at a sold-out show in Charleston, W.V. at the Charleston Coliseum on Wednesday (April 22), with another three sold out shows on tap at the Fishers Event Center in Fishers, Ind. from April 24-26. He then has a significant break on tap before a taping of Austin City Limits on July 2.
In responses to fans questions about possible show postponements or cancellations in the X-ray post on Monday morning (April 20), Strings wrote, “info coming very soon.”
Check out Strings’ X-ray below.