On Saturday night, Widespread Panic returned to the stage at the Hard Rock Hotel in Riviera Maya, Mexico following the recent Omicron-prompted postponements of the band’s 2021 New Year’s run in Atlanta and a previously rescheduled 5-night run in New York City.
As the weeks crept closer to Panic En La Playa Diez, anxiety and uncertainty loomed as concert cancellations continued. The loyal Widespread Panic fanbase looked on with dread as Dead & Company canceled its Mexican getaway, Playing In The Sand, the night before it was scheduled to begin. However, with safety protocols in place, the juggernauts of swamp rock stamped their passports and hit the familiar beaches of Riviera Maya on Saturday to kick off what is sure to be an unforgettable running of Panic En La Playa.
For many of the Goodpeople, returning to Panic En La Playa after a year away felt like returning home after a long trip. A pre-day of festivities featured reunions of friends, refreshing beverages, and a hearty sound check that ignited the ravenous crowd, unfazed by the bouts of precipitation. This is a hunger that cannot be satiated with food—it was nourishment for the soul that the community desperately needed. After Cloud 9’s Annabel Lukins Stelling, the grateful audience sang “Happy Birthday” to the White Wizard, guitarist Jimmy Herring, who was celebrating 60 trips around the sun.
Without missing a step, Widespread Panic opened with a scorching take on instrumental tune “Disco” before continuing into the first of three musical sandwiches. “Holden Oversoul” flew to atmospheric altitudes before Herring casually dropped into a heartwarming take on Jorma Kaukoken’s “Genesis”.
The relentless Herring soared through the latter half of “Holden Oversoul” until bassist Dave Schools grounded the rhythm with a sandal-stompin’ rendition of “Weight of the World”
To follow, John Bell led the audience through “From the Cradle”, its labyrinth of tiled corridors no match for our beloved heroes, who are “about as stable as a drunk on shaky ground” while clutching tight their frosty Yeti tumblers with “blue skies over our heads.”
Paying tribute to fallen friend and musical peer, Daniel Hutchens, Panic brushed off a greasy cover of Bloodkin’s “Who Do You Belong To?” before slowing it down for an emotionally charged performance of “Old Joe” (“Hope we live long and lucky!”).
Widespread panic reminded us all that “You Should Be Glad” as an enthusiastic JB voiced the sentiment that “It’s good to be back again!” before closing out the first frame with Neil Young’s “Mr. Soul.”
Kicking the second set off like the final swing at a piñata, Panic fueled the revelry with a tumultuous “All Time Low” that cascaded into a heavy transitional jam before flowing seamlessly into J.J. Cale’s “Ride Me High”. As is tradition, keyboardist JoJo Hermann knocked it out of the ballpark and bestowed the lyrical wisdom of “The less you want / the more you got / so don’t you cry for more!”
For the first time since PELP 9 in early 2020, WSP covered Van Morrison’s “And It Stoned Me” before moving onto the evening’s second “sandwich”—and arguably its biggest highlight. Colloquially referred to as “the chicken sandwich,” Panic dove headfirst into the waters of “Proving Ground” before washing ashore into a sizzling, finger-lickin’-good take on “Contentment Blues.” After another improvised transitional jam, the band finished out “Proving Ground” before immediately embarking on another journey of uninterrupted jams.
Widespread Panic – “Contentment Blues” – 1/22/22
[Video: MrTopdogger]
This time, the massive musical sandwich was bookended by “Fishwater”. Inside the fish stew, the southern rockers added flavor from Tom Petty’s “Honey Bee” as well as Jerry Joseph’s “North” during which JB fittingly altered the lyrics to “Send me back to Mexico / Send me back to school” in honor of the destination vacation.” Percussionists Sonny Ortiz and Duane Trucks fired off a dueling exchange on their drum sets before the band returned back to “Fishwater” to polish off the second set in raucous fashion.
For the first night’s encores, Widespread Panic honored Vic Chesnutt, Bloodkin, and Col. Bruce Hampton with “Expiration Day”, “Henry Parsons Died”, and a celebratory finale of “I’m So Glad”. It was indeed a triumphant return as the band and audience basked in the communal glory. After the first night of music, the anxiety and uncertainty leading up to the event was swept away in a wave of relief.
Widespread Panic – “I’m So Glad” (Charles Chalmers / Sandra I. Rhodes) – 1/22/22
[Video: Michael Wilker]
Late-night entertainment was provided by the Playa Allstars, a stacked lineup which featured Eric Krasno, George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville, Jennifer Hartswick, Chali 2na, Terence Higgins, and Cochemea Gastelum.
With three more nights of decadence ahead, the wisest of fans will be sleeping and recovering poolside or in the lagoon today, preparing to once again amaze the resort staff with their unquenchable thirst for drinks, companionship, and music once again tonight. Listen to a full audio recording of the show via PanicStream.
Setlist [via PanicStream]: Widespread Panic | Panic En La Playa Diez | Hard Rock Hotel | Riviera Maya, MX | 1/22/22
Set One: Disco, Holden Oversoul > Genesis > Holden Oversoul, Weight of the World, From The Cradle, Who Do You Belong To?, Old Joe, You Should Be Glad, Mr Soul (66 mins)
Set Two: All Time Low > Jam > Ride Me High, And It Stoned Me, Proving Ground > Contentment Blues > Jam > Proving Ground, Fishwater > Mini Drums > Honey Bee > North > Fishwater (83 mins)
Encore: Expiration Day, Henry Parsons Died, I’m So Glad (20 mins)
Notes: ‘And It Stoned Me’ LTP 1/25/2020 Playa (33 shows); Entire show with Edie Jackson (ASL interpreter)
After: Playa Allstars (Eric Krasno, George Porter Jr, Ivan Neville, Jennifer Hartswick, Chali 2na, Terence Higgins, Cochemea Gastelum) @ Stairway To Heaven Stage (12:30-2:30am)
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