Widespread Panic Debuts T. Rex Cover At Red Rocks

Widespread Panic closed out a three-night stand at Red Rocks near Denver with a lengthy Sunday evening concert featuring more than three hours of music. The sextet worked a number of covers into the setlist for their 66th consecutive sell-out at the famed Morrison, Colorado venue including their first take on “Mambo Sun” by T. Rex.

Drummer Duane Trucks laid out the familiar intro to “Mr. Soul” as Panic kicked off this year’s Red Rocks finale with the Neil Young-penned classic originally recorded by Buffalo Springfield for 1967’s Buffalo Springfield Again. Frontman John Bell was in fine form in singing the opener which featured a tasty piano solo from JoJo Hermann before the band glided from “Tall Boy” into Dirty Side Down standout “Cotton Was King.” The band then reeled off oldie “The Last Straw” and beloved staple “Climb To Safety” ahead of the mellow “Gradle.”

Last night’s 70-minute first set, which featured a start time an hour earlier than the two previous nights, rolled on with Bell fronting “Bowlegged Woman.” Next up was the Widespread Panic debut of “Mambo Sun,” the opening track from T. Rex’s landmark 1971 album Electric Warrior. “Mambo Sun” gave way to a potent “Fishwater” to finish off the frame.

Widespread Panic kicked off their second set on Sunday with a rousing “Machine” propelled by bassist Dave Schools‘ funky bassline. The instrumental was followed by a lengthy “Barstools And Dreamers” complete with an intense guitar solo from Jimmy Herring. From there, the six-piece encapsulated Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall” within Leon Russell’s “Stranger In A Strange Land” and played fan favorite “Walkin’ (For Your Love).”

The veteran jam act continued with a tribute to the late Daniel Hutchens via a take on Bloodkin’s “Trashy,” a cover Panic debuted during last year’s Red Rocks run. A rare standalone “Driving Song” came next before “Party At Your Mama’s House” led into the evening’s “Drums” and “Drums & Bass” segments. Schools, Trucks and percussionist Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz paved the way for a crowd-pleasing “Arleen” ahead of the band’s recently debuted “Dear Prudence” cover. WSP brought the set to a close with the Vic Chesnutt-penned “Protein Drink”/”Sewing Machine” pairing.

Widespread Panic wasn’t done yet as the night and run concluded with a three-song encore. The band’s newest original, “Halloween Face,” led into a gorgeous “Pilgrims” before the group punctuated the concert with “Conrad.” Panic returns to the stage next month for a five-night stand at New York City’s Beacon Theatre.

Watch pro-shot video featuring the start of last night’s concert as well as a few fan-shot videos below:

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Photos by Jeremy Williams

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfT_8p6sLNJ/

Setlist (via PanicStream)

Set One: Mr. Soul, Tall Boy > Cotton Was King, The Last Straw, Climb To Safety, Gradle, Bowlegged Woman, Mambo Sun > Fishwater

Set Two: Machine > Barstools and Dreamers, Stranger In A Strange Land > A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall > Stranger In A Strange Land, Walkin’ (For Your Love), Trashy, Driving Song, Party At Your Mama’s House > Drums > Drums & Bass > Arleen, Dear Prudence, Protein Drink / Sewing Machine

Encore: Halloween Face, Pilgrims, Conrad

Notes:

• – FTP ‘Mambo Sun’ (T. Rex original)
• – ‘Voodoo Child’ tease during ‘Arleen’
• – ‘Within You Without You’ (Beatles) tease during ‘Trashy’
• – Entire weekend with Edie Jackson, sign language interpreter

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Source: JamBase.com