Widespread Panic rode the momentum from the first half of the band’s Austin residency at The Moody Theater into the penultimate fifth show last night. Like a runaway train on a downhill slope, the band effortlessly picked up speed while leaving nothing off the table for the setlist. Friday’s show included two recent debuts performed for the second time each, the first Neil Young cover of the run, imaginative, improvised raps, and classic jams slathered with peanut butter and dynamite.
Blasting the doors of set one off their hinges, Panic jolted the audience awake with “Little Kin”, led by Jimmy Herring’s determined guitar and a howlin’ Dave Schools’ bassline. Schools helmed the ship for a trio of monster cuts. “Little Lilly” climbed in through the window and tumbled into Van Morrison’s “Send Your Mind.”
The rhythm pocket descended into a particularly heavy “Rock” before dusting off J.J. Cale’s “I Got The Same Old Blues” for the second consecutive run. After debuting in St. Augustine last month, the tune (recorded into Lynyrd Skynyrd’s catalog) stayed in rotation as WSP’s way of honoring the death of slide guitarist Gary Rossington, the last member of the original lineup of Skynyrd.
John Bell retook vocal duties to introduce fan-favorite “C. Brown”, to which the audience responded with appreciative cheers. Brandishing his favorite new lure, JoJo Hermann reeled in “Tackle Box Hero” for the catch of the day. Performed for only the second time ever, WSP’s latest original debuted earlier this year at Panic En La Playa Once.
Winding down the first frame, Panic had flashbacks to Tuesday’s theme with a double dose of The Guess Who’s “No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature”. The soaring set closed with a psychedelic pilgrimage to “Pigeons”.
The second set blazed into a trio of originals with “All Time Low” barreling into the floodwaters of “Hatfield”. JB embodied the historical shaman’s mysticism and cooked up imagery from the perspective of the rainmaker’s childhood friend, casting a “feeling of wonder” upon the crowd.
What started with a standard opening “I remember Hatfield’s mama / big, beautiful German lady / we’d all go over to Hatfield’s house / play after school in the summer time when it was hot / I remember one day we were tired from playing Cops & Robbers / Star Trek / flying through space” moved onward to describe the rarely mentioned “Hatfield’s sister,” “and sipping Pabst Blue Ribbon / sit back / sitting here watching a football game” while “wafting out the house / a little banjo comes floating down the stairs / Hatfield’s mama / in a comfy chair / sitting around the house / watching a 6-7 football game!”
A high-flying “Saint Ex” completed the trifecta before a behemoth “Bust It Big” sandwich surrounded a short and sweet “Drums” section and fiery cover of Winston Riley’s “Arleen”. By the time Panic returned to “BIB”, the ravenous crowd was foaming at the mouth. Mellowing the tempo but maintaining the vibes, “Jack” whomped up some biscuits for us all before the blistering beat of “Conrad” got the crowd’s (blue) feet moving and grooving again.
The first Neil Young cover of the run, “Walk On”, strolled into the setlist with not-so-subtle teases of Allman Brothers Band’s “Jessica” (from Jimmy and JoJo) and the Grateful Dead’s “Turn On Your Love Light” (from Schools and the drummers) added in. To finish, Duane Trucks steamrolled into the introduction of “Porch Song”, closing out a raucous second set.
Back on stage for an emotionally charged encore, WSP first dished out “Old Joe” for the sixth time in as many years before executing a coup de grâce with a heart wrenching performance of Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Home”. Written by Steve Winwood, it has been played regularly by WSP since its debut at the Cotton Club in Atlanta on 8/8/88 (!) and was a major part of 2014’s elusive Lockn’ collaboration set.
With only one night of the Austin residency left, all bets are off. Like always, it’s gonna be a party of epic proportions. To those looking to complete every night of the run, good luck and congratulations. The rest of us are rooting for you from afar. Look out for one another and have fun tonight!
For a complete list of upcoming Widespread Panic tour dates, head here.
Widespread Panic | ACL Live at the Moody Theater | Austin, TX | 4/21/23 [Full Audio]
Widespread Panic – “(I Got The) Same Old Blues” (J.J. Cale) – 4/21/23
[Video: MrTopdogger]
Widespread Panic – “Can’t Find My Way Home” (Blind Faith) – 4/21/23
[Video: MrTopdogger]
Setlist [via PanicStream]: Widespread Panic | ACL Live at the Moody Theater | Austin, TX | 4/21/23
Set 1: Little Kin, Little Lilly > Send Your Mind, Rock, (I Got The) Same Ole Blues (J.J. Cale), C Brown, Tackle Box Hero, No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature (The Guess Who), Pigeons (61 mins)
Set 2: All Time Low, Hatfield, Saint Ex, Bust It Big > Drums > Arleen (General Echo) > Bust It Big, Jack, Conrad, Walk On (Neil Young) > Porch Song (79 mins)
Encore: Old Joe, Can’t Find My Way Home (Blind Faith) (9 mins)
Notes – ‘Turn On Your Love Light’ and ‘Jessica’ teases during ‘Walk On’
– LTP ‘Can’t Find My Way Home’ 11/17/21 Chicago (68 shows)
The post Widespread Panic Keeps “I Got The Same Old Blues” & “Tackle Box Hero” In Rotation On Night 5 In Austin [Videos/Review/Audio] appeared first on L4LM.
