The third night at Oxbow RiverStage in Napa Valley, CA presented the juggernauts of jam, Widespread Panic, the opportunity to feed the fire that has been burning since the band’s earliest days in Athens, GA nearly forty years ago. Every year, run, and show collectively cements the legacy of Panic, the strengths of its live performances, and the dedication of this fanbase to travel anywhere in the world to support their favorite band. The energy that the audience willingly gives is reciprocated tenfold as the band relentlessly strives for perfection while still adding new material to its seemingly endless repertoire.
In his natural habitat, California local, Dave Schools, charged into the first set with a pair of originals. The bass-heavy introduction of “Little Lilly” settled into a rowdy “Tall Boy”. The first cover of the night swung into place in the form of Jerry Joseph’s “Time Zones” before returning to Panic’s own body of work with a scorching “Little Kin”.
As Jimmy Herring threatened to shatter the space-time continuum with his barrage of lightning guitar notes, Schools steered the direction into a monster “Imitation Leather Shoes”. For only the second time ever, WSP dug into two new compositions, “We Walk Each Other Home” and “Little By Little” which were separated by a piano-laden “This Part of Town”. Both of the new originals debuted last month at the Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, AL.
Widespread Panic – “We Walk Each Other Home” – 8/27/23
[Video: MrTopDogger]
Widespread Panic – “Little By Little” – 8/27/23
[Video: MrTopDogger]
To close out the first frame, Panic dipped back into Jerry Joseph’s well during an uplifting “Climb to Safety”. Halfway through the night, WSP shuffled offstage while the audience collected themselves for one final hurrah.
Back in action, Widespread opened the second set with another newish tune, “Sundown Betty”. This song has been played 23 times since its debut at Panic en La Playa Siete in 2018 and has yet to find a home on an album—though that may not be true for long. WSP welcomed tour manager Steve Lopez onstage to lend added percussions to the second War cover of the weekend “Slippin’ Into Darkness”.
Sunday service continued with a trio of beloved originals as Duane Trucks’ drums rolled into “Pleas” to scatter the lingering blight with blinding light. Without stopping, the good vibes flowed into a spiritually nourishing “Diner”, complete with an Al Green-inspired “Highway to Heaven” rap and a high-voltage peak, a quintessential example of the veteran band’s cohesion.
Rounding out the triplet of classics, “C. Brown” banished anxiety and reminded the audience not to worry with carefree grace and schoolyard simplicity. WSP’s interpretation of Murray McLaughlan’s “Honky Red” gave Panic a chance to crank up the badassery as John Bell‘s vocals cut like a rusty razor’s edge, his fortitude only bolstered by his backward baseball cap.
With time still on the clock, Widespread trotted into “Space Wrangler” until kicking its spurs into the tempo to rein in a veritable heater. The unstoppable pace spilled into the formidable combination of Vic Chesnutt covers with “Protein Drink / Sewing Machine” closing out the second set.
Widespread Panic returned to the stage for the final time to quench the rowdy crowd’s thirst for more music. After its poignant debut at Red Rocks earlier this summer as a tribute to Bill Bass, Warren Zevon’s “Keep Me In Your Heart” was performed for only the second time ever. JB crushes this song and the majority of fans can only hope this stays in rotation.
Unfinished, “Pilgrims” honored the California travelers who neared their own voyage home after exploring undiscovered lands with Widespread Panic. The insatiable audience didn’t budge and soon enough, Dave Schools launched into the bass-heavy introduction of the Grateful Dead’s “Cream Puff War” to conclude WSP’s weekend in Napa Valley.
On the horizon, the unstoppable band travels back to the East Coast for a stop in Wilmington, NC before cruising to Milwaukee, WI, celebrating Halloween at Savannah, GA, and ringing in the New Year at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA. For a full breakdown and to purchase tickets, click here.
Safe travels home, everybody. Hope those smiles and afterglow lasts until your next show! Cherish the memories we share as we keep each other in our hearts for a long while.
Setlist: Widespread Panic | Oxbow RiverStage | Napa, CA | 8/27/23
Set One: Little Lilly > Tall Boy, Time Zones (Jerry Joseph), Little Kin, Imitation Leather Shoes, We Walk Each Other Home^, This Part Of Town, Little By Little^, Climb To Safety (Jerry Joseph) (56 mins)
Set Two: Sundown Betty, Slippin’ Into Darkness (War)* > Pleas > Diner > C Brown, Honky Red (Murray McLaughlan), Space Wrangler, Protein Drink / Sewing Machine (Vic Chesnutt) (80 mins)
Encore: Keep Me In Your Heart (Warren Zevon), Pilgrims, Cream Puff War (Grateful Dead) (18 mins)
Notes:
* w/ Steve Lopez on percussion
– ‘Highway To Heaven’ rap during ‘Diner’
^ new original; debuted in Huntsville
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