For the second consecutive day, a horde of Widespread Panic fans swarmed St. Louis and enjoyed the city’s landmarks, BBQ smokehouses, and sprawled amongst hotels throughout the Midwestern city. A pre-party hosted by 4 Hands Brewery drew a high-volume turnout epitomizing WSP fanbases’ unquestionable perseverance.
Widespread Panic reciprocated the fervent dedication by steamrolling through a second night of monster jams at the Stifel Theatre. Playing with intent and precision, WSP remerged onstage to immediately barge through the gates with an opening cut of “Junior”. Consecutive originals followed as the six-piece cruised through the “Old Neighborhood” before taking “Airplane” into sky-high altitudes. John Bell swapped out the lyrics in favor of, “Sittin’ around watching the snowfall / Don’t know how it could snow so long.” Afterwards, terminal velocity was achieved as Panic glided into Van Morrison’s “Send Your Mind”.
For only the third time since its debut in Wilmington, NC last year, JoJo Hermann’s hands wove the magic threads of “Blue Carousel”, resembling Arachne at her loom. Plunging onward without stopping, The Guess Who’s “No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature” planted seeds to set up Jimmy Herring’s insatiable reaper for a bountiful harvest.
Cutting their teeth on new material, Widespread worked into “Little by Little”. Last night marked the sixth time the tune was played and was arguably the best performance to date as the band seemed more comfortable with the progressions. Back to more familiar grounds, a strong “The Last Straw” flexed its muscles before the band dropped into Neil Young’s “Mr. Soul” to finish the first frame with a furious flourish.
Past the halfway point of the run, WSP stirred in a savory selection of songs starting with a sizzling “Thought Sausage”. After a brief pause, the six-piece wiggled into “Conrad”. The embryonic cocoon provided sanctuary from the harsh realities of life’s fragile existence. Without room to evolve any further, the rockin’ caterpillar spread its wings to visit the pro bono carnival of Dave Bromberg’s “Sharon”. (“You don’t need no money, boy / you pay with your heart!”)
The veteran band’s instinctual interplay was on full display during this song, highlighted by JB hilariously mimicking Jimmy Herring’s “Waa-Waa-Waa” guitar and adding, “I’m just crying cause he’s not here,” as an immediate afterthought.
Enlisting listeners for a fabled quest set in the medieval times, a scintillating “Jack” conjured jesters, wizards, and a divine jam. Duane Trucks, Jimmy Herring, and Dave Schools then combined forces and introduced “Impossible” amidst a swirling sea of JoJo’s organ.
A spacey transition featuring a tease the Grateful Dead’s “The Other One” carried the band off into the void for a haunting cover of War’s “Slipping into Darkness” embraced the void. Schools and Herring teased Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up” after a furious guitar solo dominated the middle section of the song.
WSP dialed in a “Good People” sandwich to turn the tides and return the warm vibes. Breaking it down midway, JoJo entranced with an ethereal “Dark Bar” sequence. Like waking up from a dream, Panic delved back into the second half of “Good People” and wrapped up the second set with a galloping “Action Man”.
Shuffling back on stage, Schools asked everyone to make a wish at 11:11 before JB thanked the crowd and, without further ado, pulled on heartstrings during the fourth-ever performance of Leonard Cohen’s “Bird on a Wire”. The Panics debuted the song during 2021’s NYE show, which was rescheduled for August of 2022. To close out Friday’s festivities, JB embarked on “Chilly Water” solo for the first verse until the rest of the band joined in for the chorus and beyond.
Tonight is WSP’s third and final night in St. Louis. It’s a rare Saturday night closer, and it’s sure to be the best one since the last one.
Godspeed, everybody. Slow and steady wins the race; too much too fast, falls on their face. Until tomorrow, friends, family, and snowmen and women.
Widespread Panic – Stifel Theatre – St. Louis, MO – 1/19/24 [Audio Only]
Widespread Panic – “Slippin’ Into Darkness” – 1/19/24
[Vidoe: IowaHiker]
Setlist: Widespread Panic | Stifel Theatre | St. Louis, MO | 1/19/24
Set 1: Junior, Old Neighborhood, Airplane > Send Your Mind, Blue Carousel > No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature, Little By Little, The Last Straw > Mr Soul
Set 2: Thought Sausage, Conrad, Sharon, Jack, Impossible > Jam > Slippin’ Into Darkness, Good People > Dark Bar > Good People, Action Man
Encore: Bird On The Wire, Chilly Water (15 mins)
Notes:
– ‘The Other One’ tease after ‘Impossible’
– ‘Chilly Water’ first verse JB only
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