Widespread Panic kicked off a three-night stand at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester on Friday. Last night marked the Southern jam titans return to the historic rock palace after 27 years and their first-ever headlining show. The band had previously played the room twice in the early 1990s opening for Blues Traveler in 1991 and returning the following year to provide support for The Radiators.
John Bell & Co. opened their three-pack of shows at The Cap by dusting off Chuck Berry’s “Let It Rock.” The tune from the Rock & Roll pioneer’s 1960 LP Rockin’ At The Hops had been sitting unplayed since February 28, 2017 – a span of 71 shows. The oft-covered song segued straight into “Radio Child” as Panic would focus on classic material during the first of six sets of the weekend. “C. Brown,” the pairing of “Pleas” and “Henry Parsons Died,” “Conrad” and just the eighth “B Of D” since 2016 highlighting the opening frame.
Bombs & Butterflies cut “You Got Yours” and “Up All Night” from their 2008 effort Free Somehow got the second stanza off the ground. The sextet would continue to lean in on old-school favorites with “Blackout Blues,” “Party At Your Mama’s House” and “Fishwater.” The rarity “Steven’s Cat” made its way into the setlist for the ninth time in three years with Widespread Panic looking to War’s “Slippin’ Into Darkness” and J.J. Cale’s staple “Travelin’ Light” closing out the set. A two-song encore of “Pilgrims” and Funkadelic’s “Red Hot Mama” put a cap on the first of three in the New York City suburb.
You Got Yours Captured by William Corcoran
Setlis (via PanicStream)
Set I: Let It Rock > Radio Child, C. Brown, Dyin’ Man, Shut Up and Drive, Pleas > Henry Parsons Died, Sundown Betty, B of D, Conrad (72 mins)
Set II: You Got Yours > Up All Night, Blackout Blues, Party At Your Mama’s House > Ribs and Whiskey, Steven’s Cat, Fishwater > Drums > Drums & Bass > Fishwater, Slippin’ Into Darkness, Travelin’ Light (93 mins)
Encore: Pilgrims, Red Hot Mama (16 mins)
