Widespread Panic at Mud Island: There’s a Reason They’re Called WSMFP
Article and photographs by Jeff Fernandez
Music courtesy of PanicStream
The six-headed monster, aka Widespread Panic, followed up their brilliant three-night sellout run at Red Rocks with two more stunning shows at Mud Island Amphitheater in Memphis. The band is positively on fire, beginning with Sunny Ortiz bringing the heat night after night and Duane Trucks, who has brought all tempos up to new and exciting levels.
Both of these were super-hot shows both musically and physically. I’d give Saturday’s show the best of the year so far. Opening with a “Disco” always means the heat is on, and that “Hatfield” was smokin’. It was great to see the new song “Sundown Betty” return. Cody Dickerson from North Mississippi Allstars on the electric washboard joined in on “Big Wooly Mammoth > Fishwater.”
And consider this second-set beast after “Hope In A Hopeless World” and “Pilgrims:” “Ride Me High > Tie Your Shoes > Drums > Fishwater > Big Wooly Mammoth* > Fishwater* > Red Hot Mama > Chilly Water.” The “Ride Me High > Tie Your Shoes” sequence alone lasted half an hour, and that entire unbroken ring of fire was 80 minutes long.
Who will we see in St. Augustine, Milwaukee, and Las Vegas?
06/29/18 Mud Island Amphitheater, Memphis, TN
[1: Henry Parsons Died > Junior, It Ain’t No Use > Heaven, Airplane > A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, Steven’s Cat, Imitation Leather Shoes > Mr. Soul; 2: Jam* > Dyin’ Man*, Bowlegged Woman*, Thought Sausage, Worry, Mercy > Jam > Vampire Blues > Proving Ground > Drums > Saint Ex > Proving Ground > Tall Boy; E: Drinking Muddy Water, Vacation]
* with Colin Butler on turntables
[Pre-show and setbreak music by Colin Butler on turntables]
06/30/18 Mud Island Amphitheater, Memphis, TN
[1: Disco, Wondering, Papa Johnny Road, Walkin’ (For Your Love), Papa’s Home, Shut Up And Drive > Hatfield, Sundown Betty, Can’t Get High, Action Man; 2: Hope In A Hopeless World, Pilgrims, Ride Me High > Tie Your Shoes > Drums > Fishwater > Big Wooly Mammoth* > Fishwater* > Red Hot Mama > Chilly Water; E: Honky Red, Last Dance]
* with Cody Dickinson on washboard
[Pre-show and setbreak music by Colin Butler on turntables; ‘Tequila’ tease during ‘Big Wooly Mammoth’]
