Widespread Panic Smoke Three More Momentous St. Augustine Shows
Videos courtesy of Fred Ramadan, Words and Photography courtesy of Jeff Fernandez
Widespread Panic returned to the St. Augustine Amphitheatre this past weekend (August 2-4) for three days of momentous music with plenty of bustouts for all to enjoy. St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States, is the perfect back drop for one the best jam bands on the circuit. High temps and thick humidity did not matter to the 4092 lucky fans to be in attendance.
Widespread Panic has spent the past 33 years giving their fans everything they have each and every night. Jimmy Herring continues to melt faces, and John Bell brings the heat both vocally and with his guitar. Watching Herring and Bell jam off each other with so much energy is amazing and beyond description.
FRIDAY
Friday night, WSP kicked off the three-day run with a “Papa’s Home” opener into Neil Young’s “Don’t Be Denied,” which transitioned into “Rock > Henry Parsons Died.” Next up was a very much welcomed wet “Chilly Water,” bringing the energy to higher levels, and the crowd was helping the heat by tossing water each time the chorus was played. Next, WSP finished the set with a bang: Curtis Mayfield’s “Pusherman > Traveling Light” (J.J. Cale), closing the first set with Grateful Dead cover “Cream Puff War.” Arguably one of the best first sets this year.
The heat continued with set two. Neil Young’s “Walk On” opened up and brought the crowd to their feet, and no one sat down again. Next up was heady “Hatfield” into a Jimmy Herring-jammed “Cotton Was King.” JoJo Hermann took the helm and killed it again with crowd fav “Tall Boy” into a lovely version of “Pigeons.” They finished off the set with “Junior” into a nice Panic sandwich: “Driving Song > Blue Indian > Driving Song,” ending the set with Jerry Joseph’s “Climb To Safety,” a great start for day one.
Encore: “Heaven” (Talking Heads) > “New Speedway Boogie” (Grateful Dead — last time played Vegas 2015).
[08/02/19 1: Papa’s Home, Don’t Be Denied, Rock, Henry Parsons Died, Chilly Water, Happy > Pusherman > Travelin’ Light > Cream Puff War; 2: Walk On, Hatfield, Cotton Was King, Tall Boy, Pigeons, Junior, Driving Song > Blue Indian > Driving Song, Climb To Safety; E: Heaven, New Speedway Boogie]
[Last ‘New Speedway Boogie’ – 03/28/15, 223 shows]
SATURDAY
Temperatures were rising both on the ground and on stage. The boys opened with “Good People > Dark Bar > GoodPeople,” and thank you WSP for returning this “Dark Bar” jewel at Red Rocks. Energy was back and rising quickly. How could we top the previous night? Our favorite band had plans in process to do just that. Highlights of the first set: “Sleeping Man” (David Schools killing this as always) > “Sleeping Monkey” (Was there a message? Do we need sleep?) into “I’m Not alone,” ending the first set with a jam-filled “Imitation Leather Shoes.”
Set two: here comes the heat! After crushing set one the night before, it only was fitting that set two tonight would take the spotlight, and, yes, it did! Opening up with a “Rebirtha” like none before, Dave Schools stopping and starting his monstrous bass licks. I love this newer start to the song. Next up was one the most favorite instrumentals leading to a massive sequence: “Disco > Ride Me High (JoJo giving up the big love),” “Sharon” (David Bromberg), and “Machine > Radio Child > Barstools and Dreamers” to close out the second set.
Encore and let’s get higher! “Can’t Get High > Cocaine (LTP NOLA 2013) > High Time We Went (LTP LaPlaya 2018).” WOW! We are the Lucky Good People, and that’s how you finish a Saturday show in St. Augustine, said all in attendance (well, everyone I know). One more day in Florida paradise. Let’s see what’s in store, because, as we all know:
“Never Ever Miss a Sunday Show.”
[08/03/19 1: Goodpeople > Dark Bar > Goodpeople, Space Wrangler, Steven’s Cat, Sleeping Man, Sleepy Monkey, I’m Not Alone, Imitation Leather Shoes; 2: Rebirtha, Disco > Ride Me High, Sharon, Machine > Radio Child > Barstools and Dreamers; E: Can’t Get High, Cocaine, High Time We Went]
[‘Riders On The Storm’ tease during ‘Ride Me High’; Last ‘Cocaine’ – 10/31/13, 326 shows]
SUNDAY
Sunday Service, and the final show for the Florida would live up to the expectations and beyond.
WSP began with JoJo Hermann singing “Big Wooly Mammoth,” getting us back our normal programming, dancing and laughing with our best friends and best band. It felt like we all we wearing our coats in the middle of the summertime! This continued with John Bell singing us a wonderful “Pleas > Makes Sense to Me (Bloodkin) > Send Your Mind (Van Morrison) > Angels on High (LTP Wookie 2017). Next up, a beautiful “Dear Mr. Fantasy” before closing the first set with an ever-so-fitting “Up All Night.”
JB came out second set with his tiny guitar (mandolin) and delivered crowd fav “Ain’t Life Grand” into “Gimme” (We Miss You, Mikey) > Jack > Action Man > Tie Your Shoes,” driving the crowd into a Panic Frenzy. They slowed things down with one the best “Mercy”s of recent history (according to many I know). Next up would be some of the best drums ever in the Duane Trucks era, Sunny Ortiz taking us into “Fishwater” and foreshadowing the NOLA Halloween upcoming run. Duane and Sunny went back and forth like never before, and JoJo, Herring, and Schools remained on the stage throughout drums. JB returned to bring the crowd to its knees with Neil Young’s “Cortez the Killer” (LTP 07/03/16), back into “Fishwater,” leaving all of us drenched in the happiest sweat ever.
Encore: “Honey Bee” (Tom Petty) into “Dreamsong,” and we finished off another funfilled historic Widespread Panic St. Augustine run.
Thank You Widespread Panic, Paul Hoffman, and all the crews that continue to take us the new levels delivering the pure heat each and every time!!!
WE JUST WANT MORE, MORE, MORE!
Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium acoustic shows are up next 8/23 thru 8/25. We’ll see you there!
[08/04/191: Big Wooly Mammoth > Pleas > Makes Sense To Me, Send Your Mind, Angels on High, Dear Mr. Fantasy, Up All Night, Conrad; 2: Ain’t Life Grand, Gimme > Jack > Action Man > Tie Your Shoes > Mercy > Fishwater > Drums > Cortez the Killer > Fishwater; E: Honey Bee, Dream Song]
