Widespread Panic: Three More Red Rocks Sell-outs
Widespread Panic, the undisputed kings of Red Rocks, returned to add to their consecutive sell-outs with numbers 70, 71, and 72. Red Rocks Amphitheater, arguably the best outdoor venue on the planet, hosted the undisputed consecutive sell-out leaders Widespread Panic June 21-23.
Within the Spreadhead community, it is well known that the annual pilgrimage to Red Rocks is very special place to see your favorite band and meet with your best friends for a guaranteed memorial time never to be forgotten. The six-headed monster from Athens, Georgia, delivered three of best shows of the year. Temperatures were rising day by day but nowhere near as hot as the music that was to come. With a special guest one night, bust-outs, and a new song (loved it), the weekend was full of love and energy that is always a never-miss!
Friday, June 21
It’s go time!
Set One: WSP wasted no time, opening up with a heavy-duty “Mr. Soul > Ain’t Life Grand,” and “Up All Night > I’m Not Alone” led into “Good People > Dark Bar > Good People.” Now the crowd was rowdy and ready to rock and roll. Next Dave Schools would lay down the heavy-duty bass for “Thought Sausage” with 9,525 peeps getting down. This would transition into one the newer songs we love, “King Baby,” and then into the very energetic Dave Schools taking us to break with a very happy, powerful “Love tractor.”
Set Two: JoJo Hermann kicked off the second set with “Red Hot Momma,” and we are back dancing hard and fast. Next up, “Bear’s Gone Fishing > Blight > Greta > You Got Yours > Schools Jam > a very powerful Tie Your Shoes > Drums > Party At Your Mamas House > Driving Song.” Duane Trucks and Sonny Ortiz really knocked out a great drums (can we get more?) “Down” and the heavy metal-esque “Halloween Face” wrapped up Set two.
Encore: Bass Mountain led “Rebirtha” and “One Arm Steve” (RIP Willie Mays) and “Expiration Day.”
Great start, and we are ready for what’s to come!
Saturday, June 22
Set One: First set opened with “Little Lilly > Blackout Blues” and then “Better Off > B of D > Old Neighborhood > Makes Sense To Me” as the OG tunes were hitting hard, and then Hermann brought out one of the newer songs from earlier this year, “Tackle Box Hero.” Special guest Jason Crosby, fiddle in hand, sat in, bringing the crowd to their feet for the next four songs, trading off with Jimmy Herring and John Bell on “Ribs and Whiskey > The Take Out > There Is a Time” and a set-ending heavy-duty “Porch Song.”
Set Two: “Radio Child” led off, followed by a sammy with “Trashy > Pleas > Fishwater > Bust It Big> Fishwater.” There was a deep and dark “Mercy,” with Jimmy Herring steal souls with every lick throughout the song. Next JB would play the new song debuted in Memphis, “Cosmic Confidante” leading into “Airplane” and ending the set with “Climb to Safety.”
Encore: “Honky Red > Keep Me in Your Heart > No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature”
Up next: Sunday Service. Never Miss a Sunday Show. JB backwards hat. The Heat is on!
Sunday, June 23
Set One: Panic launched with “For What It’s Worth” and “Holden Oversoul > Action Man.” Another of the new songs, “We Walk Each Other Home,” sounded great. We entered the Schoolszone with a heavy bass lead for “Junior” and “Vacation” before a bust-out as JB debuted “Small Town” and another of the new tunes, “Little By Little” into a barnburner not normally played on Sunday, “Flat Foot Flewzy.” ALL 9,525 people on their feet, getting down every which way and loose with Schools giving us a loving rap that had everyone telling their neighbors “I love you.” THAT’S how you end a first set!
As the sun lowered and the lights were glimmering, it was time for the last set of the 72nd consecutive sellout for Widespread Panic, the all-time leader by far.
Set Two: It began with “Don’t Be Denied” and “Space Wrangler,” then “Blue Carousel > I Walk On Guilded Splinters (Dr. John) > Schools Jam > Machine > Bar Stools and Dreamers.” They followed that with a crowd-pleasing “Coconuts” — once again complete frenzy as far as your eyes could see next. that led to a much different “St. Ex” with Jimmy Herring’s guitar slow-jamming us like no other, and this transitioned to an ever-so -wonderful rendition. That transitioned to Hermann slowly easing into an ever-so-hard and heavy “Ride Me High,” ending the second set with “Lawyers, Guns, and Money.”
Encore: “Life as a Tree > Pilgrims” and ever-so-appropriate “Postcard” to send us all leaving with big happy smiles of satisfaction.
Thank You Widespread Panic, Pulse Lighting, Home Team, all the crews, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and all the volunteers who helped to assure the best experience for the 70th, 71st, and 72nd consecutive sell-outs. I can’t wait until next yeas Red Rocks Run, as WSP will be celebrating a Diamond Anniversary with numbers 73, 74 and 75
Next up, Asheville, North Carolina, at Harrah’s Cherokee Center! See Ya There!
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