Never miss a Sunday show. That’s what fans who caught Widespread Panic’s third and final show at the Riverside Theatre in Milwaukee, WI were saying, wrapped up in the glory of the band’s rocking music.
The first set alone was almost 20 minutes longer than the Friday or Saturday first sets, a good sign for what was to come. Singer and guitarist John Bell noted the anniversary of the first time the band played the Riverside, and then they immediately went into “Send Your Mind.” The set didn’t get rowdy, however, until they started “Disco.” The instrumental song got everyone in the crowd moving.
“Greta” was next. This song always gets love in Milwaukee, and one only has to go back and listen to the Saturday 2014 version to see how much the fans love it. Last night’s version proved no different, and it’s possible the crowd got even more raucous last night than in 2014. Once keyboardist JoJo Hermann began seeing an extra chorus of “There’s a pack of rabid dogs…” the place erupted into a frenzy. It was amazing. “Stop/Go” featured some nice Fire on the Mountain teases, and “Blackout Blues” ended the set with an exclamation.
They opened the second set with “Can’t Get High,” a problem that nobody attending the show seemed to be having. Panic slowed things down a bit with “Don’t Be Denied.” JB’s voice was crooning to the crowd, and everyone seemed mesmerized by it. When he sang the lyric, “We started a band…” an image of the WSP note eater logo flashed on the LED screens, and the crowd again erupted in jubilation and appreciation. “Rock” was particularly grungy and had that defining hard-edged Panic sound. After the drums segment, “Blue Indian” was standard awesome and a rocking “North” closed out the set.
“Ain’t Life Grand” was the encore, and it was a sentiment to which both band and crowd could facilely relate at that moment. As with the two previous nights, the encore was a treat, and this Sunday show provided more of the same. This time they played Black Sabbath’s “Children of the Grave” and believe it or not this tune is even rarer than the other two covers, as “Children” hadn’t been played since 2007. One should note that Panic has been doing Black Sabbath covers from previous Halloween encores, so are they leading up to something for the Halloween show in Broomfield, CO? They have stops in Minneapolis and Ames before making it to the Rocky Mountain state, so we’ll see what other past-Halloween tricks they may have up their sleeve.
So now that the 2016 Riverside run is completed, and Panic once again delivered on all three nights, there is only one question that remains: Will they be back next year? Their self-admitted intention to reduce touring in upcoming years suggests that they probably won’t. But maybe, because of the soft spot in their hearts for this great venue in a great city, they will find some time and treat this as the destination event it has become. I’m optimistic they’ll be back.
Check out the full setlist below, courtesy of PanicStream, as well as a gallery from Ojeda Photography.
Setlist: Widespread Panic at Riverside Theatre, Milwaukee, WI – 10/23/16
Set 1: Send Your Mind, Last Straw > Christmas Katie > Saint Ex, Disco > Greta > Stop/Go, Goin’ Out West > Blackout Blues (72 mins)
Set 2: Can’t Get High, Junior, Don’t Be Denied, Surprise Valley > Rock, Bust It Big > Drums > Cease Fire, Blue Indian, North (88 mins)
Encore: Ain’t Life Grand, Children of the Grave
Notes: ‘Children of the Grave’ LTP 10/31/07 Asheville (604 shows)
