Widespread Panic hit the midway point in their five-night residency at the illustrious Beacon Theatre last night for yet another mind-blowing show. The temperature was dropping fast and was accompanied by a merciless wind as audience members—with that elusive Saturday ticket in hand—scampered toward the marquee lights in search of sanctuary and zealous camaraderie. Highlights were a diabolical Dave Schools rap about love in the only cover of the first set and a tribute to Leap Day with a triple “Time” song selection in the second set.
The always humble and courteous John Bell greeted the audience with a simple “Welcome back” before trotting “Space Wrangler” into the opening slot. The psychedelic rodeo broke down into a bass-heavy stroll down “Walkin’ (For Your Love)” before turning the reins back to JB and Jimmy Herring for the nocturnal celebration “Up All Night.”
A glorious “Tortured Artist” emerged as John Bell’s emotionally wrought vocals brought all the feels for only the third time in six years, with the last time played in Birmingham’s 2018 winter classic. For the fourteenth time since its Mexican debut at Panic en la Playa in 2018, Panic performed “Sundown Betty”. With a new studio album set to begin recording in May, this well-worked tune seems likely to appear on the forthcoming album’s track list.
Jimmy Herring’s screeching guitar riffs settled down to give JB the space to belt out a heartwarming “I’m Not Alone” from the band’s self-titled studio album. (“I’m feelin’ a little bit easier now / knowing that you’re all here!”) The hard-hitting mechanics of “Machine” were drowned out by an intoxicating “Barstools & Dreamers” before finishing the first set with an appropriate cover of NRBQ‘s “Flat Foot Flewzy”.
Dave Schools blazed the way through the scorching Saturday night set closer with a quick “love” rap: “How you doin’, Broadway? There’s not a lot I know, but I do know, that love is pretty cool. Love might not cure disease—it might give you some—but love’s the best when things are weird. So, let’s look at all the people around you here tonight, and let’s think about love, and cool things, and awesomeness. ‘Cuz we’re all here together, in this amazing city, and we got two more pancakes to flip! Two and a half. Just jump in and hang on, here we go!” After Schools resumed the madness for another go around before sculpting the conclusion of the song and, subsequently, the first set.
After set break, the scales were in perfect balance and the Beacon residency was halfway through on this timeless Leap Day Saturday night. Breaking the equilibrium, JoJo and his piano wove tight minuets back and forth among his ivory dance floor with a bawdy romp through “Blackout Blues”.
A lengthy combustible transition flowed forth for a dozen or so minutes, which not only teased Mary Hopkin’s “Those Were the Days”, but also gave time to fuel up a soaring “Airplane”. The beloved jam took off and settled into a high-altitude “Holden Oversoul” before crash landing into the Georgian swamps of Bloodkin’s “Henry Parson’s Died”. (Who died on “6’ o clock on a Saturday”) Schools injected a percussive Grateful Dead “The Other One” tease into the song’s bass-heavy breakdown.
Breaking through the time-space continuum, the overarching Leap Day theme connected three “Time” related covers before finishing the set with an explosive “RMH > RHM” ending. Jerry Joseph’s cowritten “Time Zones” (“We’ll all be here tomorrow / just like today!”) opened the trilogy flanked by Los Lobos’ “Somewhere in Time” and The Dillard’s “There’s a Time.” This marked the fourth and fifth time that the Los Lobos’ and Dillards’ tunes have been played, respectively.
Closing the set, Panic carved a flowing musical river that consisted of unstopping transitions that connected the Leap Day trilogy with J.J. Cale’s “Ride Me High” before dropping into a riotous rendition of Parliament Funkadelic’s “Red Hot Mama”. The sizzling “RMH > RHM” ignited the air and threatened to consume the historical venue as tendrils of smoke snaked out from the crevices around the door jam.
After a quick break allowed the audience to cool down, Widespread Panic executed a cutting performance of “This Part of Town” that championed its rightful place as the first encore of the night. (for more information: see forthcoming live album: “Sunday Show”) Closing out the frame of encores, Panic played the second Neil Young cover of the run with an electrifying “Mr. Soul”. The crowd refused to leave or collect their belongings, and instead yelled at the top of their lungs from their seats, hoping for a frothy second set of encores.
The scales have tipped and there’s no turning back. Two more flapjacks ahead with the holy Sabbath of shows coming tonight from high atop the Beacon Theatre’s pulpits. Those lucky enough to planned, finagled, and endured will be filling the pews prior to the 8 p.m. sermon. Early risers deemed blessed enough will be ordained as rightful owners of the coveted Sperry.
Widespread Panic returns to the Beacon Theatre tonight and tomorrow to conclude this “Full-Stack of Pancakes.” This expression coined by Dave Schools fits so nicely. Short stacks are for children; and cannot hope to satiate a grown adult especially one with the Panic build and tolerance. Even after the fourth night in Mexico, devoted fans oft are heard pleading aloud for another night. Well, this is it, folks, five consecutive nights. Panic trained for this, did you?
Check out some fan-shot videos from Widespread Panic at the Beacon Theatre in New York from Saturday night.
Setlist: Widespread Panic | Beacon Theatre | New York, NY | 2/29/20
Set One: Space Wrangler, Walkin’ (For Your Love), Up All Night, Tortured Artist, Sundown Betty > I’m Not Alone, Machine > Barstools & Dreamers, Flat Foot Flewzy (NRBQ cover) (66 mins)
Set Two: Blackout Blues > Jam > Airplane > Holden Oversoul, Henry Parsons Died (Bloodkin cover), Time Zones, Somewhere In Time (Los Lobos cover) > There Is A Time (The Dillards cover) > Ride Me High (J.J. Cale cover) > Red Hot Mama (Parliament Funkadelic cover) (76 mins)
Encore This Part Of Town, Mr Soul (12 mins)
Notes – ‘Tortured Artist’ LTP 2/16/2018 Birmingham (81 shows)
– Dave during FFF: “Love is pretty cool. It may not cure diseases…it might give you one!”
– “Those Were The Days” (‘All In The Family’ theme song) tease before “Airplane”
– “The Other One” tease during “Henry Parsons Died”