Widespread Panic returned to the stage to continue the cataclysmic second night at the MGM National Harbor Hotel and Casino in Oxon Hill, Maryland (just outside Washington, D.C.) on Friday night. After an incredible first night, the crowd waited in anticipation for another round of music hosted by the prestigious rock and roll gods.
A cover of Jerry Joseph’s “Chainsaw City” kicked off the night with dirty, funk-filled swagger. The jaunty bass lines of Dave Schools built a solid foundation for Jimmy Herring to encompass the rhythms with a smooth solo, while allowing Schools to also provide backup vocals. The badass bassist continued his acoustic domination with a heavy rendition of J.J. Cale’s “Travelin’ Light” while John Bell reminded us that “Travelin’ light is the only way to fly”.
An inspirational “Good People” followed. From the album Earth to America, the song rallied the community to gather under the collective term and served as a reminder to help one another out. A heavy jam emerged midway and John Bell replenished the wounded souls when he sang “Here are your waters, so drink, and be whole again.” The mellow and sentimental notes of “Gradle” from Bombs & Butterflies gave John Bell a chance to display his vocal prowess and incredible range. The song hadn’t been played since the New Year’s run of 2016, and the audience responded warmly.
The band then delved into the classic “Big Wooly Mammoth” from Don’t Tell the Band with JoJo Hermann stirring up a cauldron of goodness with his voice and keyboard mastery. Such lyrics as “You ain’t got time to worry ’bout mass extinction, just try and get along with the human beings” continued similar themes of brotherhood as the previous night. The air began to sizzle when the musicians segued into “Greta” and the audience transformed into a wild pack of dogs and howled to the ceiling.
To continue the onslaught, the jam transitioned smoothly into the opening riffs of “Sleepy Monkey”. Jimmy Herring, the White Wizard, scientifically dissected the jams with his casually precise guitar shredding, while John Bell sang a sweet tune like a nurturing mother singing a lullaby to her newborn audience.
The band took a moment’s rest before diving headfirst into the instrumental jam, “St. Louis” from their album Dirty Side Down. The song was played with deliberation and the musicians danced around each other’s rhythms in a thoughtful sentimentality. To top off a phenomenal first set, the boys then executed a delicious “Driving Song” sandwich with an explosive “Disco” as the meat. The sandwich juxtaposed the slow building tempo of “Driving Song” with a party favorite, and it was like they were cooking with dynamite. The crowd was still dancing to the echoes of the music when the band took their set break.
Upon returning, the lights went out, and Widespread Panic captivated with an esoteric rendition of War’s “Slippin’ Into Darkness” which featured Steve Lopez as a guest percussionist. This set the tone for the rest of the evening, and the band continued to recklessly add catalytic combustibles to the irrepressible fire with a filthy “Machine > Barstools & Dreamers” combination.
Slowing it down, JoJo conducted the keyboard introduction for an emotionally charged performance of “This Part of Town” from the album Don’t Tell the Band. John Bell sang in his poignant, soulful style, imploring people to not give up because “where there is love, there is hope.” This song supplements the motifs of brotherhood and companionship in what sometimes seems like overwhelmingly dark times. Jimmy Herring’s guitar complemented JoJo’s ivory deliverance perfectly, and the entire performance hit all the sweet spots.
The boys then brought it back home for an inspirational “Heroes” from Ain’t Life Grand. The mellow tempo allowed John Bell to weld his words and pound the message that “These are the days of heroes, tonight!” When the song developed, Herring sawed off notes like a lumberjack cutting through a sequoia and his magnificent wizardry electrified the atmosphere and the crowd.
Robert Johnson’s “Love in Vain” followed, performed for the first time in the band’s history. This artful display of musicianship was a prime example of the deep well of songs that this band draws from, and also highlights their complete unpredictability that after thirty-two years, the boys can still keep even the most knowledgeable audience member guessing.
A scorching version of Tom Wait’s “Goin’ Out West” replaced the sentimental tone with whiskey rock and roll grit. The boys threw a badass rendition of this in Mexico, and they tried their damn hardest to outdo themselves. Duane Trucks and Sunny Ortiz remained on stage while the rest of the band took a breather, which allowed the drummers to go back and forth exchanging rhythms for an impressive exhibition of endurance, precision, and coordination.
When the rest of the band rejoined the drummers, the band delved into a sizzling “Cease Fire” from their most recent album Street Dogs. John Bell crooned and captivated while Jimmy Herring swooned and levitated sending guitar notes flying with cool and calculated exactness. The song itself epitomized the state of current political affairs, and once again desperately begged listeners to rise above and overcome, “Brothers and sisters inspire… Cease Fire.”
Another Robert Johnson cover followed as the band played a supernatural version of “Me and the Devil Blues” with John Bell in peak form. The boys transported the audience for a guided tour of the haunted crossroads of Mississippi where Robert Johnson allegedly sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his guitar playing abilities. JoJo Hermann tickled the ivory in an ethereal style while John Bell mystified by singing like a man possessed. All the while, Jimmy Herring delivered an unreal solo and Schools hammered his bass unmercifully.
To close the second set, Widespread Panic executed a thriving performance of their psychedelic staple, “Pigeons”. This song contained all the best facets of a Panic jam with several tempo changes, jamtastic breakdowns, and a blood-curdling John Bell shriek. The audience went nuts, and the energy level was ecstatic both on and off the stage.
As the first encore, the band brandished a cover of Bloodkin’s “Henry Parsons Died” to pay homage to their Georgian roots and to maintain that aggressive level of energy. With a steady bass line and funereal lyrics, this tune continued to demonstrate the band’s excellence as they wield impressive musical accomplishments in a casual and natural elegance. To end the second night of music, Widespread Panic executed a badass performance of their much sought after original tune “Postcard” from their Everyday album. The lyrics captured what many people were feeling when John Bell sang, “This town is nuts, my kind of place; I don’t want to leave… I don’t never, never, never, never want to leave.” Jimmy Herring iced the cake with his swift manipulation of music and time.
With night three ahead, the band has begun to resemble less of a six-piece band of world-class musicians and more like a runaway train full of passengers who hardly care if it derails. The energy brought by the band was reciprocated exponentially by the passionate community in the audience. With one night of music left, the only certainty is that this band cannot be stopped.
Chainsaw City > Travelin’ Light – Widespread Panic – 3/16/18
[Video: Tom Libera]
Setlist: Widespread Panic | The Theater At MGM National Harbor | Washington, D.C. | 3/16/18
Set 1: Chainsaw City, Travelin’ Light, Good People, Gradle, Big Wooly Mammoth > Greta > Sleepy Monkey, St Louis^, Driving Song > Disco > Driving Song (80 mins)
Set 2: Slippin’ Into Darkness*, Machine > Barstools & Dreamers, This Part of Town, Heroes, Love In Vain^^, Goin’ Out West > Drums > Cease Fire, Me and the Devil Blues, Pigeons (100 mins)
Encore: Henry Parsons Died, Postcard (11 mins)
Notes ^ LTP 10/21/16 Milwaukee (48 shows)
^^ FTP (Robert Johnson)
* w/ Steve Lopez on percussion