On December 31, 2015, Widespread Panic concluded their three-night New Year’s Eve run at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA. During the three-set barnburner, the Southern rock cohort weaved their gritty originals into a setlist of covers by Leonard Cohen, Murray McLauchlan, The Band, Bob Dylan, Joe Cocker, Jerry Joseph, Howlin’ Wolf, and more.
After the clock struck midnight, Widespread Panic lit the fuse with “Auld Lang Syne” and “Ain’t Life Grand” featuring JB on mandolin. Then, the band delivered a special pair of “Heroes”, starting with their own original before welcoming the Megablasters Horns for a powerful live debut performance of David Bowie’s. Bowie would pass away less than two weeks later on January 10th, 2016. The band wordlessly shared the pro-shot video of “Heroes” the day after his untimely death.
In honor of Memorial Day, in which the United States remembers the heroes who died while serving our country, rock out to this heavy version of David Bowie’s “Heroes” as performed by Widespread Panic.
Widespread Panic – “Heroes” [David Bowie cover]
Setlist: Widespread Panic | The Fox Theatre | Atlanta, GA | 12/31/15
I: Pilgrims, Wondering, Tickle The Truth, Angels Don’t Sing The Blues, First We Take Manhattan^, Hallelujah^
II: Disco, Cease Fire > Rock, Honky Red, Action Man, Slippin Into Darkness*#, Bust It Big*, Rebirtha*, Ophelia*
III: Auld Lang Syne, Ain’t Life Grand, Heroes, Heroes*^, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall*^ > Ribs & Whiskey > Drums & Bass > Drums > Greta* > High Time We Went*, Vacation, North
Encore: I’m Not Alone, Up All Night*, Taildragger*
Notes * w/ The Megablasters on horns
# w/ Steve Lopez on percussion
^ First Time Played: ‘First We Take Manhattan’ & ‘Hallelujah’ (Leonard Cohen); ‘Heroes’ (David Bowie); ‘A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall’ (Bob Dylan)
[JB seated 1st set; ‘Slippin’ Into Darkness’ LTP 10/19/14 Memphis (80 shows); JB on mandolin for ‘ALG’ ]