After two years of waiting, the Widespread Panic Napa Valley run came to a close last night at the Oxbow RiverStage. The warm and dry weather encouraged the audience to indulge in the area’s world-renowned wine, which flowed unceasingly from the spigots. Panic served up multiple sandwiches, a three-song encore, and a drum-heavy finale full of cohesive jams.
Getting down to business, Widespread cracked open a frothy “Tall Boy”. The hardened audience was still on their feet, unwavering from the weekend of wine, whiskey, and debauchery. Dave Schools anchored down a tough performance of J.J. Cale’s “Travelin’ Light” before JoJo Hermann’s keys cut like a scythe to harvest “Cotton Was King”.
Panic then buckled up and hit the road for a lengthy sequence of heaters, turning the keys to the ignition of the first half of “Driving Song” before taking a hairpin turn into the funky jams of “Rebirtha”. It was impossible not to dance as even the most exhausted feet began to shuffle along with the rhythm.
Without stopping, Duane Trucks and Sunny Ortiz introduced “Rock”. John Bell‘s vocals rang crisp and true even before Schools jumped in for a raucous call and response section. WSP then returned for the second half of “Driving Song” until Jimmy Herring went nuclear during his solo in “Holden Oversoul”.
JoJo’s piano introduced a monumental “Bust It Big” which featured a breakdown chock full of Sunny’s assorted percussions. Inching closer to halftime, Schools led the band through a badass rendition of “Imitation Leather Shoes” to close the first frame with a bang.
Widespread walked back onstage and kept it dirty as “Thought Sausage” chopped into the second set like a meat cleaver. After a quick pause, “Sundown Betty” began slow and steady but soon picked up momentum with the help of “gasoline electricity.”
After Jimmy Herring stacked a hefty guitar section into the mix, Sunny’s hands moved in a flurry to introduce the rising rhythm of “Surprise Valley”. Schools spread his wings and took off into an improvised bass jam, eventually morphing into “Pilgrims”. Both songs were sound-checked before Friday’s show and both JoJo and Jimmy took solos to showcase their familiarity.
A blazing hot “Disco” melted faces before melding into the distinctive opening bass notes of Vic Chesnutt’s “Blight”. Schools and JB weaved their voices throughout the chorus, but it was the bassist who voiced the appropriate commendation to the dedicated fans, “Two f*ckin’ years man… good on you!”
Widespread Panic – “Blight” (Vic Chesnutt) – 8/28/22
[Video: MrTopDogger]
JoJo teased something that resembled a Ray Manzarek (The Doors) melody until the group switched gears, with the six people onstage continuing to rifle through the setlist as one cohesive unit. Like a massive steamship firing on all cylinders, Panic rose and fell amidst the crests and troughs of “Papa’s Home” as an unstoppable machine.
Another breakdown was led by the drummer duo before soaring back into the second half of “Surprise Valley”. To close out the second set, Panic kept the fire ablaze with an extended “Fishwater”. JB tipped his metaphorical backwards cap to New Orleans legend, Dr. John, by switching the lyrics to “Fueling my dreams, eating Gris-Gris.”
JoJo’s clavinet burned hot, and another percussive breakdown was hosted by Duane Trucks. Eventually, Sunny joined in, then Schools, and finally JB and Herring as the song peaked in communal ecstasy. As the band walked offstage, the audience scrambled to pick up their jaws and wits as everybody wanted “Mo’, Mo’, Mo’!”
Sauntering out of the shadows for a victory lap, Widespread Panic honored David Byrne of Talking Heads with “City of Dreams”. After a short pause, Panic performed an emotional cover of The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence” for only the fifth time since its debut in Vegas earlier this year. During this piece, JB gave one of his best vocal performances and Herring was patient, yet explosive when his time came.
As the music faded, Duane kept a rolling beat going on his kit, foreshadowing more to come. Sure enough, “Chilly Water” concluded the Napa Valley run in rowdy fashion. JB tucked the finale in with a simple and humble “Good night, everybody. Thank you very much!”
Widespread Panic – “City of Dreams” (Talking Heads), “Dear Prudence” (The Beatles), “Chilly Water” – 8/28/22
[Video: Must Have Media]
Widespread Panic – Oxbow RiverStage – Napa, CA – 8/28/22
[Video: Must Have Media]
Next up for Widespread Panic is three nights at The Theater at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, MD just outside Washington, D.C. on September 16th–18th before two headlining sets at Mempho Music Festival in Memphis, TN on October 1st and 2nd. Milwaukee (10/21–10/23) and Savannah Halloween (10/28-10/29) follow with New Year’s Eve shows in Nashville this year (12/30–12/31). For a full breakdown, click here.
Setlist: Widespread Panic | Oxbow RiverStage | Napa, CA | 8/28/22
Set One: Tall Boy, Travelin’ Light (J.J. Cale), Cotton Was King, Driving Song > Rebirtha > Rock > Driving Song, Holden Oversoul, Bust It Big, Imitation Leather Shoes (67 mins)
Set Two: Thought Sausage, Sundown Betty, Surprise Valley > Pilgrims > Disco > Blight (Vic Chesnutt) > Papa’s Home > Drums > Surprise Valley, Fishwater > Drums > Fishwater (76 mins)
Encore: City of Dreams (Talking Heads), Dear Prudence (The Beatles), Chilly Water