August 8th marks the 24th anniversary of Widespread Panic’s performance at the Aspen Harmony Festival, where the band shared a bill with Bob Weir‘s RatDog. Considering the jam synergy between both groups, it’s no surprise that Weir and members of Ratdog joined forces with Panic during the 1999 festival.
The sit-in came in the middle of Panic’s second set when Weir along with RatDog drummer Jay Lane and bassist Rob Wasserman sat in for both “Me And The Devil Blues” and “Pusherman”. Weir then left the stage, but Lane and Wasserman remained for a big jam segment that riffed heavily on the Grateful Dead‘s “The Other One”. Finally, Wasserman left, leaving Lane to rock a “Drums” segment with Panic’s Sunny Ortiz and Todd Nance.
Fortunately, thanks to PanicStream, fans can relive the 1999 sit-in.
Setlist: Widespread Panic | Aspen Harmony Festival | Aspen, CO | 8/8/99
Set 1: Love Tractor > Dyin’ Man, Hatfield > The Waker, Big Wooly Mammoth, Machine > Barstools and Dreamers, All Time Low
Set 2: Ain’t Life Grand > Chilly Water, Me And The Devil Blues*, Pusherman*, Jam** > Drums*** > Vacation > Tie Your Shoes > Climb To Safety
Encore 1: Pigeons > One Arm Steve
Encore 2: Red Hot Mama
* with Bob Weir on guitar, Jay Lane on percussion, Rob Wasserman on bass
** with Jay Lane on percussion, Rob Wasserman on bass
*** with Jay Lane on percussion
[‘The Other One’ jam after ‘Pusherman’; Ratdog also appeared]
[Photo taken from Bonnaroo 2005, setlist via Everyday Companion]
[Originally published 8/8/17]