Jam-rock Goliath Widespread Panic, returned to Oxbow Riverstage in Napa, California on Friday night to begin a three-night weekend stand. Napa Valley has been the only West Coast stop outside Sin City for Panic in the last few years, so the Good People of the Pacific Time Zone rallied around the fertile ground from far and wide.
John Bell and his comrades took their respective positions onstage as the rowdy crowd murmured excited acknowledgments of the frontman’s casually cool attire—complete with sunglasses and a backwards cap, a known harbinger of fireworks to come. A piano-heavy jam and rolling drum rhythm built into a behemoth “Bust It Big” opener before JoJo Hermann relinquished vocal duties to JB for a run through Bloodkin’s “Makes Sense To Me”. After a brief pause, “Holden Oversoul” kicked open the door of the back porch, allowing lead guitarist Jimmy Herring to run unbridled through the Northern California landscape of lush, rolling hills.
Without stopping, drummer Duane Trucks, fresh off a brief dalliance with Umphrey’s McGee, carried the momentum into an uplifting performance of “I’m Not Alone” before JoJo commandeered the helm for a cover of J.J. Cale’s “Ride Me High”. Next, for only the third time ever, “King Baby” donned its crown. The newly written original was welcomed with open arms before a rolling “Love Tractor” closed out the first frame.
It was quality not quantity during the second set as Widespread Panic spread its wings and took flight for a soaring “Pigeons” opener featuring JB improvising the lyrics, “Something’s gonna move you… one of these days!” JoJo churned out a twinkling ivory transition as the band joined in to unearth a “Big Wooly Mammoth” from its prehistoric grave.
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Jimmy Herring stamped his approval on every song of the set, making his guitar heard and feltt, even throwing in a “Shut Up and Drive” tease before collaborating with Dave Schools to reel in a trophy-worthy “Bear’s Gone Fishin’”. Still unfinished, JB executed a gritty rendition of Calvin Carter and Bobby Rush’s “Bowlegged Woman” to rile the libidos of the Napa party guests.
After a brief stretch of silence, Bell crooned the haunting vocals to introduce War’s “Four Cornered Room”. The band rallied around this cover and plunged into murky depths of dirty rock and roll, slipping into a tease of Jimi Hendrix‘s “Machine Gun” as well as an improvised rap inspired by Tom Petty’s “Room at the Top“.
JoJo shifted to favor his organ during “You Got Yours” before Panic closed out the second set with a filthy “Fishwater” sandwich with a percussive “Rock” in the middle, giving Herring one last chance to personify his greatness. The first night of the run came to a close with consecutive covers as Bloodkin’s “Trashy” and Jerry Joseph’s “North” in the encore slot.
With two more nights of Widespread Panic ahead, anything is possible. Buckle up, Good People. It’s going to be a long weekend in wine country.
Check out the full setlist from night one of Widespread Panic in Napa, CA and a selection of videos from the performancebelow. For a list of upcoming Widespread Panic tour dates, head here.
Widespread Panic – “Four Cornered Room” (War) – 8/25/23
[Video: MrTopdogger]
Widespread Panic – “Bowlegged Woman” (Calvin Carter, Bobby Rush) – 8/23/23
[Video: JKBrave]
Widespread Panic – “Trashy” (Bloodkin) – 8/25/23
[Video: JKBrave]
Setlist [via PanicStream]: Widespread Panic | Oxbow Riverstage | Napa, CA | 8/25/23
Set One: Jam > Bust It Big > Makes Sense To Me, Holden Oversoul > I’m Not Alone, Ride Me High, King Baby > Love Tractor (65 mins)
Set Two: Pigeons > Big Wooly Mammoth > Bear’s Gone Fishin’ > Bowlegged Woman, Four Cornered Room, You Got Yours, Fishwater > Rock > Fishwater (86 mins)
Encore: Trashy, North (20 mins)
Notes: ‘Machine Gun’ tease during ‘Four Cornered Room’; ‘Room At The Top’ (Tom Petty) rap during ‘Four Cornered Room’; ‘Little By Little’ (new original from Huntsville) tease by JB during ‘Rock’