Photo by Joshua Timmermans, via Widespread Panic Facebook

For their annual New Year’s show, Widespread Panic paid tribute to their fallen leader Mikey Houser (1962-2002) by playing “The Waker” for the first time since his passing.

Earlier in the evening, frontman John Bell played WSP’s entire first set at Atlanta’s Fox Theater sitting down, as the band jammed on crowd pleasers like “Ain’t Life Grand,” “Blight” and “Space Wrangler.”

In set two, the band picked up the energy even more, bookending a nine-song set with a “Thought Sausage”> “Travelin’ Light” segment and “Holden Oversoul.”

Bassist Dave Schools and tour manager/collaborator Steve Lopez counted down the new year at the top of set three, before the aforementioned Til The Medicine Takes cut “The Waker,” a tune the band last played on June 28, 2002, less than two months before Houser’s passing (show gap: 1,083). The song was written and named for Houser’s son, Waker, and during the Dec. 31 performance a silhouette of the late guitarist was projected behind the band.

The bust out gave way to “Arleen,” and WSP made their way through “Pigeons,” “Greta” and “I’m So Glad,” which featured Atlanta-area musicians Kevin Scott and Nick Johnson on backing vocals and shakers. Set two drew to a close with another bust out (“Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress,” last played 10/29/2000) and a rocking version of “Chilly Water.”

For the encore, Bell supplied some mandolin on “End of the Show,” and perhaps the show’s biggest surprise came with a segue in and out of “Bastards In Bubbles” during “Protein Drink.” Overall, it’s rare for WSP to place a song within “Protein Drink,” but “Bastards In Bubbles” was a particularly unusual choice, as the mid-90s track originates with Brute (WSP’s offshoot with Vic Chesnutt) and has never before been played by WSP live.

You can stream Widespread Panic’s NYE show now on PanicStream.com.

Check out the full setlist and watch “The Waker” below:

Widespread Panic
December 31, 2018
Fox Theater, Atlanta, GA

Set I: For What It’s Worth, Ain’t Life Grand, Genesis, Blight, May Your Glass Be Filled, Space Wrangler

Set II: Thought Sausage> Travelin’ Light, Pleas> Pusherman Jam> Good People, Honky Red> I’m Not Alone> Saint Ex, Holden Oversoul

Set III: The Waker* > Arleen, Pigeons, Greta, I’m So Glad^, Little Lilly, Pilgrims, Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress^^ > Chilly Water

Enc: End of the Show^, Protein Drink > Bastards In Bubbles^^^ > Sewing Machine

Notes:
JB seated during first set
*Last time played 6/28/02 (First time played after the passing of Mikey Houser, whose son is named Waker)
^with Kevin Scott and Nick Johnson on backing vocals and shakers
^^Last time played 10/29/00
^^^Debut

Source: panicstream.com