Photo by Josh Timmermans via Dave Schools

Widespread Panic gave their all for their final evening of Panic En La Playa, welcoming a slew of “Playa Allstars” and offering an entire second set of cover songs.

Fans knew it would be a scorcher from the wild “Chilly Water” opener, which segued into “Saint Ex.” The high-energy jams continued with a pairing of “Disco”> “Pigeons, and WSP kept the fan-favorites coming a stand-alone “Good People.” Set one came to a close with a jam on “The Last Straw”> “Sundown Betty,” followed by “Pigeons” and, finally, “Postcard.”

The second half saw the band dive into 10 different covers. (Interestingly, the last time Widespread Panic played an all-original first set, followed by an all-covers second set was June 26, 2011.) WSP kicked things off with Tom Petty’s “Honey Bee” and a nice “Bastard in Bubbles”> “Puppy Sleeps” segment, which touched on the band members’ time with Vic Chesnutt in the WSP spin-off Brute.

The first guest of the night was Eric Krasno, who added his guitar to Traffic’s classic “Dear Mr. Fantasy.” Kraz stuck around for JJ Cale’s “Ride Me High,” which segued into Professor Longhair’s “Red Beans.” The latter tune included both Krasno, Dumpstaphunk’s Ivan Neville and legendary Meters bassist George Porter Jr.

“Someone told me that I was playing with George as if I was reading his mind,” WSP bassist Dave Schools wrote afterwards on his Instagram page. “My only response was that I’ve stolen everything I know from him so of course we play well together!”

Porter, Krasno and Neville also added their funk to “Bowlegged Woman,” before Porter, Schools and drummer Duane Trucks got deep into a rhythm-section jam.

From there, Widespread Panic closed out the second half alone with Tom Waits’ “Goin’ Out West” as well as “Don’t Be Denied” and “Last Dance” by Neil Young.

Fellow Athens, Ga. musicians Daniel Hutchens and Eric Carter of Bloodkin joined Panic for most of the encore. They jammed on “Makes Sense to Me” – which was written by Hutchens” – as well as an appropriate “End of the Show.” Finally, WSP closed their eighth Panic En La Playa with a rocking “Action Man.”

For more information check out the full setlist below:

Widespread Panic
January 28, 2019
Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Riviera Maya, MX

Set I: Chilly Water > Saint Ex, Disco > Pilgrims, Good People, The Last Straw > Sundown Betty, Pigeons, Postcard

Set II: Honey Bee, Bastards in Bubbles > Puppy Sleeps, Dear Mr Fantasy*, Ride Me High* > Red Beans**, Bowlegged Woman** > Drums & Bass^ > Drums > Goin’ Out West, Don’t Be Denied, Last Dance

Enc: Makes Sense To Me^^, End of the Show^^, Action Man

Notes:
*with Eric Krasno (guitar)
**with Eric Krasno (guitar) and George Porter Jr (bass) and Ivan Neville (keys)
^with George Porter Jr (bass)
^^with Daniel Hutchens (vocals) and Eric Carter (guitar)

First set was all originals; 2nd set all covers; 6/26/11 was the last time this happened

Source: panicstream.com