Widespread Panic’s Beacon run continued on Sunday with its penultimate offering at the historic venue, highlighted by their first take on Lou Reed’s “Vicious” in over 16 years.

And while the previous evening saw the band dip into jammier, jazzier territory, their Sunday gig brought the tempo back up, with heavy set one rockers like “One Arm Steve,” “Ribs and Whiskey,” “Bowlegged Woman” and a set-closing “Postcard.” (The “big city doctor” lyric in “One Arm Steve” elicited a particularly large cheer from the NYC crowd, as did the “this town is nuts” line in “Postcard.”)

For their second frame, Widespread Panic wasted no time with a “Let’s Get Down To Business” as well as a “Little Kin.”

A stand-alone “Disco” kicked things into overdrive, as did the following, extended “Diner,” which saw Jimmy Herring engage in some particularly impressive guitar heroics on stage right.

“Diner” bled into “No Sugar Tonight/ New Mother Nature,” but it was the eventual set closing “Protein Drink / Sewing Machine” that was the band’s most intense offering, with John Bell growling his way through the Vic Chesnutt original.

For their encore, WSP pleased setlist statisticians and New Yorkers alike with a nod to New York City icon Lou Reed. “Vicious” made its first appearance onstage since Halloween 2003, with a show gap of 1,003.

Interestingly, Patti Smith Group guitarist Lenny Kaye was in attendance on Saturday night, after honoring Reed himself at the nearby Bowery Electric. (Reed’s birthday also falls on March 2.)

WSP bassist Dave Schools also shared a photo of himself and Kaye backstage, noting, “It’s not everyday a rock legend shows up to see us play. The amazing Lenny Kaye ladies and gentleman.”

Check out the full setlist – as it appears in our Box Scores section – and watch a clip of “Vicious” via YouTuber MrTopDogger below:

Widespread Panic
March 1, 2020
Beacon Theatre New York, NY

Set I: From The Cradle, One Arm Steve, Let’s Get The Show On The Road, Ribs and Whiskey, Bowlegged Woman, Honky Red, Trouble, Hope In A Hopeless World, Postcard

Set II: Let’s Get Down To Business, Little Kin, Disco, Diner > No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature, Papa’s Home > Drums > Cease Fire, Protein Drink / Sewing Machine

Enc: Vicious*, Ain’t Life Grand^

Notes:
*Last time played 10/31/2003 (Lou Reed cover)
^with John Bell on mandolin

Source: Panicstream.com