Photo by Josh Timmermans via @widespreadpanichq on IG

They say “Never Miss A Sunday Show,” and Widespread Panic proved that on June 27 at Red Rocks, honoring their dear friend/musical collaborator Danny Hutchens with a full set of Bloodkin originals.

Hutchens died on May 9, and during his time as Bloodkin’s co-founder he influenced fellow Athens exports WSP extensively, with singer-guitarist John Bell once saying, “[Hutchens] happens to be young and alive and just as prolific and just as important as our other influences.”

Hutchens also sat-in with WSP numerous times, most recently in 2019 at the band’s Panic En La Playa event in Mexico.

To honor his memory, Widespread Panic’s first frame on Sunday read like a Bloodkin show – they layered regular WSP/Bloodkin covers like “Can’t Get High” with rarities like “Wet Trombone Blues” (LTP: 7/06/2013). Most notably, they ended the set with an emotive “End of the Show,” as a final nod to their fallen friend.

“Thank you Bloodkin! Thank you Danny!” Bell said to the crowd just before setbreak.

Set two, however, saw Widespread Panic return to form, with a rocking “Postcard” that elicited its classic “This town is nuts! My kind of place!” from the crowd.

Later, “Diner”> “Jamais Vu” saw some nice opportunities for improvisation, but it was the final “Airplane”> “Red Hot Mama”> “Fishwater” jam that really got the people moving.

The encore hammered home the weekend’s celebratory energy with the classic “party goin’ on, many spirits strong” lyric in “Blue Indian,” followed by the one-two punch of “I’m So Glad” and “Love Tractor.”

Check out the whole setlist via PanicStream below:

Widespread Panic
June 27, 2021
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colo.

Set I: Can’t Get High, Wet Trombone Blues, Henry Parsons Died, Who Do You Belong To?, Quarter Tank of Gasoline, Trashy, Makes Sense To Me, Mercy Train To Bogart, Success Yourself, End of the Show

Set II: Postcard, Rock, Pleas > Honky Red, Protein Drink / Sewing Machine, Diner > Jamais Vu, Airplane > Red Hot Mama > Fishwater

Enc: Blue Indian, I’m So Glad > Love Tractor

Notes:
Set one all Bloodkin originals