Photo by Josh Timmermans via @WidespreadPanicHQ on IG


Widespread Panic celebrated Halloween in New Orleans this year, serving up a brand new original – appropriately titled “Halloween Face” – as well as some debut covers.

The show kicked off with “Fishwater” and, according to PanicStream, the band’s on-stage theme was “Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy that morphed into Mars in New Orleans.”

In line with that theme, the evening’s first debut came midway through the first set as Widespread Panic played their first-ever version of David Bowie’s “Life On Mars.”

From there, “Holden Oversoul” became a major jam vehicle, and the band continued on with “Me and the Devil Blues,” “All Time Low,” “Pilgrims” and the aforementioned “Halloween Face.”

Set one ended with yet another sci-fi cut, “Imitation Leather Shoes.”

After set break, the band nodded to their Athens, Ga. roots by performing a debut cover of R.E.M.’s “Feeling Gravity’s Pull.” Interestingly, the last time the band celebrated Halloween in New Orleans (10/31/19), R.E.M.’s Mike Mills joined them for two cuts on the very same stage.

Later, WSP tipped their cap to some NOLA legends as well, performing a first-ever version of The Radiators’ “Zigzagging Through Ghostland” – that cut was sandwiched within a massive “Driving Song” jam that included “Ride Me High”> “Tiw Your Shoes”> “Saint Ex” before returning to its original sonic motif.

“End of the Show” gave the band – and the fans – a chance to take a breath, before WSP closed with “Children of the Grave” (LTP 10/23/16) and encored with a quartet of “Trashy,” “Surprise Valley,” “Porch Song” and “Red Beans.”

Check out the full setlist (via PanicStream) below:

Widespread Panic
Oct. 31, 2021
UNO Lakefront Arena, New Orleans


Set I: Fishwater, Bayou Lena, Space Wrangler, Life On Mars, Holden Oversoul > Jam, Me and the Devil Blues, All Time Low, Pilgrims, Halloween Face, Imitation Leather Shoes (81 mins)

Set II: Feeling Gravity’s Pull, I’m So Glad, Driving Song > Zigzagging Through Ghostland > Ride Me High > Tie Your Shoes > Saint Ex > Driving Song, Red Hot Mama, End of the Show*, Children of the Grave

Enc: Trashy, Surprise Valley, Porch Song, Red Beans

Notes:

  • ‘Bayou Lena’ LTP 5/02/19 JazzFest (56 shows)
  • ‘Life On Mars’ FTP (David Bowie)
  • ‘Me and the Devil Blues’ LTP 6/07/19 Brandon, MS (55 shows)
  • ‘Halloween Face’ FTP (new original)
  • ‘Feeling Gravity’s Pull’ FTP (R.E.M.)
  • ‘Zigzagging Through Ghostland’ FTP (The Radiators)
  • ‘Children of the Grave’ LTP 10/23/16 Milwaukee (149 shows)
  • ‘Red Beans’ LTP 1/28/19 Playa (71 shows)