Photo by Joshua Timmermans

Over the weekend, Widespread Panic continued their run at The Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, Ala. The band performed several classic tunes as well as some rarities and covers for their Cotton State stand.

Saturday night got underway with “Tall Boy” and continued with a cover of BloodKin’s “Henry Parsons Died.” Next, the band served “Wondering” off their third studio album, Everyday, before diving into “Ribs and Whiskey.” A pairing of “Old Neighborhood” with “Imitation Leather Shoes” came before a jammed-out take on “Rebirtha,” which segued into “I’m Not Alone.” For the final song of the first set, Widespread Panic performed “All Time Low.”

The second set kicked off with a cover of Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth,” followed by “Stop-Go” off Space Wrangler. Then, they covered Neil Young’s seminal track “Walk On” ahead of an amplified jam that began with fan-favorite “Walkin’ (For Your Love)”  into “Driving Song”  and “Surprise Valley,” they followed with drums and another jam before reprising “Driving Song” once more. 

A cover of Murray McLauchlan’s “Honky Red” came before “Pilgrims” and set-ender, “Postcard.” For their encore, Widespread Panic dug into Howlin’ Wolf’s “Tail Dragger” ahead of a rare performance of “Halloween Face,” which has only been played live six times since it was debuted on Halloween 2021. The final song of Saturday’s show was a cover of NRBQ’s “Flat Foot Flewzy.” 

Sunday’s show began with a covers-heavy first half. The band started with an infrequent take on Link Wray & His Ray Men’s “Rumble” and followed with “Conrad” before digging back into the other’s material, including Willie Dixon’s “Weak Brain, Narrow Mind,” Billy Joe Shaver’s “I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal (But I’m Gonna Be a Diamond Someday)” and Vic Chesnutt’s “Sleeping Man.” Next, Widespread Panic returned to their original music with “Jaded Tourist” before a take on “Morally Challenged” by brute. 

Next, the ensemble lent their talents to BloodKin’s “Trashy,” followed by a segued pairing of “Jack” into “Love Tractor” to finish the first set. Set two got going with “Down,” then the band performed a cover of Little Women’s “Chainsaw City,” which gave way to an extended jam that began with “Goodpeople” into “Dark Bar” and a “Goodpeople” reprise. 

“Cease Fire” segued into “Jamais Vu (The World Has Changed),” which bled into a cover of David Earle Johnson’s “Time Is Free.” “Fishwater” was garnished with a mini drum jam before the set finisher, a take on Jerry Joesph’s “North.” For their encores, Widespread Panic performed “Blue Indian” before digging into a pairing of “Travlin’ Man” with “The Walker” to cap off the evening. 

Following Widespread Panic’s Alabama run, the band will return to the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colo. for a three-night sold-out run, starting on June 24. For more information, visit widespreadpanic.com. 

Widespread Panic 

The Orion Amphitheater– Huntsville, Ala. 

May 28, 2022 

Set I: Tall Boy, Henry Parsons Died, Wondering, Ribs and Whiskey, Old Neighborhood > Imitation Leather Shoes, Rebirtha > I’m Not Alone, All Time Low

Set II: For What It’s Worth, Stop-Go, Walk On, Walkin’ (For Your Love) > Driving Song > Surprise Valley > Drums > Jam > Driving Song > Honky Red, Pilgrims, Postcard 

Enc.: Tail Dragger, Halloween Face, Flat Foot Flewzy

Widespread Panic 

The Orion Amphitheater– Huntsville, Ala. 

May 29, 2022

Set I: Rumble, Conrad, Weak Brain, Narrow Mind, I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal (But I’m Gonna Be a Diamond Someday), Sleeping Man, Jaded Tourist, Morally Challenged, Trashy, Jack > Love Tractor

Set II: Down, Chainsaw City, Goodpeople > Dark Bar > Cease Fire > Jamais Vu (The World Has Changed) > Impossible > Time Is Free > Fishwater > North
Enc.: Blue Indian, Travelin’ Man > The Waker