Photo by Josh Timmermans via Widespread Panic HQ Instagram

Widespread Panic descended upon Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colo., this past weekend. The run which took place on June 24-26 run saw the band break their own record for the most consecutive sold-out shows at Colorado’s classic venue and featured many highlights including the live debut of T. Rex’s “Mambo Sun”, an improv-heavy rendition of the Talking Heads’ “Life During Wartime,” and a bust out of Ray Charles’ “None Of Us Are Free.”

The evening of June 24 kicked off with a psychedelic “Pigeons,” and in usual fashion was full of covers, including Chuck Berry’s “Let It Rock,” and Jorma Kaukonen’s “Genesis” (a fan favorite) and a jammed-out “Space Wrangler.” After “Blight,” bassist Dave Schools addressed the crowd about the recent reversal of Roe v. Wade, stating “Stand by your woman cause her body is her fuckin’ own!” He later furthered his stance by saying, “We are stronger together, we have to stick together.”

The second set featured jam-vehicle “You Got Yours,” along with covers of rock classics like Tom Petty’s “You Wreck Me” and Neil Young’s “Don’t Be Denied.” As an encore, Panic dusted off Ray Charles’ “None Of Us Are Free” – the first since their 2018 LOCKN’ festival set – with the lyrics “And if we don’t say it’s wrong then that says it’s right,” building off of School’s previous comments. They ended the night with another cover, Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Guns, and Money.”

Widespread Panic’s Saturday show in Colorado started just as strongly as the first, with the band kicking the night off with the aptly named “Rock,” and breaking their own record with their 64th consecutive sold-out show at Red Rocks. The first set included a bass-heavy “Bear’s Gone Fishin’,” a fan-favorite “Porch Song,” and a cover of Dr. John’s “I Walk on Guilded Splinters,” which was sandwiched between “Bust It Big” to close the set.

The second set began with a cover of War’s “Slippin’ Into Darkness,” which featured their tour manager Steve Lopez on percussion. As the band started to cook up a “Thought Sausage,” they launched into J.J. Cale’s “Travelin’ Light,” which flew into “Suprise Valley” for a suite of jams. Widespread Panic then kicked off a segment with “Hatfield” before returning to the J.J. Cale catalog for “Ride Me High” and bringing out “Second Skin,” which saw a reprise of “Surprise Valley.” Widespread Panic then bounded into the Talking Heads’ “Heaven” before moving into “Tie Your Shoes,” which melted into another Talking Heads cover, “Life During Wartime,” to close out the second set. The band returned to the stage for a three-song encore of “Nobody’s Loss,” “Saint Ex,” and “Blackout Blues.”

Sunday’s show at Colorado’s most-esteemed venue continued with high octane vibrations, as the band started the evening with a cover of Buffalo Springfield’s “Mr. Soul.” The first set featured their live debut of T. Rex’s “Mambo Sun,” which was preceded by Bobby Rush’s “Bowlegged Woman, Knock Kneed Man.” The second set showcased Leon Russel’s “Stranger in a Strange Land,” which segued into Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” and reprised with “Stranger in a Strange Land.” 

Widespread Panic also brought out BloodKin’s “Trashy,” which went into “Driving Song” before following up with “Party at Your Mama’s House,” and a bass and drum jam. The band finished the night off with a few more covers, including General Echo’s “Arleen” and The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence.” As an encore, the band returned to the stage with “Halloween Face” and a rendition of “Pilgrims” that bubbled its way into “Conrad.”

Widespread Panic will take a short break before returning for a five-night residency at New York’s Beacon Theatre beginning July 21, and will continue touring throughout the year. Tickets to their upcoming shows can be purchased here.

 

 

 

 

 

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Widespread Panic
Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, Colo.
June 24, 2022

Set I: Pigeons, Let It Rock > Chilly Water > Sometimes, Genesis > Big Wooly Mammoth > ‘Chilly Water’ reprise), Blight, Greta, Space Wrangler

Set II: You Wreck Me, You Got Yours, C. Brown, Little Lilly, Radio Child, All Time Low, Don’t Be Denied (Neil Young cover), Airplane, Diner, Ain’t Life Grand

Enc.: None of Us Are Free, Lawyers, Guns and Money

Widespread Panic
Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, Colo.
June 25, 2022

Set I: Rock, One Arm Steve, Bear’s Gone Fishin’, The Take Out > Porch Song, Disco, Ribs and Whiskey, Bust It Big > I Walk on Guilded Splinters > Bust It Big Reprise

Set II: Slippin’ Into Darkness, Thought Sausage, Travelin’ Light, Surprise Valley, Hatfield, Ride Me High, Second Skin > Surprise Valley Reprise, Heaven, Tie Your Shoes > Life During Wartime 

Enc.: Nobody’s Loss, Saint Ex, Blackout Blues

Widespread Panic
Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, Colo.
June 26, 2022

Set I: Mr. Soul, Tall Boy > Cotton Was King, The Last Straw, Climb to Safety, Gradle, Bowlegged Woman, Knock Kneed Man > Mambo Sun > Fishwater

Set II: Machine > Barstools and Dreamers, Stranger in a Strange Land > A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall > Stranger in a Strange Land Reprise, Walkin’ (For Your Love), Trashy > Driving Song, Party at Your Mama’s House > Drums > Drums and Bass > Arleen, Dear Prudence, Protein Drink > Sewing Machine

Enc.: Halloween Face, Pilgrims > Conrad