Photo Credit: Josh Timmermans

After kicking off their Halloween weekend run on Friday night, Widespread Panic returned to the stage on Saturday, Oct. 29, at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Ga. During last night’s display, the group delivered a dreamy two-set performance and donned costumes to match during the Halloween weekend gig. Dressed for the occasion were John Bell as Carl Jung, Swiss psychiatrist and author of Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Dave School as the Sandman as well as the remaining band members clad in pajamas. The concert consisted of several originals and covers that pulled in the night’s lucid theme. Memorable moments included Widespread Panic’s cover of the Metallica 1991 original “Enter Sandman,” which the ensemble performed for the first time since 2007 during Saturday’s concert, and a bust out of Dr. John’s “Dream Warrior,” a number which was last played on Oct. 30, 2010, in New Orleans with the late-jazz legend. 

The weekend gig got underway with “Machine” into “Barstools and Dreamers,” before the group ran into “Thought Sausage” from their 2001 Don’t Tell the Band repertoire. Next, a cover of NRBQ’s “Flat Foot Flewzy” arrived before the jammers dug into “Postcard” and a rendition of Murray McLauchlan’s “Honky Red.” The covers continued with a stunning take on Spirit’s “Nature’s Way” before kicking it back to the original material and a fitting number for the evening’s theme with “Sleep Monkey.” Next, they played a take on Roy Buchanan’s “Sweet Dreams” off his 1972 self-titled album. For the last number for the night’s initial frame, Widespread Panic busted out Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” for the first time since Oct. 30, 2007, when they performed at Memorial Auditorium in Chattanooga, Tenn. 

After set break, the Peach State rockers returned for a take on Buddy Miles’ “Dreams,” followed by The Allman Brothers Band’s “Dreams,” further laminating the motif woven into the night’s setlist. Next, they ripped into General Echo’s “Arleen” before another cover, this time a take on Vic Chesnutt’s “Sleeping Man.” “Goodpeople” arrived next, then they worked into “Dark Bar” before reprising “Goodpeople.” A take on Patsy Cline’s “Sweet Dreams” came before Sleep’s “Dragonaut” and The Black Angels’ “Phosphene Dream,” which ran over into “Jamais Vu (The World Has Changed)” and “Fishwater.” A spotless and high-energy drum solo came next, and arrived before the final song of the second set, and another bust out, this time a rendition of Dr. John’s “Dream Warrior.”

For the night’s encore, Widespread Panic returned to the stage and dug into 22-minutes of music, which began with “Dream Song,” off 1993’s Everyday. The final theme-heavy cover arrived next, when the group landed on Tom Petty’s seminal number “Running Down A Dream.” Lastly, for the remaining song of Saturday’s performance, the band decided on “Pigeons,” plucked from their self-titled 1991 LP, with the lyrics: “You’ll remember how to fly tonight in your dreams/ You know you’re dreaming,” matching the concept of the night and leaving attends soaring into Sunday.

Following last night’s gig, Widespread Panic will take some significant time off the road before returning for their New Year’s Eve stand on Dec. 30 and 31 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. For tickets, or to learn more, visit widespreadpanic.com.

Scroll down to see last night’s complete setlist. 

Widespread Panic 

Enmarket Arena – Savannah, Ga. 

Oct. 29, 2022 

Set I: Machine > Barstools and Dreamers, Thought Sausage, Flat Foot Flewzy (NRBQ), Postcard, Murray McLauchlan (Murray McLauchlan), Nature’s Way (Spirit), Sleepy Monkey, Sweet Dreams (Roy Buchanan), Enter Sandman (Metallica)*

Set II: Dreams (Buddy Miles), Dreams (The Allman Brother Band), Arleen (General Echo), Sleeping Man (Vic Chesnutt), Goodpeople, Dark Bar > Goodpeople (Reprise), Sweet Dreams (Patsy Cline), Dragonaunt (Sleep), Phosphene Dream (The Black Angels), Jamais Vu (The World Has Changed), Holden Oversoul, Fishwater, Drums, Dream Warrior (Dr. John)^

Enc.: Dream Song, Running Down a Dream (Tom Petty), Pigeons 

Notes: 

* Bust Out, last played Oct. 30, 2007 

^ Bust Out, last played Oct. 30, 2010 

Setlist via panicstream.com.