Photo Credit: Wesley Hodges

Over the weekend, Widespread Panic arrived at the Brandon Amphitheater in Brandon, Miss., for two back-to-back concerts. The first of which took place on Saturday, May 27, and brought forth a bust-out cover of the Neil Young original, “Are You Ready For The Country?” last performed by the band at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn., on Aug. 23, 2019. Continuing their time in The Magnolia State, the group followed up with a debut the next night, Sunday, May 28, where they played the Justin Townes Earle composed “Don’t Drink The Water” before dusting off another Young tune, “Vampire Blues” for the first time since June 24, 2021. 

Saturday’s concert started with an illustrious jam that merged into “Send Your Mind.” Next, the group of musicians picked up the dance-ready fan-pleaser “Walkin’ (For Your Love).” A locationally fitting “Thin Air (Smells Like Mississippi)” bled into “Pleas” and an ensuing take on Tom Waits original, “Goin’ Out West.” The initial set presented “Give” before closing with the Howlin’ Wolf work “Tail Dragger.” 

The second set commenced with “Little Kin,” followed by “Cotton Was King” and “Papa Johnny Road.” Then, they added in “Disco,” which oozed through “Diner” and collided into the Beanland original, “1 x 1.” From the instrumental depths of the group’s delivery, they reemerged with a fully realized “Airplane” paired with “Hatfield” prior to their take on NRBQ’s “Flat Foot Flewzy.” Then, they capped their second set with Jerry Joseph’s “North.” 

Widespread Panic reemerged for the first night encore and cut into Young’s “Are You Ready For The Country?” The tune not only marked a bust out but also the first time the group had taken the number electric since Nov. 12, 2013. Then, they added Skip James’ “I’m So Glad” as a fitting end to the night. Just as they did the evening before, the group returned to the fabled stage on Sunday, where they commenced the show with a pairing of “Chilly Water” into “Makes Sense To Me.” 

After the first tunes of the night, Widespread Panic continued the show by adding in Junior Kimbrough’s original “Junior” and returning to originals on “Better Off” and “Up All Night.” The aforementioned song merged into “Blight” before the group of rockers picked up “Trashy,” which ran over into “Love Tractor” to conclude the first frame. Sunday’s second set kicked off with “Sometimes” prior to “Cease Fire” and “All Time Low.” 

Next, the group added a debut of “Don’t Drink The Water,” a song penned by the late Justin Townes Earle, the son of Steve Earle, who passed away in 2020 after an accidental drug overdose. Then, Widespread Panic returned to Young’s archive again, dusting off “Vampire Blues” for the first time since June 24, 2021, and followed with their self-written “Halloween Face.” 

“Driving Song” unleashed a jam that resulted in “Papa’s Home” and “Drums” and inevitably a return to “Papa’s Home” and “Driving Song” after the rhythmic display. Then, Widespread Panic picked up “Saint Ex” as the final number of their main frame. Finally, for the night’s encore, they delivered a trio of tunes, beginning with brute.’s “Expiration Day,” followed by ZZ Top’s “Jesus Just Left Chicago” and the original “Tall Boy,” to end their time in Mississippi. 

After the band’s gigs in Brandon, Miss., they will take some time away from the stage before returning for their highly anticipated Red Rocks Amphitheatre run on June 23 through 25. For more information, visit widespreadpanic.com. 

Scroll down to view setlists from this weekend’s concerts. 

Widespread Panic 

Brandon Amphitheater – Brandon, Miss.

May 27, 2023 

Set I: Jam > Send Your Mind, Walkin’ (For Your Love), Thin Air (Smells Like Mississippi) > Pleas > Sundown Betty > Goin’ Out West (Tom Waits) > Give, Tail Dragger (Howlin’ Wolf)

Set II: Little Kin, Cotton Was King, Papa Johnny Road > Disco > Diner > 1 x 1 (Beanland), Airplane > Hatfield, Flat Foot Flewzy (NRBQ), North (Jerry Joseph) 

Enc.: Are You Ready For The Country? (Neil Young)+, I’m So Glad (Skip James) 

Notes:

+ Bust out last played on August 23, 2019 

Widespread Panic 

Brandon Amphitheater – Brandon, Miss.

May 28, 2023 

Set I: Chilly Water > Makes Sense To Me, Junior (Junior Kimbrough), Better Off, Up All Night, Blight (brute.), Trashy (BloodKin) > Love Tractor 

Set II: Sometimes (fIREHOSE) > Cease Fire, All Time Low, Don’t Drink The Water (Justin Townes Earle)%, Vampire Blues (Neil Young)#, Halloween Face, Driving Song > Papa’s Home > Drums > Papa’s Home > Driving Song, Saint Ex

Enc.: Expiration Day, Jesus Just Left Chicago, Tall Boy

Notes: 

% Debut, marked first-time cover of Justin Townes Earle’s original 

# Last time played, June 24, 2021