Widespread Panic

Last night I had the pleasure of doing my first job for Electric Factory Concerts by attending the Widespread Panic show. Having never heard of them in the past, I was unsure of what awaited me. Upon my arrival, I noticed many in the audience looking similar to a Greatful Dead crowd. I was able to see the guitarist Jimmy Herring, in the backstage area before the show. Long hair reminecent of Haight-Asbury days gone by. I was expecting an opening act, but at 805pm 5 min after scheduled opening time, they walked out on stage. I am not aware of the names of any of their music, so I will just list them as song number 1, 2 ,etc. Song number one made me wonder what I had gotten into. It was so very similar to the Dead, Phil Lesh, and other jam bands in that it went on and on for almost a half hour. I thought I was back in the 60's. The crowd was very receptive of the music, and I must admit, I was tapping my foot.

Musically, the band is extra tight. The guitar solos of Jimmy, the running bass lines from the 6 string bass in Dave's hands, the almost Santana sounding percussion coming from Domingo, all blended in to make even a critic like me of jam bands bop his head or tap his foot. After the first song, they broke into what I can only describe as a regular set with a series of songs that were no more than 7 minutes long. That to me is normal.

I was impressed with their harmonies, and by all accounts all of their musical talents. Combined it all led me to hear an almost unforgettable version of Warren Zevon's Lawyers, Guns and Money.

Having never heard of them I now understand why they are in the Pollster top 50 live acts. The crowd was so into the music, they became an extension of the band, reverberating the sound received from the band, back to them in the form of action and movement.