Widespread Panic Tack on Three More Sell-Outs to Their Red Rocks Total
Article and photographs courtesy of Jeff Fernandez
Widespread Panic returned to the historic Red Rocks Amphitheater June 23-25, continuing their consecutive sell-out streak, pushing that number to 54. Opening on Friday with “Post Card > Sell, Sell, Sell > Weight of the World > Better Off > Tortured Artist (first time played with Duane),” Widespread Panic closed hard and heavy with Holden Oversoul> Big Wooly Mammoth>Chilly Water.
Second-set highlights “Ain’t Life Grand (John Bell on mandolin) > One Kind Favor (New Speedway Boogie tease) > Fishwater > Drums > Pigeons > Fishwater.” The band returned to encore “Blackout Blues > Traveling Light > Henry Parsons Died.”
Saturday night, the heat continued at Red Rocks with Panic opening with a stellar “One Armed Steve > Flat Foot Flewzy > Surprise Valley > Rock > Walkin’ (For Your Love) > Jaded Tourist (first time played since 10/20/11, over 300 shows) > Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall > Hatfield > Climb to Safety.” Second set opened with crowd favorite “Diner” and never quit: “Diner > Junior > Christmas Katy > Action Man > Bust it Big > Ride Me High > Drums > Space Wrangler > No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature > Tail Dragger.”
After the second set ended, the crowd was treated to a crazy countdown and lunar liftoff segment that led to a 30-minute encore of “Disco > Low Spark of High Heeled Boys > Tie Your Shoes > Low Spark Reprise.”
Widespread Panic ended the three-day run at Red Rocks with one of the most memorable shows in recent history. The band and crew came out wearing “Grease” to honor their inspirational Godfather Col. Bruce Hampton (Ret.). They opened with the ever-so-sweet instrumental “A of D > Tall Boy > GALLEON (first time played since 7/21/2001, sent the crowd into a frenzy) > Airplane > Rebirtha (Mountain Jam tease) > Wondering > Goodpeople > North. Second set kicked off with a smoking “Greta > All Time Low > Conrad the Caterpillar > St.Ex > Driving > Papa’s Home > Going Out West > Pilgrims > Last Dance > E on G (first time since 11/16/01).”
Encore: “Jack > (a seven-minute) I’M SO GLAD (first time played since 07/08/03) > Can’t Find My Way Home.”
Widespread had the pedal to the floor all three nights, sending everyone home with big smiles and a lifetime of memories.
The best outdoor venue on the planet, 9525 of your very best friends, and WSMFP. PRICELESS!!!!!!
06/23/17 Red Rocks, Morrison, CO
1: Postcard > Sell Sell > Weight Of The World, Better Off > Tortured Artist > Cease Fire > I’m Not Alone, Holden Oversoul > Big Wooly Mammoth > Chilly Water
2: Let’s Get Down To Business, Honky Red, Imitation Leather Shoes, Machine > Barstools and Dreamers, Ain’t Life Grand > Makes Sense To Me > One Kind Favor > Fishwater > Drums > Jam > Pigeons > Fishwater > Blackout Blues
E: Old Joe, Travelin’ Light > Henry Parsons Died
[Entire show with Edie Jackson, sign language interpreter; ‘New Speedway Boogie’ rap by Dave during ‘One Kind Favor’]
06/24/17 Red Rocks, Morrison, CO
1: One Arm Steve > Flat Foot Flewzy > Surprise Valley > Rock > Jam > Drums > Surprise Valley > Walkin’ (For Your Love), Jaded Tourist > A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall > Hatfield > Climb To Safety
2: Diner > Junior, Christmas Katie > Action Man, Bust It Big > Ride Me High > Drums > Space Wrangler > No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature, Tail Dragger
E: Disco > Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys > Tie Your Shoes > Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys
[Entire show with Edie Jackson, sign language interpreter; Blast off of the Discovery played over the PA before Disco; ‘Norwegian Wood’ tease during ‘Jaded Tourist’; ‘Space Is The Place’ tease by Dave before ‘Christmas Katie’; Last ‘Jaded Tourist’ – 10/20/11, 334 shows]
06/25/17 Red Rocks, Morrison, CO
1: A of D, Tall Boy, Shut Up And Drive > You Got Yours, Galleon, Airplane > Rebirtha > Wondering, Goodpeople, North
2: Greta > All Time Low, Can’t Get High, Conrad, Saint Ex, Driving Song > Papa’s Home > Goin’ Out West > Pilgrims > Driving Song, Last Dance > E on a G > Last Dance
E: Jack, I’m So Glad, Can’t Find My Way Home
[Entire show with Edie Jackson, sign language interpreter; The band returned for the encore wearing Col. Bruce tribute Grease shirts; ‘Mountain Jam’ tease after ‘Rebirtha’; Last ‘E on a G’ – 11/16/01, 1052 shows; Last ‘Galleon’ – 07/21/01, 1092 shows; Last ‘I’m So Glad’ – 07/08/03, 955 shows]
