Widespread Panic Kick Off New Year in St. Louis
Widespread Panic’s first shows of 2024 were in St. Louis, Missouri, at the Stifel Theatre as the bitter cold and snow outside were no match for the fire that Widespread Panic brought for three nights: three sold-out shows to start the new year. When John Bell (JB) has his hat on backwards, it going to be a heater of a show. This was the first time back in St. Louis after an eight-year hiatus.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 18
Opened the first set with “Little Kin,” and John Bell had all 3200 on their feet for the next three hours with big smiles and dancing like never before. Next up, J.J. Cale’s “Traveling Light,” with Sunny Ortiz and Duane Trucks leading the way on percussion and drums; this transitioned into crowd favorite “C. Brown” and JB’s ever-so-soothing voice leading into a high-energy packed “Better Off” into “King Baby,” one of the newer songs from the upcoming album. Dave Schools took us through a wonderful rendition of Vic Chestnut’s “Sleeping Man > Rebirtha > Bear’s Gone Fishing,” and JB closed out the first set with a powerful “You Got Yours.” Set one of 2024 was complete.
Set two, and the pedal to metal was in place, opening with “Greta > Tall Boy,” JoJo Hermann pounding the keys, bringing everyone to their feet with a frenzy. Up next, a heavy bass-filled “Shut Up and Drive > Trashy (Daniel Hutchens),” leading into “Worry” with Jimmy Herring’s guitar melting faces. JB took us through a lovely “Diner” and into bass-thumping, heart-pounding “Bowlegged Woman” ( Bobby Rush) > Papa’s Home > North ( Jerry Joseph)” to end second set.
Encore: “Traveling Man > Waker > Knocking Around the Zoo (James Taylor)” Night one in the books
FRIDAY, JANUARY 19
Day 2. With temps in the single digits and overnight snow, we were ready for the fire inside that Widespread Panic had in store. JB kicked off Friday night opening up with “Junior > Old Neighborhood > Airplane > Send Your Mind (Van Morrison),” and we were getting hot inside. JoJo’s new song “Blue Carousel > No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature (The Guess Who)” into “Little By Little > Last Straw,” closing the first set with Neil Young’s “Mr. Soul.”
Set two and time to take this to a new level. Dave Schools and his heavy bass got the crowd going fast and hard with “Thought Sausage,”transitioning into a hard-rocking “Conrad.” Huge favorite “Sharon” (David Bromberg) and an excellent “Jack > Impossible,” into a heavy jam “That’s It for the Other One” tease right into “Slipping Into Darkness (War) > Good People > Dark Bar > Good People,” ending the second set with “Action Man.”
Encore: “Bird on a Wire > Chilly Water “(JB singing first verse solo). that wrapped up day two; we can’t wait for what’s in store for day 3.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 20
Day 3. JB came out swinging, opening up with “Worry” into a nice sammy “Holden Oversoul > Makes Sense To Me > Holden Oversoul.” Then a couple of covers “Tail Dragger (Howling Wolf) > Honky Red (Murray McLauchlan)” into a soon-to-be-released new song “We Walk Each Other Home.” JoJo romped through “One Arm Steve > Please,” closing the set with Panic Heavy Metal “Halloween Face.” Set one clocked in at 64 minutes.
Second set with Talking Head’s “Life During Wartime” into a extended “Party at Your Mama’s House > Rock” with Sunny and Duane leading the way with drums and percussion into a jammy “Barstools and Dreamers.” “Machine” led to the second sammy “Surprise Valley > Flat Foot Flewzy (NRBQ) > Surprise Valley,” then Jamais Vu” and “Disco > Blackout Blues,” ending the second set with “Porch Song.”
Encore: “St. Louis: (the bust-out we all knew was coming, LTP 149 shows ago in Red Rocks 2019) and “Expiration Day > Ain’t Life Grand.”
That’s a wrap! Thank you, Widespread Panic, Paul Hoffman and Pulse Lighting, all the crews, and the wonderful associates at the Stifel Theatre. Such and great city, and glad to be back in St. Louis. Next up: Chicago February 15, 16, 17. See You There!
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