Widespread Panic Delivers a One, Two, Three Knock-Out Punch to Smashville
The six-headed monster from Athens, GA continued its trek after three blistering shows in St. Augustine last month. One might ask: could they take it up a notch or two? Ask and ye shall receive, as far, as Nashville is concerned! They decorated Ascend Amphitheatre April 24–26.
John Bell and the boys brought out the big guns, bombs, and butterflies, and Nashville kicked in a drone show, to boot. So many roads, so many friends to see, such great food and drink, and Broadway street. This city was the perfect backdrop for the Widespread Panic fans OGs and the newbs for their three-day takeover, and we sure did! Thank you, ma’am!
A rainy afternoon Thursday would nicely fade with a few sprinkles by show time, and throughout there were no worries about the sounds of happiness to come.
Thursday 4-24-25
They kicked it off with Van Morrison’s “Send Your Mind” (LTP St. Louis 01-19-24) into nice six-and-a-half-minute shocker “Coconuts” and the lucky few already inside were kicking heels, boogieing down, and outside they were dancing in the streets; the Panic party has begun!
Next up: “Party at Your Mama’s House > Stop Breaking Down Blues” and a “Surprise Valley” sammy with “No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature’ stuffed inside before ending the set with crowd-frenzying energetic electric “Conrad the Caterpillar.”
Second set, and the show heated up even more. “Big Wooly” > extended jam with teases > “Hatfield.” JB rapped with a couple from their latest release Snake Oil King: “Little by Little > Small Town.” After “Imitation Leather Shoes,” they were joined by special guest Daniel Donato (Cosmic Country) on guitar for the remaining four songs: “Holden Oversoul > Trashy > Fixin’ to Die > Red Hot Mama.” That’s a heater!
Encore: double Warren Zevon with “Keep Me In Your Heart > Lawyers, Guns, and Money.”
Wowza, day one in the books, now on to after-parties, Air BnBs, and Broadway Street, to name just a few.
Friday 4-25-25
Gauntlet was thrown down last night, and the wonder about what’s to come would be revealed shortly. OG solid first set, double sammy tight, and jimmy jammy, like we love it. Good and dark “Mr. Soul” opener > “Makes Sense to Me” and “Little Kin.”
Then it got serious. “Good People > Pigeons > Proving Ground > Jack, with a little fun halfway through when JB flubbed a verse and Dave, Jimmy, and Duane were laughing. It was a big smile kind of night; been smiling all tour, and Dave’s red pants are the bomb! The Wizard (Jimmy Herring) was still in the corner. “Jack” led back to “Proving Ground” and then to “Good People,” finally ending the set with Jerry Joseph’s “Climb to Safety.” Fire Fire Fire.
Second set: “Disco” opener > “Greta,” and we are off to the races! Don’t look back! “Greta” > crazy Pink Floyd another “Brick in The Wall” jam > “Tie Your Shoes” with a really cool and crazy transition into “Rock > We Walk Each Other Home > JB black guitar for “Rebirtha > Ribs and Whiskey.” As the set wound toward a close, “King Baby” into huge bustout “Godzilla” (LTP 197 shows ago) > Chilly Water.” Damn, Sam! What a set!
Encore: “Expiration Day > Protein Drink > Sewing Machine”
Saturday 04-26-26
Extremely hard ticket to get; secondary sites had lawn seats going for $600 an hour before doors!
The set opened with JoJo Hermann on “One Armed Steve > Pleas > Bust It Big,” getting everyone on their feet, getting down to the sound of Widepread Panic. Todd Nance’s “Down” was next, which melted into Robert Johnson’s “Me and the Devil Blues.” That good ole nasty blues fell into “Space Wrangler.”
It was time for a sit-in, and the night’s special guest was Jarrod Walker, mandolin player for Billy Strings. He helped to close the set with “Little Lilly > Picking up the Pieces” and a fullbodied “Ain’t Life Grand.”
Set two, Saturday night at Smashville
Heavy-duty Schools opened with a dark and thick “Thought Sausage > Machine > Barstools Dreamers.” JoJo’s “Blue Carousel’; love it! “Bear’s Gone Fishing > I’m Not Alone.” It got heavier with “Blight,” starting to turn heavy and metal-ish. “Halloween Face > Gilded Splinters > Drums. And out of “Drums”? Dave Schools and very heavy thick voice-fueled “Black Sabbath > Fairies Wear Boots > Black Sabbath” reprise. Black Sabbath LTP 10-28-16 Broomfield 264 shows
Encore : Blue Indian > All Time Low
Smash, Smash, Saamashville… that’s a wrap! Thank you Bandit Lites, Paul Hoffman, the crews at Ascend Theatre in Nashville, and all the volunteers who made the experience the crème de le crème
ON TAP: Charleston May 16 and 17. Cya there! Time to move to another city tonight! Cheers!