Sturgill Simpson Guests With Widespread Panic At Trondossa Music & Arts Festival

The inaugural Trondossa Music & Arts Festival came to a close on Sunday night at Riverfront Park in North Charleston, South Carolina with a pair of sets from Widespread Panic. Country artist Sturgill Simpson performed before Panic and wound up sitting-in with the group for a pair of songs.

Trondossa was named after a song written by David Earl Johnson that was a staple of Col. Bruce Hampton’s repertoire and which he recorded with the Aquarium Rescue Unit for 1993’s Mirrors Of Embarrasement. Widespread Panic headlined on both Saturday and Sunday nights with Sturgill, Margo Price, Big Something, Moon Taxi and Hiss Golden Messenger also performing at the festival.

For Sunday’s opener, Widespread Panic went with the first slow “Porch Song” since September 7, 2014 at the Lockn’ Festival. Next up was “Sundown Betty,” the band’s newest original. A pairing of “Machine” and “Barstools & Dreamers” was followed by a cover of “City Of Dreams” by Talking Heads. Simpson then emerged to add guitar to a rendition of J.J. Cale’s “Ride Me High.” The frame came to a close with Sturgill and John Bell sharing vocals on “Come Together” by The Beatles. Panic busted out “Come Together” back in March after a 819-show layoff.

The Georgia rockers went the old school route in North Charleston on Sunday for the second set. After opening the frame with “Pleas” and “Chilly Water,” J.B. led the group through Jorma Kaukonen’s “Genesis.” Fan-favorites “Walkin’ (For Your Love)” and “Tall Boy” were then followed by an expansive “Arleen” ahead of a “Drums” segment that led into “Airplane.” Next, Widespread Panic fittingly offered their debut rendition of “Trondossa.” While last night’s “Trondossa” was the first by the full band, four members of the group did perform the song at the Hampton 70 concert on May 1, 2017. The evening and festival came to a close with “Conrad” as fireworks burst over the site.

Widespread Panic returns to the stage at Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado on June 22.

Check out a pair of clips featuring Sturgill Simpson performing “Come Together” with Widespread Panic:

[Come Together (Partial) | Captured by Chucky_V]

[Come Together (Partial) | Captured by FourCornersFood]

Setlist (via PanicStream)

Set One: Porch Song, Sundown Betty, Henry Parsons Died, Machine > Barstools & Dreamers, City of Dreams, Ride Me High* > Come Together** (68 mins)

Set Two: Pleas > Chilly Water, Genesis, Walkin’ (For Your Love), Tall Boy, Arleen > Drums > Airplane > Trondossa^ > Conrad (90 mins)

• * w/ Sturgill Simpson on guitar
• ** w/ Sturgill Simpson on guitar and vocals
• ^ Debut