Sunday Surprises For Widespread Panic In Milwaukee

Widespread Panic proved the old adage “never miss a Sunday show” correct last night at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee, where they jammed with an old friend, debuted a geographically fitting cover and busted out a Neil Young song for the first time in over 15 years.

Panic’s first set mixed early classics with a few tunes off the recently released Street Dogs. The evening’s first big surprise came in the middle of the second set when the band dusted off “Dirty Business” for the first time since last year’s Halloween show. Later in the set, the Georgia rockers welcomed old friend Kevn Kinney. The Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ guitarist/vocalist made his fifth appearance with Widespread Panic last night and first since April 3, 2000.

Kinney helped out on the Widespread Panic debut of one of his trademark songs – “Straight To Hell.” Kevn stayed out to add to a cover of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World,” which had been on the shelf since Kinney’s last appearance on April 3, 2000. Widespread Panic has now played “Rockin’ In The Free World” four times with Kevn Kinney leading the way on each one. The band had one more surprise in store to kick off a three-song encore as they debuted a cover of a song Jerry Lee Lewis had a minor hit with in 1968 – “What’s Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made A Loser Out Of Me).”

Widespread Panic Fall Tour continues tomorrow night in Akron, Ohio.

Watch “Rockin’ In The Free World” captured by Mr Topdogger:

Setlist (via PanicStream)

Set One: Space Wrangler, Henry Parsons Died, One Arm Steve, Steven’s Cat, The Poorhouse of Positive Thinking, Airplane > Second Skin > Holden Oversoul (67 mins)

Set Two: Thought Sausage > Machine > Barstools & Dreamers, Dirty Business > Tie Your Shoes > Sleeping Man, Papa’s Home > Mini-Drums > Papa’s Home, Straight To Hell*, Rockin’ In The Free World* (84 mins)

Encore: What’s Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made A Loser Out Of Me), Saint Ex, Love Tractor (17 mins)

Notes: – * w/ Kevn Kinney (Drivin N Cryin) on guitar and vocals [‘L.A. Woman’ tease during TYS; ‘Dirty Business’ LTP 10/31/2014 Broomfield; ‘Straight To Hell’ FTP (Drivin N Cryin cover); ‘Rockin In The Free World’ LTP 4/03/2000 Athens (1,130 shows); ‘What Made Milwaukee Famous’ FTP Jerry Lee Lewis]