Widespread Panic Weathers The Storm To Resurrect ‘Low Rider’ In Birmingham

Widespread Panic made their Coca-Cola Amphitheater debut in Birmingham, Alabama this past weekend. The veteran jam sextet withstood stormy weather on Saturday to deliver their first cover of War’s “Low Rider” since 2009 during their second set.

Panic’s last performances in The Magic City took place over eight years prior at the BJCC Arena in February of 2018. The band was without Jimmy Herring for their Friday and Saturday night shows at the year-old 9,300-capacity shed. Nick Johnson continues to stand in for the guitarist while Herring receives treatment for throat cancer.

A downpour greeted Widespread Panic as they took the stage on Saturday. The weather was so bad the band was forced to cut the first set short after an abbreviated “Tie Your Shoes,” just 32 minutes and four-and-a-half songs into the show.

Thankfully, the storm calmed down enough to allow Panic to return 48 minutes later. The sextet opened the second set with the “Tie Your Shoes” jam they didn’t get to play earlier. Widespread Panic followed with their first “Sleepy Monkey” since March 23, 2024. The band had a much bigger surprise in store for their soaked fans in Birmingham soon thereafter.

Panic lit into “Low Rider” just moments after ending the subsequent “Big Wooly Mammoth.” War’s 1975 hit had been regularly played by the band from 1986 through 2009, outside of few lengthy gaps. The version on Saturday was Widespread Panic’s first “Low Rider” since November 4, 2009. Fans reacted with glee as Nick Johnson shredded through the eight-minute War cover.

The rest of what turned out to be an hour-and-a-half second set was packed with beloved classics, including “Pigeons,” “Let’s Get The Show On The Road,” “Pleas” and “Hatfield.” However, the improvisational highlight was a wild “I Walk On Guilded Splinters” thrown down towards the end of the closing stanza.

Widespread Panic wasn’t done making lemons out of the lemonades provided by the weather, as they treated fans to a five-song encore. “Bowlegged Woman” began the bonus segment, along with a fitting “Chilly Water” played in the rain. Next, “Disco” led into a cover of Funkadelic’s “Red Hot Mama” before WSP punctuated the show with old favorite “Porch Song.”

Watch fan-shot video of Widespread Panic’s raucous “Low Rider” cover below:

Official Audio (via nugs)

Setlist

Set One: Tall Boy > Henry Parsons Died, Walkin, Shut Up and Drive > Tie Your Shoes (Rain Delay)

Set Two: Tie Your Shoes > Jam > Sleepy Monkey > Big Wooly Mammoth > Low Rider* > Pigeons, Let’s Get The Show On The Road, Pleas, Hatfield, Impossible > I Walk on Guilded Splinters > Free Somehow, Halloween Face

Encore: Bowlegged Woman, Chilly Water, Disco > Red Hot Mama, Porch Song

Entire Show With Nick Johnson On Guitar [Without Jimmy]

* – Last Time Played: November 4, 2009