Widespread Panic Dusts Off ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ At 2018 Red Rocks Run Finale

Widespread Panic concluded their 2018 three-night stand at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado yesterday. The sextet’s Sunday afternoon matinee was their 61st performance at the iconic venue and 57th consecutive sellout.

Panic kicked off Sunday’s concert with Michael Stanley’s “Let’s Get The Show On The Road” and then paired “Bear’s Gone Fishin'” and “Weak Brain, Narrow Mind.” The band went on to pull “Cotton Was King” off 2010’s Dirty Side Down and the early ’00 chestnut “Old Neighborhood.” Next, keyboardist JoJo Hermann had a turn fronting the group on “Bust It Big.” WSP brought the penultimate set of the run to a close with old school favorites “Diner,” “The Take Out” and “Pigeons.”

The six-piece went with Vic Chesnutt’s “Let’s Get Down To Business” to open the final set of their 2018 visit to Red Rocks. Guitarist John Bell then led his mates through Jerry Joseph’s “Chainsaw City” and a nicely extended “Visiting Day.” Panic rolled on by looking to 2008’s Free Somehow for “Up All Night.” From there, drummer Duane Trucks delivered a strong solo that was used as an intro to a well-jammed “Surprise Valley.”

WSP’s closing stanza continued with a cover of Tom Waits’ “Goin’ Out West” before the biggest surprise of the night: a cover of “Ain’t No Sunshine.” While John Bell has performed the Bill Withers classic in a number of settings, last night’s “Ain’t No Sunshine” was just the second full-band version of the song. Panic debuted the cover back on December 31, 2014. Guitarist Jimmy Herring worked a passionate solo within “Ain’t No Sunshine” before the sextet made a move towards rarity “Four Cornered Room.” Last night’s “Four Cornered Room” was just the band’s third since 2013.

The six-piece ended the frame with the live staple “Ain’t Life Grand.” Panic then encored with their own “You Should Be Glad” and Tom Petty’s “Wreck Me.” Next up for Widespread Panic is a two-night stand at Mud Island Amphitheatre in Memphis on June 29 – 30.

Pro-Shot Videos (via nugs.tv)

[Let’s Get The Show On The Road ]

[Let’s Get Down To Business]

Fan-Shot Video | Captured by Mr. Topdogger

[Four Cornered Room]

Setlist (via PanicStream)

Set One: Let’s Get The Show On The Road, Bear’s Gone Fishin’ > Weak Brain, Narrow Mind, Cotton Was King, Old Neighborhood, Bust It Big, Diner > The Take Out, Pigeons (79 mins)

Set Two: Let’s Get Down To Business, Chainsaw City, Visiting Day, Up All Night, Drum Solo > Surprise Valley > Goin’ Out West > Ain’t No Sunshine > Four Cornered Room, Ain’t Life Grand (80 mins)

Encore: You Should Be Glad, You Wreck Me (16 mins)