Watch Widespread Panic Cover Grateful Dead’s ‘New Speedway Boogie’ At Oak Mountain In 2011

One of the latest pro-shot videos rolled out by Widespread Panic features a cover of the Grateful Dead‘s “New Speedway Boogie.” Panic’s performance of the GD classic was filmed on April 16, 2011 at Oak Mountain Amphitheatre in Pelham, Alabama.

Widespread Panic premiered their “New Speedway Boogie” cover on January 12, 1987 at Uptown Lounge in Athens on January 12, 1987 as per Everyday Companion. The song was in regular rotation through January 1989 and then seemingly disappeared from the repertoire. However, Widespread Panic busted out “New Speedway Boogie” during the second night of their 25th anniversary run at the Classic Center in Athens on February 11, 2011 after 2,290 shows on the shelf.

The sextet played “New Speedway” a total of eight times in 2011 including the performance as part of the second set at Oak Mountain on April 16, 2011. Two additional versions followed on March 28, 2015 and August 2, 2019.

Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia wrote “New Speedway Boogie” about the ill-fated Altamont festival in 1969. The Grateful Dead recorded the song for their 1970 studio album, Workingman’s Dead, after debuting the song live on December 20, 1969.

Check out Widespread Panic’s “New Speedway Boogie” from April 16, 2011 below: