Widespread Panic Kicks Off Pensacola Run 2019

Widespread Panic Summer Tour 2019 concludes with two nights at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Florida — a run that began on Saturday night. The band loaded last night’s setlist with classics and bassist Dave Schools gave an emotional rap about caring for those around you that came less than a week after the death of his former Hard Working Americans band mate Neal Casal.

The sextet’s first visit to Pensacola since 2016 began with a run of “Bear’s Gone Fishin'” > “Tall Boy” > “Better Off.” The latter hadn’t been played since March. Next up was an expansive “Greta” led by keyboardist JoJo Hermann that gave way to “You Got Yours.” Widespread Panic then took fans on a trip down “Papa Johnny Road” and dug in on a 16-minute “Diner” that included a “Take Me To The River” rap from John Bell before the well-jammed version bled into a set-closing “Stop Breakin Down Blues.”

When Panic took the stage for the second set, Dave Schools led the way with a bass solo reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s “Run Like Hell” that was used as an intro for “Junior.” JoJo’s “1×1” came next and then WSP began a seamless segment that formed the majority of the set and lasted until the end of the frame with “Christmas Katie.” The sextet went on to play “Four Cornered Room” for just the fifth time since 2013 and followed with beloved staples “Henry Parsons Died” and “Fishwater.” The latter led into the evening’s “Drums” section and a cover of “Sell Sell” before Panic lit into the end of “Fishwater.”

Widespread Panic closed out last night’s second set with a cover of NRBQ’s “Flat Foot Flewzy.” Schools took an opportunity to provide an inspired and touching rap. “Oh man, there’s a whole lot of darkness all around, man. Darkness, darkness, darkness everywhere. Isn’t somebody gonna light a candle? ‘Cause if somebody lights a candle, there will be a little more light,” the bassist started. “See, when there’s light you look around and see everybody around you. And when you can do that, you can see everybody around you and you can tell them that you love them. ‘Cause in the darkness, the only killer is light and love. So give it up and tell the person next to you [that] you love them, you got them, check up on them and remind them that there’s light in the darkness.”

Saturday’s encore began with a take on The Meters’ “It Ain’t No Use.” Then, Widespread Panic delivered the classic original “Pigeons” to end the first of two nights in Pensacola. The band returns to conclude the run and summer tour on Sunday.

Full Show Audio (via Widespread Panic)

Setlist (via PanicStream)

Set One: Bear’s Gone Fishin’ > Tall Boy > Better Off, Greta > You Got Yours, Papa Johnny Road, Diner* > Stop Breakin Down Blues (70 mins)

Set Two: Run Like Hell bass solo > Junior > 1×1, Christmas Katie > Radio Child > Four Cornered Room > Henry Parsons Died > Fishwater > Drums > Sell Sell > Fishwater > Flat Foot Flewzy** (86 mins)

Encore: It Ain’t No Use, Pigeons (16 mins)

• * with a ‘Take Me To The River’ rap
• ** Dave gave a rap with Neal Casal in mind about light defeating darkness and telling those you love that you love them