Widespread Panic Nods To St. Louis During Stifel Theatre Closer

Widespread Panic wrapped a three-night run at the Stifel Theatre in St. Louis on Saturday. WSP kicked off the encore with a locale-appropriate bust out of “St. Louis.”

The show got underway with “Wondering” followed by “Holden Oversoul” in which the band fit “Makes Sense To Me.” Standalone covers of Willie Dixon’s “Tail Dragger” and Murray McLauchlan’s “Honky Red” then preceded the newer original “We Walk Each Other Home,” debuted in Summer 2023. A pairing of “One Arm Steve” and “Pleas” came next ahead of another relatively new tune, “Halloween Face,” fittingly unveiled on Halloween 2021.

Set two got off to a raucous start with Talking Heads’ “Life During Wartime” followed by the instrumental “Party At Your Mama’s House” and the rowdy classic “Rock.” Panic then took favorite “Barstools and Dreamers” deep with a 15-minute excursion.

Old school instrumental “Machine” launched a seamless sequence that saw WSP slotting NRBQ’s “Flat Foot Flewzy” within “Surprise Valley.” Street Dogs (2015) cut “Jamais Vu (The World Has Changed)” followed ahead of a “Disco” set closing segment that also included “Black Out Blues” and “Porch Song.”

Panic returned to begin the encore by dusting off “St. Louis,” last played on June 28, 2019 at Red Rocks as per PanicStream. The instrumental appears on WSP’s 2010 album Dirty Side Down. According to Everyday Companion, the 2024 St. Louis “St. Louis” marked the 71st play of the tune since its debut in 2007.

Widespread Panic then delivered the classic encore cover “Expiration Day” by Vic Chesnutt. The song was also performed and recorded by the Panic side project with Chesnutt, brute. WSP put an exclamation point on the concert with “Ain’t Life Grand.”

Listen to official audio of Widespread Panic’s St. Louis closer below via nugs.net:

Setlist (via PanicStream)

Set One: Wondering, Holden Oversoul > Makes Sense To Me > Holden Oversoul, Tail Dragger, Honky Red, We Walk Each Other Home, One Arm Steve > Pleas, Halloween Face

Set Two: Life During Wartime, Party At Your Mama’s House > Rock, Barstools and Dreamers, Machine > Surprise Valley > Flat Foot Flewzy > Surprise Valley, Jamais Vu, Disco > Blackout Blues > Porch Song

Encore: St Louis > Expiration Day, Ain’t Life Grand

Notes – LTP ‘St Louis’ 6/28/19 Red Rocks (150 shows)