Widespread Panic Welcomes Cody Dickinson At Mud Island

On Saturday night Widespread Panic finished off a two-night stand at the Mud Island Amphitheatre in Memphis. The Southern jam titans, who are fresh off their Red Rocks run, welcomed a guest for a pair of songs during their second set.

Widespread Panic started their night in the Home of the Blues with a pair of old-school tunes, serving up “Disco” and “Wondering.” John Bell & Co. reached for “Papa Johnny Road” next as the track from 2003’s Ball saw action for just the fourth time since 2014. The six-piece band stuck with their ’90s output by peppering the back half of their opening frame with fan-favorite “Walkin’ (For Your Love),” “Papa’s Home” and “Hatfield.” Panic’s opener also included the fourth take on “Sundown Betty,” a tune they debuted earlier this year at Panic En La Playa.

The second set of the night got going with the poignant “Hope In A Hopeless World.” The Pops Staples-penned tune, which Panic included on their 1997 release Bombs & Butterflies, was followed by “Pilgrims” – the only other stand-alone song of the set as the band then launched into a lengthy segued-filled run. “Ride Me High” began the stretch that would take the sextet through the remainder of the stanza. “Tie Your Shoes” followed with drummer Duane Trucks next getting a solo which led into “Fishwater.” Panic would weave in and out of the Ain’t Life Grand track as “Big Wooly Mammoth” followed.

The JoJo Hermann-sung tune saw the band joined by Cody Dickinson. The North Mississippi Allstars member strapped on his electric washboard for the high-spirited take on the song that featured a tease of the rock and roll instrumental “Tequila.” Dickinson remained on stage as they returned back to “Fishwater.” The second distinctive “Drums” segment followed as Panic revisited “Fishwater” one last time before bringing the set to a close with the pairing of Funkadelic’s “Red Hot Mama” and “Chilly Water.” Widespread Panic concluded their two nights in Memphis with a two-song encore featuring a pair of covers. First up was Murray McLauchlan’s “Honky Red” which was followed by Neil Young’s “Last Dance.”

Widespread Panic is now off the road until late-August when they will serve as headliner for the second night of the Lockn’ Festival at in Arrington, Virginia.

[Sundown Betty | Captured by Fred Ramadan]

[Big Wooly Mammoth > Fishwater | Captured by Fred Ramadan]

Setlist (via PanicStream)

Set I: Disco, Wondering, Papa Johnny Road, Walkin’ (For Your Love), Papa’s Home, Shut Up and Drive > Hatfield, Sundown Betty, Can’t Get High, Action Man (71 mins)

Set II: Hope In A Hopeless World, Pilgrims, Ride Me High > Tie Your Shoes > Duane Drums > Fishwater > Big Wooly Mammoth* > Fishwater* > Sunny Drums > Fishwater > Red Hot Mama > Chilly Water (95 mins)

Encore: Honky Red, Last Dance (18 mins)

* w/ Cody Dickinson on washboard (North Mississippi Allstars)