Widespread Panic Welcomes Horns & Debuts Covers In Atlanta
By Ian Rawn Jan 1, 2016 • 11:17 am PST
Photos by: Ian Rawn
On New Year’s Eve Georgia rockers Widespread Panic concluded a three-night New Year’s Run at the Fox Theater in Atlanta with a triumphant New Year’s Eve performance. The first set saw guitarist John Bell take a seat as the band worked through classics such as “Pilgrims” and “Wondering” along with more recent material “Tickle The Truth” and “Angels Don’t Sing The Blues.” Bell led his mates through a first set-closing tribute to Leonard Cohen with the WSP debuts of “First We Take Manhattan” and “Hallelujah.”
The second set started with “Disco,” “Cease Fire,” “Rock,” “Honky Red” and “Action Man” before the Megablasters horn section came out. First up from Panic and their guests was the return of “Slippin’ Into Darkness” after 80 shows. Crew member Steve Lopez contributed percussion to the War cover. From there, WSP and the Megablasters closed out the set with “Bust It Big,” “Rebirtha” and “Ophelia.”
Widespread Panic began 2016 and the final set of the evening with “Ain’t Life Grand.” The Megablasters then returned for Panic original “Heroes” followed by the WSP debut of David Bowie’s hit song of the same name. Another cover debut was up next in the form of “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” by Bob Dylan. Next, “Ribs & Whiskey” gave way to the evening’s drums and drums and bass segments. The Megablasters then came back out once again on “Greta” and “High Time We Went” before “Vacation” and “North” brought the third set to a close. Widespread Panic started the encore by themselves for “I’m Not Alone” which was followed by the horn section returning to help conclude the show with “Up All Night” and “Taildragger.”
Watch Widespread Panic’s debut cover of Bowie’s “Heroes” shot by MrTopDogger:
Here’s fan-shot footage of WSP’s first-ever “Hallelujah” cover via Julia Scott:
Photos (By Ian Rawn)
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”137″ gal_title=”20151231 Widespread Panic Fox Theater Ian Rawn”]Setlist (via PanicStream)
Set One: Pilgrims, Wondering, Tickle The Truth, Angels Don’t Sing The Blues, First We Take Manhattan^, Hallelujah^ (42 mins)
Set Two: Disco, Cease Fire > Rock, Honky Red, Action Man, Slippin Into Darkness*#, Bust It Big*, Rebirtha*, Ophelia* (78 mins)
Set Three: Ain’t Life Grand, Heroes*, Heroes*^, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall*^ > Ribs & Whiskey > Drums & Bass > Drums > Greta* > High Time We Went*, Vacation, North (89 mins)
Encore: I’m Not Alone, Up All Night*, Taildragger* (20 mins)
- * – w/ The Megablasters on horns
- # – w/ Steve Lopez on percussion
- ^ – First Time Played: ‘First We Take Manhattan’ & ‘Hallelujah’ (Leonard Cohen); ‘Heroes’ (David Bowie); ‘A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall’ (Bob Dylan)
- [JB seated 1st set; ‘Slippin’ Into Darkness’ LTP 10/19/14 Memphis (80 shows); JB on mandolin for ‘ALG’]
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