Widespread Panic Debuts ZZ Top Cover In Austin

Widespread Panic debuted a ZZ Top cover on Sunday in Austin. The band unveiled a take on “Tush” sung by bassist Dave Schools during the first set of their third and final night at ACL Live at Moody Theater.

The three-night stand in Austin was originally scheduled for June 2020 and was postponed multiple times due to the pandemic. The latest delay came on August 13, 2021 when guitarist John Bell tested positive for COVID-19 on the same day the band was slated to begin the run.

Sunday’s concert started with a cover of Tom Waits’ “Goin’ Out West” which led into the oldie “Rock.” Next came the recently revived “Down” along with Panic’s first “Heroes” since March 16, 2018. Staples “Holden Oversoul,” “Stop Go” and “Walkin’ (For Your Love)” followed. Schools then fronted the group on “Tush” from Texas’ own ZZ Top. The cover debut of the song from 1975’s Fandango! came less than three months after the death of ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill. “Tush” gave way to “Conrad” to end last night’s first set.

Instrumental “B Of D” got the final set of the run underway. Panic then lit into “Pigeons” and followed “Can’t Get High” with their third take on Bloodkin’s “Trashy.” The sextet next looked to 2001’s Don’t Tell The Band for “Action Man” and 1997’s Bombs & Butterflies for “Tall Boy.” WSP went on to fit The Guess Who’s “No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature” within “Driving Song” and connected “Tie Your Shoes” and “Protein Drink”/”Sewing Machine” with a jam.

Widespread Panic concluded their latest visit to ACL Live at Moody Theater with a three-song encore. Up first were covers of David Bromberg’s “Sharon” and “Heaven” by Talking Heads. The six-piece then said farewell with their own “Blackout Blues.” Next up for Widespread Panic is three nights in Milwaukee starting on October 21.

Watch fan-shot video featuring last night’s “Tush” captured by MrTopdogger:

Setlist (via PanicStream)

Set One: Goin’ Out West > Rock, Down, Heroes*, Holden Oversoul, Stop Go, Walkin’ (For Your Love), Tush** > Conrad (64 mins)

Set Two: B of D, Pigeons, Can’t Get High, Trashy, Action Man, Tall Boy, Driving Song > No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature > Driving Song, Tie Your Shoes > Jam > Protein Drink / Sewing Machine (82 mins)

Encore: Sharon, Heaven, Blackout Blues (26 mins)

Notes:

• * – Last Time Played 03/16/201818 Washington DC (95 shows)
• ** – First Time Played (ZZ Top)