Widespread Panic – Selections from livewidespreadpanic.com #1

One of the greatest tours (that of course did not grace the Richmond Area) was this passed summer/ fall where the Allman Brothers Band and Widespread Panic (WP) co-headlined. Two of the Georgia powerhouses that are (in my opinion) two of the best jam bands still on tour. But how does one know if they still have it live if you can’t go see them…this is where the internet steps in and makes the old tape trading and bootlegging a thing of the past. Bands such as WP are recording the shows off of the main soundboard and uploading them on the web. Check out http://www.livewidespreadpanic.com/ and you can browse virtually every show since 2005 that WP has performed. One can download or full on buy the disc each for about what it would run in the stores.

John Bell is one of my favorite front men/ lead singers with his distinctive voice leaving the WP mark on every song they cover and keeping their originals from feeling or sounding generic in anyway. One of the things that really stood out was Jimmy Herring’s guitar work on this show. I had heard him before and knew I was going to be impressed but it was much more than expected. While not an original member he has helped to elevate the band to a new level and energy with his amazing guitar style and ability to free form jam with the band the way they are know to do. Herring is now one of my top 3 guitarists…often I joke saying my favorite guitarists DerekWarrenJimmy TrucksHaynesHerring.

10/07/09 the tour landed in Portsmouth VA and while I have not heard the Allman Brothers portion of the show I have procured the WP set and as expected it is nothing short of amazing. A powerful energentic version of “Love Tractor” in the beginnings of the set helps to rocket the show forward. Other highlights are the 8:28 version of “Imitation Leather Shoes” and great version of “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” but the best jam of the set was the “Driving Song >> Disco >> Drums >> Solid Rock.” Just a nonstop frenzy of great live music that is what a WP show is all about.

Other livewidespreadpanic.com discoveries to follow…