New Year’s Eve Report: Widespread Panic
A band that is unfortunately no stranger to loss, having lost their very own Mikey Houser back in 2002, Widespread Panic faced a heart wrenching confrontation at their Phillips Arena 2009 New Years run; to play their hearts out for fallen comrade Vic Chesnutt.
The band did just that over the course of three sets at the Atlanta venue (home of 9 of their last 10 New Year’s shows), bookending the eulogy show with Chesnutt material including opening up with Vic’s Let’s Get Down to Business and closing down shop with his Protein Drink/Sewing Machine.
Sandwiched in between Vic’s nuts, Panic treated fans to: an acoustic first set, a smoking tribute to that other pop star who died in 2009 (at midnight), a sarcastic Another One Bites the Dust tease in Arleen, a brassy horn cavalcade courtesy of the Megablasters, a crack at Van Morrison’s Moondance, and a Patsy Cline nod in Walkin’ After Midnight.
With the stakes high on behalf of their fallen friend, Widespread Panic came out and raised them even higher. On a special night with emotions running wild, the final set Widespread Panic played for the aught decade (third set), may also be one of their very best according to many fans.
READ ON for a full setlist and downloads.
Click here to grab a nice audience recording (Pt. I, Pt. II) or to stream the show.
12/31/09 Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
1: Let’s Get Down To Business > Wondering, Already Fried, Tortured Artist, Clinic Cynic, Crazy, Vacation, Expiration Day, Holden Oversoul, Porch Song
2: Little Kin, Space Wrangler, Impossible, Jack, Action Man, Her Dance Needs No Body*, Up All Night*, Ophelia*, Pigeons
3: Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’*, Tall Boy*, Arleen* > Surprise Valley > Drums > Surprise Valley > Driving Song > Disco > Driving Song > Rock, I Wish* > Moondance*, Bust It Big > Chilly Water > Jam > Chilly Water
E: Walking After Midnight, Protein Drink > Sewing Machine* with The MegaBlasters on horns
[Only 'Walking After Midnight', Only 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'', Only 'Moondance'; 'Another One Bites The Dust' tease during 'Arleen'; Last 'I Wish' - 11/06/03, 412 shows]source: Everyday Companion
i have been to all but 2 of panic’s new years shows since 2000 and this was without a doubt the best show i have ever seen there if not anywhere!!! this is why i continue to see these guys over and over and over! b/c just when you think you have seen it all, they bust out in the 3rd set and you know why you’ve been going all along!!!!
“wanna get something started”
THANKS WIDESPREAD PANIC!!!!!!!!!
p.s. i mean really patsy cline????? i didn’t think midnight train to georgia could be beat! :) i know what i am doing next year!
xo,
meg