07/18/07 Fleet Pavilion, Boston, MA
Set 1: Chainsaw City, Little Lilly > Walkin' (For Your Love), Down, Tickle the Truth, Can't Get High > Bear's Gone Fishin' > Hatfield > Blackout Blues
Set 2: B of D > One Arm Steve > Thin Air (Smells Like Mississippi) > Love Tractor, Pickin' Up The Pieces, Stop-Go, All Time Low, Junior
Encore: Me And The Devil Blues > Porch Song, Goin' Out West
From the Boston Herald
Antic audience has Panic attack
By Christopher John Treacy
It’s easy to forget that jam band shows are supposed to be about music. True, the jam band phenomenon revolves around a certain amount of free-spirited partying. But it often seems like achieving the desired altered state eclipses the music’s importance.
Despite last night’s soggy weather and a half-full Pavilion, Georgia’s Widespread Panic still sounded mighty solid.
Through two generous sets, the second of which was barely underway at press time, the able sextet delivered an even performance. The opener, “Chainsaw City,” was a curious blend of island rhythms with sinister backwoods overtones driven by lead vocalist/guitarist John Bell’s deftly ripped power chords.
Guitarist Jimmy Herring, really the center of Panic’s nucleus, came alive with swinging scale patterns during “Walkin’ (For Your Love).” His never-ending note supply guided a celebratory groove through “Down.” Meanwhile, “Tickle the Truth” featured JoJo Hermann’s cool retro-authentic organ embellishments.
Fueled by the triple-threat rhythm section of slap-happy Dave School’s bass, Domingo Ortiz’s propulsive percussion and Todd Nance’s drumming, set one ended with the funk-laden three-tier segue from “Bear’s Gone Fishing” into “Hatfield” and “Blackout.”
But as usual, by halftime all hell had broken loose. Like children once tucked in that repeatedly need to be put back to bed, seating is merely a suggestion with these folks. Don’t like your neighbor? Just give it a minute and you’ll have a whole new set of perma-grinning, twirling, jingle-jangle jesters in your midst. Half the entertainment at shows like these comes from watching jam-banders wreak havoc on the establishment, swapping ticket stubs and playing hide the spliff.
---------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
---------------------
---------------------
Posts
