WSP Is Back!....They’re Really Back!

By: John Rhys
BluePower.com
Los Angeles, Ca.

There are very few times at this point in my life where I become excited about a group of men standing on stage playing loud music. When I was a much younger man, I relished the volume; the pounding of the kick drum; the deep “thud” of the bass; and the general orchestrated chaos of the people who make it all work.

Last night at the Wiltern Theatre, the machine that makes a successful band run was vibrating like a finely tuned watch. The light crew; the sound men; the techs and the band, created enough energy to light the state of California. My congratulations to them all, including the excellent staff at the Wiltern.

There are a lot of great bands roaming about today that are big business. Good for them; it’s hard work. Occasionally, a group of humans find themselves together in the back of a van somewhere in the middle of nowhere heading to a gig in God knows where. Who would have thought at that time they would be together twenty years later. For Widespread Panic, that time is a long, long way down a road filled with perseverance, talent and belief in how and what they play. Those are the necessary ingredients that led to last night’s show.

July 14th, 2005….Wiltern Theatre….8 PM

Tonight….a group of gentlemen took the stage and played two of the most powerful sets this writer has been privileged to witness in a mighty long time. Widespread Panic made thousands of LA folks very happy this evening. I was fortunate to be included.

The song list was perfect for the evening. Each song led to another; driving the energy into peaks of excitement for the audience. The people were in the mood and band delivered the goods. Two sets with an encore of not one, but two songs. One an original WSP tune, “Bust It Big”, and “I Wanna Be Sedated” a Ramones favorite. Members of the audience were leaping into the air; their screams deafening. The balcony was literally moving up and down six inches.

This was not the WSP that I heard in this same venue in 2003. The year off made a big difference. The choice of songs tonight was superb but it took the combination of a red-hot audience and one of the best live bands in America today to make the magic. At times the audience and band seemed like one being. The music held it’s sway.

WSP did several covers of singly great songs. Performing these songs in their own inimitable way, the band stamped their brand on one of War’s best known songs, “Slippin’ Into Darkness”. A couple of songs down, they nailed J. J. Cale’s “Ride Me High”. (The set list is given below.)

Tonight, Domingo “Sonny” Ortiz (percussion), Todd Nance (drums), Dave Schools (bass/vocals), John “JoJo” Herman (keys/vocals), George McConnell (guitar/vocals) and John Bell (lead vox/gtr), together known as Widespread Panic, rocked the city of Los Angeles. There should be no doubt now in anyone’s mind why WSP has taken twenty years to become one of the hardest working; imminently endurable and most loved, live bands in the USA.

Set List One………

“All Time Low”
“Little Lilly”
“Tie Yo Shoes”
“Makes Sense To Me”
“Nicotina”
“Help Me Somebody” (NRBQ)
“Trouble” (Cat Stevens)
“Holden”
“Walkin’ On Gilded Splinters” (Dr. John)
“Goin’ Out West” (Tom Waits)

Set List Two……..

“L.G.D.T.Biz” (Vic Chestnut)
“Littlekin”
“Slippin’ Into Darkness” (War)
“Henry Parsons Died.”
“C. Brown”
“Second Skin”
“Ride Me High” (J. J. Cale)
“Surprise Valley”
“Hatfield”
“Fishwater”

Encore:
“Bust It Big” (WSP) and “I Wanna Be Sedated” (The Ramones)

WSP will be performing at the Wiltern Theatre through Saturday evening.
Be prepared and make sure you get there early. 8 PM is showtime.

For all your Widespread Panic needs....click here.