Widespread Panic continued its tour de force with a second consecutive night of heavy-hitting rock and roll at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Not only is Milwookie one of Panic’s favorite places to play (last night was the 47th time WSP performed in the city), it’s also a cherished destination for the fans. Even though this particular breed of music maven will travel just about anywhere on the globe to see their favorite band, the mecca to the Riverside Theater is as respected as voyaging to Colorado for June’s shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre or New Year’s Eve at the illustrious Fox Theatre in Atlanta (honorable mention: the swamps of St. Augustine for The Amp).
Without hesitation, Panic zealots braved the plummeting temperatures to lock in for Saturday night’s special. Soon after 8 p.m., the lights turned low and the instrumentals flowed early as an opening “The Take Out” was ordered, bagged, and delivered alongside a tasty “Driving Song” sandwich. WSP cruised down the familiar backroads into “B of D” (the second instrumental in three songs) for the meat of the sandwich.
After finishing the second half of “Driving Song”, Duane Trucks and Sunny Ortiz laid the framework for “Porch Song” without stopping. John Bell’s vocals captivated during “We Walk Each Other Home” before Jimmy Herring branded his signature guitarwork onto both “Christmas Katie” and “Radio Child” in rapid-fire succession…