When Col. Bruce Hampton spoke of Widespread Panic with admiration, he often used the word “intention,” stemming from his experience with the band at a show in 1988 with about 25 people in attendance. Basically, the band played for 25 like they were playing for 25,000, and any band that can pull that off - with “intention” - is a band worthy of attention and admiration. Even as Panic grew in prominence and began drawing crowds throughout the U.S., there were still occasional nights when the front gate was less than ideal. In this episode, we look at two shows where the crowds were notoriously thin, October 14, 1996 in Monroe, Louisiana and March 8, 1998 in Byron Bay, Australia - during their first trip abroad. Instead of mailing it in, the boys brought the heat to the couple hundred people (at most) in attendance each night with inspired, setlist rarities, and a bit of good humor about small gathering they were all a part of.

Links below go to whole show streams from Panicstream.

14 October 1996 - Monroe, LA - Civic Center
Holden Oversoul > Dirty Business > Impossible > Radio Child > Barstools and Dreamers
Source: Schoeps CCM41 > Oade M118

8 March 1998 - Byron Bay, AUS - Great Northern Hotel
Pigeons > It Ain't No Use > Love Tractor
Source: Sony ECM-150 > Sony D6

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