Episode #99 hits at a particularly harrowing time in the recent history of our nation. The NBA is on hiatus. March Madness will be played in arenas in front of moms, dads, ballboys, and janitors, and no one else. Tom Hanks - FREAKING TOM HANKS - has the damn virus. End times? Nope. Just 2020, the best year ever.

Well, despite the darkness, at least we still have some Widespread Panic to talk about. The band just completed its first five-nights-in-a-row RESIDENCY in many, many years - five nights, no repeats, and a return back to the 9 song first set, 9-10 song second, and 2 song encore format that served this band so well for so long. We discuss all five shows, but focus on the first and fifth nights. Harvey takes a deep dive in the 2nd set of night one for an old school combo kicking off with “Blight,” while Jeff waxes poetic about the 2nd set in night five, including a killer “Hatfield” with an all time JB rap about Hatfield’s mama and random TV shows and movies from the mid 1960s.

Best of all, dear listener, limited dryer talk and no existential dread. Maybe that’ll be back for episode #100? Let’s hope not.

Links below go to whole show streams from Panicstream.

27 February 2020 - New York, NY - Beacon Theater
Blight > Help Me Somebody > Fishwater > Pilgrims

02 March 2020 - New York, NY - Beacon Theater
Hatfield > Impossible > Saint Ex > Tie Your Shoes

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Yep, we ask this question and many more in this, our 98th episode of The Bluest Tape. What ostensibly began as an episode to discuss the recent Panic en la Playa Nueve turns into a discussion about washer/dryer repair and the very nature of this podcast that you are about to tune into. We go DEEP. But, we also talk about PELP, and another great PELP it was, really turning into a family reunion in some ways, not just for the fans, but the band as well, too. It was a very loose, very loose four show run, kicked off with an epic “Lawyers Guns & Money” opener and shutting it down with “Last Dance > Porch Song.” Take a ride with us through these four shows and stick around for a discussion best suited for your freshman year Philosophy 100 discussion section.

Links below go to whole show streams from the good folks at Panicstream

24 January 2020 - Riviera Maya, MX - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Lawyers, Guns, & Money > Chilly Water > Stop-Go > Heaven; One Kind Favor > Mr. Soul (w/ Marcus King on guitar)

25 January 2020 - Riviera Maya, MX - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Mercy > Jam > Bowlegged Woman > Blight

27 January 2020 - Riviera Maya, MX - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Weak Brain, Narrow Mind, Sympathy for the Devil (w/ a whole mess of guests)

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First time we’ve recorded in a while and so much has gone on, most notably, Panic concluding a strong three night run at the Fabulous Fox Theater in Atlanta over New Year’s. This episode, we recap the holidays, recap our illnesses, complain about football and basketball referees and the ridiculous amount of replays, and of course, end up talking about Panic. We give the 2019 run a good once over, and then we let Harvey wax poetic about NYE 94 and 95. No surprise, but some pretty good music here.

Links below go to whole show streams from Panicstream

31 December 2019 - Atlanta, GA - Fabulous Fox Theater

31 December 1994 - Macon, GA - Macon City Auditorium

31 December 1995 - Macon, GA - Macon Coliseum

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We recorded this episode in the midst of a driving Memphis rain storm and a 25+ degree temperature drop on Veteran’s Day, so tipping our cap to the great W. Axl Rose and Stephanie Seymour seemed appropo. We dropped a new format for our Halloween 2019 recap and promptly cast it aside for a return to the old format. Sorry!

This week, we have two great examples from Fall Tour 2000 - a couple of unheralded shows from the State of Montana. 11/10/00 finds at Montana State University in Bozeman for a killer trio of mid-first set songs. The next night (11/11/00), we head over to the University of Montana in Missoula for a smokin’, cover-laden encore that has a little bit of everything: killer sound, Schools’ bombs, engaged JB, and so much more. Absolutely love this segment! Along the way, we talk about spring 2020 tour, the Black Crowes reunion, the end of Matt Bevin, and the mess that the University of Memphis finds itself in. #freewiseman #memphisvseverybody

Links below go to whole show streams from Relisten (just this one time, we promise!).

10 November 2000 - Bozeman, MT - Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, Montana State U.
Papa Legba > Stop-Go > Cream Puff War

11 November 2000 - Missoula, MT - Adams Fieldhouse, U. of Montana
And It Stoned Me > Bowlegged Woman

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What a great three night run in New Orleans! Wow!

Excellent performances on all three nights, some BIG surprises, great covers, and killer setlists all around. Obviously, the talk of the run was the tribute to Andy Kaufman on Halloween night that ended in a bizarre piece of performance art to the tune of "Volare" and “Tacos are Cheap.” I hope they book Tony Clifton as an opener for Panic en la Playa in 2021.

Trying a new format this week. We talk about the shows, sure, but we also play just some selected snippets from each show. Please check out the links below to listen to each show. We hope you like it!

Links below go to whole show streams from Panicstream

31 October 2019 - New Orleans, LA - UNO Lakefront Arena

01 November 2019 - New Orleans, LA - UNO Lakefront Arena

02 November 2019 - New Orleans, LA - UNO Lakefront Arena

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This weekend, the boys hit the Riverside Theatre in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for what will likely be another excellent run of three shows. The band has made the Riverside its exclusive Milwaukee home since 2006, but before that, they played all over “The United States of Milwaukee,” from Shank Hall and the Modjeska to the Eagles Ballroom and Summerfest. We get things started with the band’s first trip to the Cream City in 1992, follow it up with their first set at Summerfest in 1995, and close it out with the epic 1996 show from the Modjeska, and a damn fine Fall 1998 show from the Eagles Ballroom. In between the music, Jeff tries to remember his Milwaukee geography and recall some of his favorite haunts from when he worked in the city in 2012-13. His memory is not as sharp as it used to be though, so he probably made some mistakes. He also forgot to recommend his actual favorite places: Sobelman’s (burgers!), Soup Brothers (red pepper bisque with the sour cream rice ball!), Palomino (tator tots!), Three Brothers (spinach borek!), and Blackbird (beers, cocktails, and board games!). Or just find a fish fry with potato pancakes as a starch option and you can’t go wrong!

Tech Note: We had some serious connectivity issues, so we apologize if it doesn’t sound the best or if it sounds choppy. We also planned on doing a part two and we were gonna play some freaking George McConnell, but Jeff’s wife got sick and his baby is a tool sometimes (but is still sooooo cute), so recording has been difficult to do. We will honor good ole George soon, we promise!

Links below go to whole show streams from Relisten (just this one time, we promise!).

23 July 1992 - Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall
Disco > It Ain’t No Use > Heaven

08 July 1995 - Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest
I’m Not Alone > Chilly Water > Drums > And It Stoned Me > Porch Song > Jam > Chilly Water

01 November 1996 - Milwaukee, WI - Modjeska Theater
Airplane > Aunt Avis > B of D > Jack

04 October 1998 - Milwaukee, WI - Eagles Ballroom
Driving Song > Pusherman > Driving Song > Breathing Slow

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If you are a regular listener to the Pod, you’d swear that we have turned this in a Billy Strings podcast! Lots of Billy Strings talk again this week - we unveil his previously unknown, completely secret REAL last name (dramatic enough for you?) - as Harvey waxes poetic about Billy’s role in the three night acoustic run at the “Mother Church of Country Music,” the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. These acoustic shows mark a giant leap forward for the band from the days of Sit n Ski (amazing, but not really acoustic other than the first 3 nights) and the Wood Tour (too processed, too planned out for us). They are incredibly well played; tight, yet loose; transcendent jams, concise country-soul brilliance; you can tell this band is having fun and really pushing all the right buttons.

This week, Harvey shares his experience at the 2nd night of the Ryman and attending the two Sam Holt Band post-shows (more quality Sam Holt!), plus the usual beer talk, pop culture talk, dad talk, and more. Three great acousti-Panic selections - it is a great show everyone!

Links below go to Panicstream!

23 August 2019 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away, North

24 August 2019 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
Chunk of Coal, Airplane > Ride Me High (w/ Billy Strings)

25 August 2019 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
Surprise Valley > Genesis > Surprise Valley

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This week, we take a trip back to the 1969 Aquarian Exposition, aka, the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair, held in Bethel, NY. Through three days of rain, mud, bad trips, no food, traffic jams, and more mud, nearly a half million young people from all over the US made their way to this legendary festival. One such person was Jeff’s father-in-law, Larry, who hitched his way from New York City on Saturday morning, arriving just in time for the day’s music. In this episode, we learn all about Larry’s experience and memory of this incredible event in a special ‘setbreak’ interview. Since this is a Widespread Panic podcast, though, we chose Panic’s versions of nine songs that were performed at the festival. From Joe Cocker and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band to Creedence and The Band, we got it all. Enjoy!

Links below go to the tracks from Relisten (just this one time, we promise!).

27 April 1997 - Burlington, VT - Memorial Auditorium
Jingo Jam

10 August 1993 - Antioch, TN - Starwood Amphitheater
Turn on Your Lovelight (w/ Col. Bruce Hampton)

07 September 2013 - Arrington, VA - Interlocken Festival
Susie Q (w/ John Fogerty)

24 August 2018 - Arrington, VA - Lockn’ Music Festival
Piece of My Heart (w/ Margo Price)

31 December 2016 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
With a Little Help From My Friends (w/ The McCrary Sisters, Randall Bramblett, and the Megablasters)

24 October 1995 - Columbus, MS - Mississippi University for Women
Good Morning Little Schoolgirl

15 June 2008 - Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Music Festival
Chest Fever (w/ Randall Bramblett, Kevin Hyde, Tom Ryan, and Wayne Postell)

31 July 1998 - Live Oak, FL - Spirit of the Suwanee Music Park
Mr. Soul

06 July 2011 - Eugene, OR - Cuthbert Amphitheater
Born Under a Bad Sign (w/ Ian Neville, Ivan Neville)

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Harvey is joined again by friend of the podcast, Sam Holt. They dig deep into the archives and play some of Sam faves from shows in 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, and 2001. They discuss Sam's upcoming Remembering Mikey event in Atlanta on August 10, 2019 at Terminal West and also his late night shows in Nashville after Ryman Panic on 8/23 and 8/24.

Links below go to whole show streams from Panicstream.

31 October 1990 - Athens, GA - Georgia Theatre
Dog Song
Source: Shure SM57s >D6 by Sam Holt

30 October 1992 - Athens, GA - Georgia Theatre
Machine > Barstools
Source: Nakamichi CM-300/CP1 > DAT by J.T. Lucchesi

27 July 1994 - Pensacola, FL - Bayfront Arena
Analyze > Fishwater
Source: SBD > DA-P20

28 June 1996 - Oak Mountain - Pelham, AL
Space Wrangler > Disco
Source: FOB EV-RE20 > SBM-1 > D8 by Michael Wilker

22 July 2000 - Brewery District Pavillion - Columbus, OH
The Waker > Rock, This Part of Town, Chilly Water > Love Tractor >
Source: AKG 482 > Apogee AD1000 > D8 by Jeff Frank and Bill Mixon

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For all your first times or long times out there, we have a landmark first in this episode of the Bluest Tape. Whilst driving up I-75 to the Tedeschi Trucks Band in Cincinnati, Jeff and Harvey actually recorded an episode in the SAME place at the SAME time, this time, in Jeff’s Honda Pilot! Harvey does most of the nuts and bolts this time around so Jeff could keep his eyes on the road, but the discussion goes back and forth about the Summer 1999 tour with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Red Rocks 2019, the 4848 Festival, Bobby Womack, the Pontiac Silverdome, and how we still don’t like “Christmas Katie.” The content this week takes us back 20 years (stunning!) to the glory days of the Panic + DDBB collaboration. Some great, non-Another Joyous Occasion live Panic included inside - enjoy!

Links below go to whole show streams from Panicstream.

27 July 1999 - New York, NY - Roseland Ballroom
Ophelia > Swamp
Source: FOB Schoeps Mk4 > CMC5 > Sonosax SX-M2 by Jim Finn

24 July 1999 - Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post
Big Wooly Mammoth > Jam > Rebirtha
Source: Schoeps MK4V > CMC6 > Sonosax SX-M2 > Apogee AD1000 by Charles Fox

19 July 1999 - Pontiac, MI - Phoenix Plaza
Hope in a Hopeless World > (I Walk On) Guilded Splinters
Source: FOB AKG 481 > Lunatec V2 > Graham-Patten ADC-20 by Jamie Syrek

27 November 1999 - Hampton, VA - Hampton Coliseum
Flat Foot Flewzy
Source: Schoeps MK4V > CMC6 > Apogee AD1000 by Charles Fox

01 July 1999 - West Hollywood, CA - House of Blues
Just Kissed My Baby
Source: FOB MG 300 > Lunatec V2 > GP ADC-20 by Frank Rinaldi

21 July 1999 - Antioch, TN - First American Music Center
It’s All Over Now
Source: Schoeps MK21 > CMC6 > Oade M148 > Graham-Patten ADC-20 by Bill Mixon

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