Widespread Panic @ Greek 7/8/6

[Drunk Monk]

Last year, WSP really rocked me. I was convinced they were the top jam band out there at the time. WSP mimics the Dead with two drummers, keys, and lead, rhythm and bass guitars. The bass guitarist is heavy set and wears all black and even stands in Jerry's old position. That being said, they don't play Dead songs at all, althought they do have a drum solo of sorts. No space. Nobody does space like the Dead. No one even comes near.

This year, WSP weren't as moving for me, but still interesting. The show had some fine moments, including a point where the whole crowd cheered in unison with the music in a perfectly timed call-response fashion. Obviously they all knew the song well. We refered to the crowd as 'Old Navy' hippies, young, clean-cut, washed, and dressed in Old Navy clothes - pot smokers, beer drinkers, a few psychedelic users, but nothing that extreme - a fun, good-looking, nice-smelling crowd. I personally think what WSP lacks are spinners. That would put them on the next level. But then again, there aren't a whole lot of jam bands out there, so they still reign as one of the leaders of the sound. It's just great to see people dance freely to the music, uninhibited by how absurd they look while doing it.