Freaker Scene: 11/22/09 Widespread Panic @ Riverside Theater Milwaukee, WI

11/22/09 Widespread Panic @ Riverside Theater Milwaukee, WI

Widespread Panic "Let's Get The Show On The Road" opener * foto: timmy

Panic had pleasurably heated the chilly beer town massively for the 2 previous meltdown nights & now Sunday had arrived like the colossal mothership. Following a powerful whim, I had traveled by train all day from the Twin Cities to join good friends for this finale show occasion.

From down on the street to outer space.... WsP

Widespread Panic came in hot flailing their dance erupting electrical storming musical wizardry from the very start. The Riverside Theater is a truly amazing venue for a big rock show. Large & ornately historic, this place still maintained a comfortable & intimate vibe. The band boisterously made their presence known on stage opening with a rip roaring primo version of “Let’s Get the Show on the Road”. Other peak momentous highlights of the first set were party pleaser “Tall Boy”, Vic Chesnutt’s popular fave “Aunt Avis” > melting into down home rockin’ “Rebirtha”, ultra freaking rare gem “Almost Fried”, slow burning “I’m Not Alone” & heavy passionate “Solid Rock”.

Dancing up front for Panic was so much fun here.

Set 2 sweetly arose to life with an adventure inviting “Last Dance” before further fully engaging the scene with more of their charming sexy muses at large. My personal fave treasures unearthed in the 2nd set were: the jam filled frolicking “Walkin’ (for your love)” > “Saint Louis Jam” > intensely moving rare beauty “Morning Dew” (my friends said I brought the ‘Dew’), fast hard “Tie Your Shoes”, fired up funky southern hoodoo “Walk on Guilded Splinters”, extreme “Blackout Blues”, very worthy of giving thanks for sweet sounding “Pilgrims” & improv savvy love soaked “Junior”.

Panic from the balcony of the Riverside. Awesome venue!

The encore featured crowd peaking “All Time Low” & the wondrous dance enchanting “Dream Song”. Panic is well known for their Sunday cosmic knockouts whenever they do weekend runs like this. With this bit of knowledge & an overwhelming desire to dance amongst friends & strangers, I was there. I’m so glad I made it. Here I want to thank all my amazing friends who encouraged my whimsical trip especially Erica & Jesse, whose generosity truly made this possible. Also my thanks & praises to Widespread Panic as well as the universe. I am grateful with all my heart.

My kind hosts Erica & Jesse loot the Waukee pirate booty pre-Panic

The blessings on my whirlwind journey were abundant. The nonstop alluring music propelled my body in ways I previously never knew. The warm feelings of euphoria this experience provided go way beyond the physical realm. Thinking about it, I’m left speechless. Be in the moment. It’s good for you.