Photo via Widespread Panic’s Facebook page

Last night, Widespread Panic kicked off their first extensive tour in almost a decade at Jackson, WY’s Snow King Amphitheatre. Though the Georgia-bred jamband have continued to host weekend runs about once a month and make festival regular appearances during the past 10 years, the group hasn’t embarked in a multi-city run since 2016. They also haven’t performed in Wyoming since 2013 and their last show show in Jackson itself was almost 20 years ago, when they appeared at the Snow King Amphitheatre on July 19, 2006.

Not surprisingly, the evening contained a number of notable moments. As July 4th weekend came to a close, Panic’s second set kicked off with a politically charged theme, opening with a pairing of Buffalo Springfield’s classic protest song “For What It’s Worth” and their own social commentary cut “King Baby,” from the 2023 Hailbound Queen–a selection which could also be seen as a partial nod to the venue’s name. The tune then segued into the Vic Chesnutt-penned “Sleeping Man,” which references freaks of nature and government homes.

Later on during Panic’s second set, as they moved out of “The Last Straw,” Duane Betts, who currently lives in Wyoming, also emerged and sat in on song from his father Dickey Betts’ catalog, The Allman Brothers Band’s improvisational twist on a Donovan folk cut, “Mountain Jam.” The guitarist then remained on stage as Panic concluded their set with “Bowlegged Woman.”

Widespread Panic had not performed “Mountain Jam”–a cover from their bar-band days in the 1980s that has popped up from time to time over the years–since their July 25, 2022, performance on the ABB’s old stomping grounds, New York’s Beacon Theatre. The Snow King collaboration also notably brought together two members of the extended ABB family since Panic drummer Duane Trucks is founding Allman Brothers drummer Butch Truck’s nephew.

For their encore, Panic offered another surprise, busting out Tom Petty’s “Room at the Top” for the first time since their only other full-rendition of the cover, which took place in the Heartbreakers’ Florida homestate at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre on March 24, 2024. (The song’s lyrics felt particularly fitting given the high elevation of yesterday’s show.) The anthem “Ain’t Life Grand” brought the night to a close.

Widespread Panic will perform at Bonner, MT’s KettleHouse Amphitheater tomorrow. Betts, who also joined Blackberry Smoke for “Ramblin’ Man” in Arvada, CO and for “Statesboro Blues” in Cheyenne, WY while supporting that band last month, will open for his old group Dawes at Jackson”s Jackson Hole Center for the Arts on July 13.

Here’s a look at last night’s setlist via PanicStream

Sunday, July 5, Snow King Mountain, Jackson, WY  

Set 1: Little Lilly > Send Your Mind, Ribs and Whiskey, Can’t Get High, Tall Boy, I’m Not Alone, Walkin’ (For Your Love), Space Wrangler (60 mins)

Set 2: For What It’s Worth, King Baby > Sleeping Man, Driving Song > Rebirtha > Driving Song, The Last Straw > Mountain Jam* > Third Stone From The Sun Jam* > Mountain Jam* > Bowlegged Woman (75 mins)

E: Room At The Top, Ain’t Life Grand (14 mins)

(*) w/ Duane Betts on guitar (first time guest)

– LTP ‘Mountain Jam’ 7/25/22 New York (141 shows)

– LTP ‘Room At The Top’ 3/24/24 St Augustine (73 shows) – 2nd time played