Widespread Panic Blow into Chicago, Unleash a Gust of Bust Outs on Night One
Photo Credit: Tim Bottchen
On Wednesday, June 4, Widespread Panic commenced night one of three at the Chicago Theatre. The band’s return to the Windy City produced a series of five bust-outs, beginning with the concert’s very first song/ opener, “From the Cradle.” Its arrival ended a 62-show performance gap, after its last delivery on March 4, 2023, at Las Vegas’ The Theatre at Virgin Hotels. The first move of the night set a trend that cascaded into the night’s latter half.
Rather than pause in recognition of a complete “From the Cradle” delivery, Widespread Panic kept the songs coming, moving into “Imitation Leather Shoes,” which seeped into the night’s third arrival and subsequent bust out, “Weight of the World.” The 1991 release had not been played since the band’s October. 23, 2022 gig in Milwaukee, effectively ending a 76-show lapse.
Continuing with their first frame, WP positioned “Party At Your Mama’s House” with teases of The Doors’ “LA Woman” and The Allman Brothers Band’s “Mountain Jam,” before adding one last piece to their nonstop start: “Stop Breakin’ Down Blues.” Bust outs ensued with the arrival of “This Part of Town,” last played in Savannah, Ga., on October 28, 2023, 32 shows ago. “Big Wooly Mammoth” reflected the city’s history, the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, ahead of the final additions: “Radio Child” and “Little by Little.”
Set two conjured a cover from the jump, J.J. Cale’s “Travelin’ Light,” representing the night’s final dust off, ahead of a run of originals, sans pause during a sequence of “Good People” into “Dark Bar,” and a reprise of the Earth of America feature before the final piece of the multi-part segue, “Pigeons.” Fresh off his stint with Umphrey’s McGee, Duane Trucks provided an instrumental interlude before a full band siege of “Rock.”
The final three songs of their second set were all covers, beginning with Jerry Joseph’s “Climb to Safety,” Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth,” and ultimately, Talking Heads’ “Life During Wartime.” For the night’s encore, WP stepped out for “We Walk Each Other Home” and “Porch Song.”
Following the group’s first night in Chicago, they will continue their sold-out run tonight, Thursday, June 5, and Friday, June 6. For tickets, click here.
Widespread Panic
Chicago Theatre – Chicago
June 4, 2025
Set I: From the Cradle > Imitation Leather Shoes > Weight of the World > Party At Your Mama’s House > Stop Breakin’ Down Blues, This Part of Town, Big Wooly Mammoth > Radio Child, Little By Little
Set II: Travelin’ Light, Good People > Dark Bar > Good People > Pigeons, Mercy > Drums > Rock, Climb To Safety, For What It’s Worth, Life During Wartime
Enc.: We Walk Each Other Home, Porch Song
Notes via panicstream.com:
– LTP ‘From the Cradle’ 3/04/23 Las Vegas (62 shows)
– LTP ‘Weight of the World’ 10/23/22 Milwaukee (76 shows)
– ‘L.A. Woman’ & ‘Mountain Jam’ teases during PAYMH
– LTP ‘This Part of Town’ 10/28/23 Savannah (32 shows)
– “So we can burn Chicago down” and “Mrs O’Leary’s cow” (often blamed for Great Chicago Fire of 1871) during Big Wooly Mammoth
– LTP ‘Travelin Light’ 4/14/24 Playa (22 shows)
