Dakota  (4/30/2008 3:37:55 PM)

I've been following this band since nearly the beginning (college bars and music festivals in the late eighties), and I've seen some VERY good shows. Few have hit home like this one did last Saturday night. Having Ann Marie onstage with the boys took me back to some very old-school Panic that I'd thought I'd forgotten. Bottom line:

Get this show! Like the Portsmouth 2006 shows with Sam Holt, this one is a must-have. It built energy from the start, leading us down what we thought was a familiar path. Oh no, no, no! As if the 1st set wasn't smoking hot enough, the second set blew us away and left us hoarse, gasping for air, but completely SATISFIED. We spent much of the 4 hour drive back to Va Beach on Sunday listening to old studio releases to relive a night that won't soon be forgotten.

Thanks fellas, and thank you Ann Marie! What a wonderful ride!

   a panic vet  (4/30/2008 2:02:51 PM)

A vet of about 140 shows, in my mind I rate them based on a percentile. Like the best show I've ever seen (5/5/99) is the first percentile while some of the GMAC shows I went to are in the 90's. This show is in the top five to eight easy. It's that good.

The first set included all the key elements of a hot set. An instrumental in Machine, a classic in T. Lite, a rare original like Thin Air, a JB masterpiece like Diner, a major breakout in Help Me Somebody, and finally a wonderful cover in Can't Find My Way Home.

The beginning of the second set picked up quickly. Impossible got the crowd fully involved quickly. I think everyone in the crowd was screaming "Rosemary's baby is a New York City kid" at the top of their lungs during Bust It Big, and Jojo did a nice job of carrying the momentum into Arleen.

Then it got truly special. We had heard rumors that "Violin Chick" of youtube fame was in the house. I had seen the youtube video and new right away it was going to be good. It took a minute for everyone to mesh, but once all 8 musicians were on the same page, it was enough to bring tears to your eyes. There were such musical highs felt by players and fans alike, it was like breaking new ground. Ms. Calhoun trading licks with our boy Jimmy was just thrilling, and it was clear the crowd fed off the energy.

I thought it was just going to be the Driving sandwich and that would be all we got with Ms. Calhoun, but Heaven came as a wonderful surprise and turned out to be a lovely rendidtion.

The Expiration Day encore just set the stage. It's a wonderful song, but you know we ain't going out like that. So how's this, let's bring Violin Chick back out and rip Fishwater with full intention.

Yeah, while it didn't quite make a run at my all-time favs (7/22/01, 10/31/98), it's in the top 10 and my favorite of the Jimmy Herring era to date. Get it and enjoy the musical high that comes with it.

   Tankcarve3  (4/30/2008 1:56:29 PM)

The Driving Song>Surprise Valley>Heaven>Driving Song with Ann Marie Calhoun on the fiddle was the greatest music I have ever seen at a Widespread show. Jimmy and Ann Marie were playing off each other creating the most beautiful music.