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R.E.M: New Album Features Eddie Vedder & Patti Smith

November 5th, 2010 | No Comments

COLLAPSE INTO NOW OUT SPRING 2011

R.E.M.

R.E.M. have revealed that
the title of their 15th studio album will be Collapse Into Now. The album will be released in
Spring 2011 by Warner Bros. Records.

The band re-teamed with Grammy Award-winning producer Jacknife Lee, who produced the band’s
acclaimed previous album Accelerate, to make Collapse Into Now. R.E.M. and Lee recorded the
album in New Orleans at the Music Shed and in Berlin at the famed Hansa Studios. Additional recording and mixing
were done at the venerable Blackbird Studio in Nashville.

In an interview with Spin, Mike Mills revealed that three
of the twelve tracks off the upcoming album will feature Eddie Vedder, Patti Smith and
Peaches. Vedder sings on “It Happened Today,” Patti Smith lends her vocals to “Blue,” and Peaches guests
on an unnamed track.

R.E.M.
Tour Dates
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R.E.M. News
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Widespread Panic: Live in the Classic City II

July 26th, 2010 | No Comments

LIVE IN THE CLASSIC CITY II TO BE RELEASED BY ATO RECORDS ON SEPTEMBER 28;
FEATURING PERFORMANCES HEARD FOR THE FIRST TIME ON CD AND VINYL

Widespread Panic

Following the release of their acclaimed 11th studio album Dirty Side Down (career high Billboard chart
debut), Widespread Panic and
ATO Records will release the two-disc/three-vinyl set Live In The Classic City II on September 28.
2010 marks the ten-year anniversary of this monumental three-night run that took place on April 1-3, 2000 at the
Classic Center Theater in Athens, Georgia. These recordings are also significant because they mark the first time
Widespread Panic asked their fans, who are regularly permitted to record and circulate live performances, to refrain
from recording these particular shows. Live In The Classic City II will mark the first time that these
performances have been made available, and even heard if you weren’t there.

Live In The Classic City II includes special guests Mike Mills (R.E.M.), percussionist Arvin
Scott, producer John Keane and vocalists Daniel Hutchens and Anne Richmond
Boston. Chosen from the same set of dates, Live In The Classic City I was released in 2002 and went
on to sell over 100,000 copies. The collection featured special guests such as Bill Berry (R.E.M.),
Chuck Leavell (Rolling Stones), Randall Bramblett (Traffic, Steve Winwood), Col. Bruce
Hampton, and Derek Trucks (Allman Brothers).

Widespread Panic has announced dates for their much-anticipated fall tour. The tour begins on September 17 in
Morgantown, WV and includes stops in Atlanta, Baltimore, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland and ends with a three-
night stand in New Orleans, LA that includes their annual Halloween bash. Check out the dates below.

2010 FALL TOUR DATES:

Sept. 17 West Virginia University Coliseum Sept. 18 Charlottesville Pavilion Sept. 19 Pier Six Pavilion Sept. 21 PNG Pavilion at Sept. 23 Centerstage Live **Annual Sept. 24 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Sept. 25 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Sept. 28 Leon County Civic Center Sept. 30 The Fillmore Miami Beach Oct. 1 St. Augustine, Amphitheater Oct. 2 Patriot’s Point Oct. 4 The Ryman Auditorium Oct. 5 The Ryman Auditorium Oct. 6 The Ryman Auditorium Oct. 8 Midland Theater Oct. 9 The Riverside Theater Oct. 10 The Riverside Theater Oct. 13 The Rail Events Center Oct. 15 Fox Theater Oct. 16 Fox Theater Oct 17 Fox Theater Oct. 19 Grand Sierra Theater Oct. 20 Grand Sierra Theater Oct. 22 The Greek Theater Oct. 23 The Joint at The Hard Rock Cafe Oct. 24 Open Sky Theater at Harrah’s Oct. 27 Verizon Theater Oct. 29 Kiefer UNO Lakefront Arena Oct. 30 Kiefer UNO Lakefront Arena Oct. 31 Kiefer UNO Lakefront Arena

Widespread Panic
49/Widespread-Panic/Articles">Widespread Panic News ::
49/Widespread-Panic/Articles">Widespread Panic

SXSW | 03.20.10 | Austin, TX – Day 4

March 22nd, 2010 | No Comments

Words by: Kayceman | Images by: Scott Dudelson

SXSW :: 03.20.10 :: Saturday :: Austin, TX

She & Him at Rachel Ray’s Party :: 03.20.10 by Dudelson

We celebrated the first day of spring with some of the coldest weather Austin has experienced this year. With a bitter wind and temps dipping down into the 30s, the cold definitely affected the music experience on the final day of South by Southwest. Prior to the really chilly evening, I spent my day at the 40 Watt/JamBase Party located at the Side Bar. With one indoor stage and two outdoor ones, it allowed for a nice flow in-and-out of the elements that kept patrons warm(er). Each stage took the name of a departed Athens artist with the Vic Chesnutt Stage serving the headliners, the Jerry Fuchs Stage being the secondary outdoor venue and the Jon Guthrie Stage set up inside the bar.

Kayceman’s Top 3

#3 – Camper Van Beethoven

Psychedelic folk rock, alternative ska pop, alt-country and whatever else people call Camper Van Beethoven, the band was able to warm the huddled masses at the 40 Watt/JamBase Party with “Take The Skinheads Bowling.” Mixing a polka shuffle with a neat little violin line (that could have been louder in the mix), they twisted deeply into weird Americana/country rock landscapes and it wasn’t hard to pick up on the Leftover Salmon cross-breeding found through bandleader David Lowery‘s work with Salmon in Cracker. What’s even cooler, the band funded their trip to Austin by letting fans donate $100 in exchange for selecting a song to be performed at the fest.

#2 – The Tenant

Street Sweeper Social Club
Rachel Ray’s Party :: 03.20.10 by Dudelson

Named after Roman Polanski’s movie The Tenant, the quartet played inside the 40 Watt/JamBase Party to a filled bar. Working a moody, dark, dream-pop motif with warm textures, they won me over quickly, even though I’d never heard of them before. One can hear the influence of Manchester bands like New Order, Joy Division and Stone Roses, but it still came off as original. Heavy on electronics but juiced with real guitars and drums, it was easy to dance with. Another band that fans of Phoenix or M-83 should really check out.

#1 – Dead Confederate

There were a lot of big, distorted guitar squalls at the 40 Watt/JamBase Party, but none knocked the crust from our tired, cold bones more than Dead Confederate. Built upon slow, patient grooves that erupted into slamming cymbals and walls of noise, it was remarkable that they could paint such a picture in the light of day. This is dark music, both in content and delivery, and it’s best experienced in a loud room with weird lights, where you can hide in the shadows. But none of that mattered during “The Rat.” Looking around the converted parking lot, heads were slamming back and forth and fists were pumping. A serious achievement considering how freaking cold it was.

Bonus Coverage by JamBase CEO David Rosenheim – Big Star Tribute

The remaining members of Big Star joined special guests to perform an emotionally charged tribute to frontman Alex Chilton, who died suddenly on March 17. Big Star was scheduled to play a fest-closing set at Antone’s, and instead of canceling the gig they brought in friends to help celebrate Chilton and his music. The capacity crowd was treated to 100 minutes of Big Star classics from the band’s influential 70s albums #1 Record, Radio City and Third/Sister Lovers. Performing with original Big Star drummer Jody Stephens were current Big Star members Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer of The Posies. Special guests ranged from original Big Star bassist Andy Hummel, Chris Stamey (dB’s), M. Ward, Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Sondre Lerche, Chuck Prophet, Evan Dando (The Lemonheads), John Doe (who sang a lovely version of “I’m In Love With a Girl”), Amy Speace, The Watson Twins and Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets.

Kayceman’s Top 3 Overall for SXSW 2010

1. Sleepy Sun at IODA Party

2. Kayceman’s Treehouse Party

3. Big Light Private Late Night Show in Hilton Suite

Continue reading for Sarah Hagerman’s SXSW Day 4 highlights…

Words by: Sarah Hagerman

The Packway Handle Band at 40 Watt/JamBase Party
03.20.10 by Hagerman

Saturday came down upon us, bitterly cold and gray. It was definitely a shock to the system after three days of gorgeous sun and mild nights. The weather seemed to cause many folks to stay indoors on the last day, which meant noticeably sparser attendance at a lot of shows, plus a fair number of cancellations and outdoor stages running late. But as the sign I spied at Green Mesquite BBQ later that day said, “It’s called Texas weather.” Texas weather means extremes that smack you in the face. So, I bundled up and rolled with the punches.

Packway Handle Band

Those in attendance at the 40 Watt Day Party (co-sponsored by JamBase) seemed to have the right idea – grab a Bloody Mary at Side Bar and huddle in the warmth of conversation. As the crowd swapped stories about the previous nights’ revelries, Athens, Georgia five-piece string outfit Packway Handle Band stepped up to their dual head mic stand, set up on the Jon Guthrie Stage inside the bar. Without so much as an introduction, they launched into a set that made a believer out of everyone by the end. Packway have a fierce stage presence, with more than a touch of dramatic brimstone. Fiddle player Andrew Heaton was especially infused with hellfire, frequently leaping from the mic huddle to run around at the front of the crowd while thrusting his bow into the air like a baton. They were just a joy to watch. I adore the single mic stand set-up for bluegrass bands – it adds an element of theater, and Packway had it down to a snappy science. The four – Heaton, Michael Paynter (mandolin), Josh Erwin (guitar), and Tom Baker (banjo) would smoothly weave in and out (bassist Zach McCoy stood coolly to the side, until the end that is), leaning in close and singing, stepping out for the solo passes and even acting out the lyrics. When they sang, “Times a-comin’ when the sinner must die,” Paynter fell to his knees and Heaton mimed shooting him in the head. With his eyes menacingly wide, Heaton drew his finger across his throat, grimacing on the word “die.” From an amped-up version of “Tell It To Me,” which kicks the shit out of OCMS’s version about five times over, and a cover of The Tiger Lillies’ “Terrible,” which featured trumpets and a couple gals on backup vocals, this is a band that knows how to own any song they set their minds to. At the end of the show, they ran into the crowd, furiously picking their instruments. McCoy raised his doghouse bass over his head, sending the bar lights swinging and wildly cheering folks ducking out of their way. They pushed the crowd back and forth, as they ran into the walls of the bar. This is how I like my bluegrass served up – dark and passionate, with a side of blood.

WhoMadeWho

Lumped in with the post-punk disco bands, but drawing equally on robotic electro and banging club pop, WhoMadeWho were ferociously fun at Encore. They laid down rubbery beats and squishy synth, as bassist Tomas Hoffding leapt from the speakers to the crowd and back again and guitarist Jeppe Kjellberg pointed directly at members of the audience, singing, “You! Your thoughts are dirty!” One of the most amusing things to me was that Hoffding and Kjellberg never cracked the glass cool looks on their faces – Kjellberg kept a slightly-sweet, slightly-pervy smile glued on the whole time, and Hoffding was absolutely unflappable, even when Kjellberg bent down and pretended to tickle his balls or reached over and grabbed his nipples. When Hoffding made a trip into the crowd, an audience member tried to get in on the titty twisting action. Unfazed, Hoffding simply ripped open the top of his shirt and let him have it. These are some seriously freaky Danes, and when they closed the set with a crushing cover of “Satisfaction” from Benny Benassi’s 2003 album Hypnotica (you know, “Push me/ And then just touch me/ Until I get my/ Satisfaction”), you felt like they really wanted you to push them in some very unseemly ways.

Titus Andronicus

Pretty Lights at La Zona Rosa :: 03.20.10 by Aaron Bach

I’m a total Shakespeare nerd, so I had to see a band named after one of The Bard’s more obscure tragedies. I shivered in the cold and darkness of the Red 7 patio, through the end of the utterly unmemorable Crystal Antlers. Titus Andronicus was worth every minute of that wait. You can just tell when a band fervently believes in what they are doing, and lord, does this group write some new gospel. Anthemic punk with definite touches of The Hold Steady, Springsteen and The Pogues, you just want to pump fists to this. Note to self: Get their recorded stuff, so I can scream the lyrics next time. They had bucket loads of energy and are unapologetically brainy. Their latest album, The Monitor, is a loose concept album about the Civil War. They also have an album called The Airing of Grievances, which is a reference to “The Strike” episode of Seinfeld and the holiday Festivus. I’m glad there’s a band of fellow pop culture, literature and history geeks out there to freak out with, who also have the balls to write 15-minute punk songs. I think I’m in love.

Pretty Lights

Utterly beaten to a pulp, I ended my SXSW 2010 with Pretty Lights at La Zona Rosa. Although not normally my thing, I got to hand it to him – Pretty Lights is definitely on top of his game. There’s a reason he’s blown up as of late. He has a seamless sensibility as he layers and melts bits and pieces together. It’s real craftsmanship, and I was well impressed. He also had a mind-blowing light show, and drummer Cory Eberhard added a real thrust behind the sonic palette. Glitchy, dubby and heavy, with moments of exuberant flight, it was the perfect way to sweat and dance down the last hours of SXSW 2010 before 2 a.m. fell upon us. SXSW can be a harsh mistress, but, as I looked around at the beaming faces and hands raised in the air, I knew she’d already called me back for 2011.

Continue reading for more pics of SXSW Day 4…

Images by: Scott Dudelson

Rachel Ray at the Rachel Ray Party :: Stubb’s :: 03.20.10
Dr. Dog at the Rachel Ray Party :: Stubb’s :: 03.20.10
Chapin Sisters at the Rachel Ray Party :: Stubb’s :: 03.20.10
Tom Morello – Street Sweeper Social Club at the Rachel Ray Party :: Stubb’s :: 03.20.10
Andrew WK at the Rachel Ray Party :: Stubb’s :: 03.20.10
Priestess at the Harley Davidson Party :: 03.20.10
The New Harley Davidson at the Harley Davidson Party :: 03.20.10
Exene Cervenka at Bloodshot Records Party :: 03.20.10
Big Light at Relix Showcase :: 03.20.10
The Like at Stubb’s :: 03.20.10

Click here for coverage of SXSW Day 1.

Click here for coverage of SXSW Day 2.

Click here for coverage of Day 3.

JamBase | On The Mend

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Widespread Panic | 12.30 & 12.31 | Atlanta

January 4th, 2010 | No Comments

Words by: Wesley Hodges | Images by: Michael Saba

Widespread Panic :: 12.30.09 & 12.31.09 :: Philips Arena :: Atlanta, GA

Widespread Panic :: 12.31 :: Georgia

Death. Taxes. Widespread Panic on New Year’s Eve in Atlanta. Some things are certain in life. Maybe it’s because I’ve spent the greater part of my existence as a Georgia resident, but order felt restored in the universe when John Bell and company returned to Atlanta to kick off their eighth New Year’s Eve run of this decade at Philips Arena after spending last year’s NYE in Denver. In what has been quite the anomaly from past years, the Atlanta shows were Panic’s first two of the year in Georgia and the Home Team seemed to play with added gusto on this run. Both performances came off as well-rehearsed, inspired and a great deal of fun. When you live in the Southeast, it’s easy to take Panic for granted because one could usually stay local and still catch a half dozen shows a year or more. The fact that these were the first shows in Georgia all year only added to the intense anticipation.

In what has been a roller coaster decade that saw the death of lead guitarist Michael Houser in 2002, an explosion in popularity aided by the American festival industry (headlining events like Bonnaroo and Austin City Limits certainly helped) and the addition of the mega-talented Jimmy Herring, Panic has pushed onward and upward releasing four studio albums and gaining a whole new generation of fans along the way. Through it all, Panic has continued to blaze a trail nationwide, crafting unique concert experiences and original setlists while delivering their muscular brand of psychedelic Southern rock.

12/30/09

The first night was undersold (with a black curtain blocking off access to the seats in 300s level) but luckily it didn’t affect the band’s performance. Multi-instrumentalist Randall Bramblett and the wonderful horn section The MegaBlasters added extra muscle to choice covers like “Chest Fever” and the Traffic classic “Low Spark of High Heeled Boys.” This lineup of Panic often peaks when Dave Schools and Jimmy Herring play the game of musical one-upmanship as they did on “Stop-Go.” This dub heavy turn on the early period favorite featured Schools as a one man wrecking crew and is worthy of a second (or first) listen.

Mike Mills w/ WSP :: 12.31 :: Georgia

The chills-inducing first notes of “Aunt Avis” invoked the largest crowd response and was fitting as the first of several tributes to Vic Chesnutt during the two-night run. Chesnutt died from an apparent suicide on Christmas and there is no doubt the recent loss weighed heavily on the band during the shows. John Keane‘s pedal steel whined to the heavens as JB sang “Help me remember how to be good/ How to continue when I feel I really shouldn’t” as the crowd quickly grew quiet and the lighters went up. “Angels on High” and “Weight of the World” closed down the first of five sets and also featured the very professional MegaBlasters accompaniment. There’s just something about horns and New Year’s Eve that seems to class up the joint.

What came next was one of the strongest sets of music I’ve witnessed in eight years of seeing the band play. Of all the bust-out deep track random covers, perhaps there is none more bizarre than Warren Zevon‘s “Excitable Boy,” a song about a deranged usher biting murderer. With R.E.M.‘s Mike Mills on lead vocals and Randall Bramblett playing the sax parts from the original version, this track soared and kept fans on their toes. Staple songs like “Ain’t Life Grand” and “Blackout Blues” are generally hard to get overly excited about, having seen them countless times, but the added guest horns and quality of musicianship on display on this night made these extra special.

Bramblett’s sax solo on “Low Spark” was a full-on jaw dropper and his proficiency for the tune shouldn’t come as a surprise, as Bramblett was a touring member of Traffic at one point. Keyboardist John “Jojo” Hermann‘s soulful organ accented Bramblett beautifully making this one of the better tunes of the run. Yonrico Scott joined the action for “Fishwater” and piqued my interest in the usually bathroom break worthy “Drums” segment. An impressive bass-heavy jam out of “Drums” led back towards “Fishwater” before the Zevon cover and a great reading of R.E.M.’s “Don’t Go Back to Rockville” with Mills.

“Blue Indian” was oddly placed to open the encore but John Keane’s presence again catapulted this version above any I’d heard before. Finally, a take on The Band’s “Chest Fever” rounded out one of the more enjoyable Panic shows I’ve ever had the pleasure of attending.

12/30/09 Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA (Setlist courtesy of EverydayCompanion.com)

Set I: Solid Rock > Stop-Go > Radio Child, Aunt Avis*, Climb To Safety*, C. Brown*, Rebirtha > Angels on High**, Weight Of The World**

Set II: Ain’t Life Grand*, Time Zones*, This Part Of Town*, Blackout Blues***, Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys**** > Fishwater***** > Drums****** > Fishwater******, On Your Way Down******* > You Should Be Glad*******, Excitable Boy********, (Don’t Go Back To) Rockville********, Imitation Leather Shoes

E: Blue Indian*******, Chest Fever*******

* with John Keane on pedal steel

** with The MegaBlasters on horns

*** with John Keane on pedal steel, Randall Bramblett on saxophone

**** with Randall Bramblett on saxophone

***** with Randall Bramblett on saxophone, Yonrico Scott on percussion

****** with Yonrico Scott on percussion

******* with John Keane on pedal steel, The MegaBlasters on horns

******** with Mike Mills on vocals, Randall Bramblett on saxophone

[Only '(Don't Go Back To) Rockville', Only 'Excitable Boy'; Soundcheck: 'Expiration Day', 'Goin' Out West', 'Cream Puff War']

Continue reading for coverage of New Year’s Eve…

12/31/09 – New Year’s Eve

Widespread Panic :: 12.31 :: Georgia

A slow-moving line at the CNN Center entrance to the arena prevented hordes of fans from seeing much of the acoustic set and we didn’t make it down to the floor until the fourth song. I’ve always enjoyed Panic’s acoustic sounds as much as the hard rock bombshells because it gives John Bell the rare opportunity to show his talents on the six-string and take a few more leads than usual. The set was heavy with mediocre throwaways from the band’s last few albums until busting out “Vacation” for only the second time in 2009. As was the case the previous night, perhaps the largest crowd response came as the band played Brute‘s (which features Panic backing Vic Chesnutt) “Expiration Day,” a song Panic and Chesnutt recorded on their 2002 album Cobalt. Standing much closer, it was easy to watch the band’s reactions and Herring looked on the verge of tears while paying tribute to their fallen friend. An excellent and surprising acoustic rendition of “Holden Oversoul” and a ho-hum “Porch Song” rounded out the hour long acoustic offering.

Although the third set is hard to beat on paper, in this writer’s opinion, the second set was when the playing reached its apex. The “Space Wrangler” > “Impossible” > “Jack” > “Action Man” run was a remarkable display of a jam band doing what they do best, building on a musical idea and crafting something that hasn’t been created before, i.e.: jamming. It seems like jamming isn’t as fashionable as it was at the beginning of the decade, when the jam world arguably reached a generational peak, so it was great to see Panic still willing to challenge itself by wandering out of the comfort zone into wholly unfamiliar musical territories. As it was the night before in the second set, the band hit a clear stride and clicked on all cylinders midway through set number two. Dave Schools’ playing has elevated since Herring joined the band and their sounds complement each other in a very exquisite fashion. While Schools sounds like a metal guitarist playing bass in a jam band, Herring is a technically gifted shredder with a penchant for playing the laaarge power riffs. Combine the two and you’ve got yourself a nice product. Dave Schools took the bull by the horns and turned “Impossible” into a wickedly dark and heavy metal nightmare after Herring absolutely destroyed “Space Wrangler” while still wearing the starry-eyed look of a man genuinely grateful to be a part of the Widespread Panic family.

Widespread Panic :: 12.31 :: Georgia

JB invited The MegaBlasters back for “Her Dance Needs No Body,” a song from 2008′s Free Somehow. This is one of the stronger tracks on the record and came out of the smoker well with the added brass. It wouldn’t be New Year’s Eve without the appearance of the band’s instant classic “Up All Night” as the green and red lights flashed while Bell sang “The best thing about New Year’s is the Christmas lights….” As they did on night one, The MegaBlasters provided backing for a Band cover. This time it was for “Ophelia,” a crowd favorite and staple cover in the rotation. Schools again dominated “Pigeons” and took the six-string for a few quick sprints playing the bridge at blinding speeds with great precision. With twenty minutes left in the decade, the band exited the stage for another short break.

Mr. Schools came out alone and led the countdown towards a new decade and as the clock struck zero confetti blasted from cannons onstage and rained down from the rafters. He said something about socks and then immediately started playing a robust and familiar bass line as Sunny, Todd Nance, and JoJo joined in the fun walking back onstage. When Herring started his riff (one that would make several re-appearances throughout the marathon set) I started getting the “Could it be?” feeling that Panic was about to cover a Michael Jackson song to start the new year. And that’s exactly what they did.

JB’s year got off to a bit of a shaky start as a fan in a really interesting jacket stumbled onstage, grabbed JB’s microphone and put his arm around him before being run off by security. Momentarily rattled by the incident, Bell quickly re-grouped and 2010 was off and running in a big way as he summoned his inner MJ on the classic “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” Some of the best covers are when a band does a complete 180 genre wise and puts their own signature sound on it. The funny thing is the boys actually pulled it off and pulled it off quite well, and it’s worth a listen for those not in attendance.

Jojo Hermann :: 12.31 :: Georgia

The horns stayed on for “Tall Boy” and “Arleen” with an extended tease of Queen‘s “Another One Bites the Dust.” There was nary a dull moment during the monstrous third set. It was also the lengthiest New Year’s set I’ve ever witnessed, as the band plugged on past 2:00 a.m. Midway through the set I left the jam-packed floor to watch from further back and could appreciate the impressive light display (most notable during “Chilly Water”). Widespread Panic has never been known for their visual display, but the expanded rig for the Philip’s show provided some pretty fantastic eye candy.

The third set was pretty much a greatest hits Panic set with some very rare covers including Stevie Wonder‘s “I Wish” and a first-ever work out on Van Morrison‘s “Moondance.” Schools got weird on “Bust It Big” with some deliciously gooey bass pedaling and the cool, cool water flew as it always does during “Chilly Water.” Neither of these two songs were a surprise but there are certain tunes that the band just kind of has to play on New Year’s and “Chilly” is one of them. A debut performance of Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight” opened the encore and a final tribute to Chesnutt was paid as Panic closed out the festivities with the “Protein Drink/Sewing Machine” suite. I’ve always thought this combo was one of the best vehicles for Herring to make inspired guitar magic and it was no different on this occasion.

With another successful Philip’s run under the belt, these guys show zero signs of slowing down anytime soon and if the first set of 2010 is any indication of what’s to come, it’ll be another prosperous and prolific decade for Widespread Panic.

12/31/09 Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA (Setlist courtesy of EverydayCompanion.com)

Set I (acoustic): Let’s Get Down To Business > Wondering, Already Fried, Tortured Artist, Clinic Cynic, Crazy, Vacation, Expiration Day, Holden Oversoul, Porch Song

Set II: Little Kin, Space Wrangler, Impossible, Jack, Action Man, Her Dance Needs No Body*, Up All Night*, Ophelia*, Pigeons

Set III: Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’*, Tall Boy*, Arleen* > Surprise Valley > Drums > Surprise Valley > Driving Song > Disco > Driving Song > Rock, I Wish* > Moondance*, Bust It Big > Chilly Water > Jam > Chilly Water

E: Walking After Midnight, Protein Drink > Sewing Machine

* with The MegaBlasters on horns

[Only 'Walking After Midnight', Only 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'', Only 'Moondance'; 'Another One Bites The Dust' tease during 'Arleen'; Last 'I Wish' - 11/06/03, 412 shows]

Order the 12/30 show and 12/31 show for Download on LiveWideSpreadPanic.com.

Stream 12/30/09 and 12/31/09 on Panicstream.com.

Continue reading for more pics of Widespread Panic on NYE…

JamBase | Georgia
Go See Live Music!

Widespread Panic | 12.30 | Setlist

December 31st, 2009 | No Comments

Widespread Panic :: 12.30.09 :: Philips Arena :: Atlanta, GA

Set I: Solid Rock > Stop-Go > Radio Child, Aunt Avis*, Climb To Safety*, C. Brown*, Rebirtha > Angels on High**, Weight Of The World**

E: Blue Indian*******, Chest Fever*******

Setlist courtesy of everydaycompanion.com

Order the show for Download on LiveWideSpreadPanic.com

Panic perform again tonight (12/31) in Atlanta, GA. Complete Widespread Panic tour dates available here.

Ha Ha Tonka: Ozark Pride

December 23rd, 2009 | No Comments

By: Ryan Dembinsky

Ha Ha Tonka

So often in the fickle societies presiding over the realm of new music, the breakthrough of a band comes largely from the innovation of a new sound. Springfield Missouri’s Ha Ha Tonka fall into this “new sound” camp, but there’s more to their appeal than just being new. The band has experienced a rapid ascent in the indie rock world by crafting intellectual music with wiredrawn detail, incorporating numerous references that not only provide listeners with aural pleasure, but require active participation as they effortlessly lean on literary classics and paint a portrait of dust bowl toil.

On their latest studio effort, Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South (released June 16 on Bloodshot Records), their second full-length under the name Ha Ha Tonka, the quartet takes inspiration from a broad range of scribes and screeds, and in large part from Harold Bell Wright‘s turn of the century novel, The Shepherd of the Hills, which forms a bit of a backbone for the record. The novel tells a tale steeped in Ozark Mountain folklore, rich with backwoods characters, like outlaws, ghosts, mountain men, and Southern belles, all of which embody the Ha Ha Tonka spirit – and hence, the “new sound.”

“The Shepherd of the Hills is one inspiration behind the record. We didn’t really set out to make a concept record based entirely off of that particular novel,” lead singer Brian Roberts explains. “We drew from several sources, ranging from authors mentioned in the lyrics like Dostoevsky and Thoreau to The Grapes of Wrath, Joel Chandler Harris and even Mark Twain’s essay ‘The United States of Lyncherdom.’ I feel that these all had an equal impact on the overall feel we were striving to achieve. However, The Shepherd of the Hills does come the closest to capturing the very essence of the Ozarks. It’s a great read and one that I highly recommend.”

How does this Ozark lore translate musically? Tonka’s sound deviates from song to song, often containing chugging locomotive rhythms, finger-picked chord progressions, and multiple juxtaposed changes. To be clear, this music is no run-of-the-mill I-IV-V “Americana” schlock. In particular, lead guitarist, Brett Anderson excels in creating distinct, crop-dusting guitar riffs, opting for darker, more colorful melodies, which often form the bedrock of the material and almost always deviate from the obvious.

Ha Ha Tonka by Bristin

The band consists of a two guitar (or sometimes keys), bass, and drums lineup, but another rarefied differentiator is that all four members possess the ability to sing capably, providing four part harmonies on call, perhaps taking note from one of their musical heroes, R.E.M., and the cogent harmonies between Michael Stipe and bassist Mike Mills.

“I believe that any band, when starting out, strives to be the bands they idolize. You can’t help but want to re-write the songs that you love,” says Roberts. “If only we could re-write ‘Nightswimming’ or ‘Losing my Religion’ then I’d be completely satisfied.”

Ha Ha Tonka also has a tendency to be compared to Kings of Leon – in fact to a bit of an absurd degree – but the band really emphasizes their use of Ozark backwoods influences over straight ahead rock.

“We are fans of the Kings of Leon and have heard those comparisons as well,” acknowledges Roberts. “Hopefully, our sound comes closer to straddling the fence between indie rock and O Brother, Where Art Thou? than Kings of Leon’s does. At any rate, I can think of worse bands to be compared to.”

On the heels of 2007′s Buckle in the Bible Belt, an album that made a number of “best of” lists and garnered hefty critical praise, a stellar follow-up in 2009′s Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South, which is racking up even more press and attention, Ha Ha Tonka feels the growth, but continues to trudge on with humility.

Ha Ha Tonka

“Glowing write-ups don’t automatically mean you’ll be shifting millions of records, selling out venues or contracting rabies from random chicks, but they do help a band at our level a lot,” says Roberts. “A good review from a respected publication can definitely help you reach a larger audience.”

Inevitably with Ha Ha Tonka, within moments of hearing the band, the question arises as to why the name? Despite the use of the iconic dump truck in the occasional piece of merch, the name also pays tribute to the Ozark Mountains, and specifically to Ha Ha Tonka State Park.

“Naming a band is usually a difficult process and it was no different in our case,” says Roberts. “We eventually settled on Ha Ha Tonka due to the fact that we wanted something that represented our native Ozarks and hadn’t been used by any other band.”

The quirky name continues to pay off in full. In fact, the band actually formed eight years ago in 2001 under the name Amsterband. However, they subsequently changed names to Ha Ha Tonka in 2007 and it has been uphill from there. A story we all know too well, part of the reason for the change had to do with the fact that Amsterband pigeonholed them into the jam band scene, hence they opted to switch to a name that more embodied the Ozark sound.

Since then, the band has gone on to experience numerous highlights, from positive mentions in Rolling Stone and signing to Bloodshot Records to touring with notable acts like Ben Kweller and the Old 97′s, but one in particular stands out to Roberts. “When we were asked to play Lollapalooza 2008, we couldn’t believe we were lucky enough to share the bill with such acts as Radiohead and Wilco,” he says. “It was a blast and the schwag was incredible.”

Much like My Morning Jacket with Kentucky or Bright Eyes with Nebraska, Ha Ha Tonka’s Missouri state pride disarms listeners and endears them to the Ozarks, its characters, and their stories. Now as Ha Ha Tonka spread their southern mountain sound, the rest of the country is along for the ride. And with such engaging tales and a relaxed down home vibe, one can’t help but want to be a fly on the wall of the van as they roam the land. Well maybe just a fan in the crowd.

“A fly on the wall would probably just complain about the smell,” quips Roberts.

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