10/4/13 Gov't Mule @ Vic Theatre - Chicago, IL

This wasn't a show that I originally intended to attend.  Most people know I plan my concerts months ahead of time usually.  However, changes in my life allowed me the opportunity to see Warren Haynes showcase his new album in the city that always feels like home for me.  I had reconnected with my friend Steve from Wicker Park.  We've seen a lot of good shows together.  I was fairly apathetic about the new Gov't Mule, Shout.  The harvest was in full swing in Illinois as I drove into Chicago during the afternoon. 

We hung out at Steve's apartment listening to some Furthur and rewatched the Iowa State - Texas debacle from the night before.  For dinner we ordered Lou Malnati's.  We parked by the hospital and made the short walk to the Vic.  Upon arrival it was clear that it was far from being sold out.   It was nice to have some room.  The only negative of the night was the buffoonery from a couple drunken delta bravos.  They were playing some Dr. John on the PA system preshow.  World Boss got things going.  The next three songs were all off the previous album, By A Thread.  I was impressed with Whisper to My Soul in the live setting.  Temporary Saint was a nice older Mule tune.  Railroad Boy was another tune from the By A Thread album.  Beautifully Broken was straightforward sans the When Doves Cry.  Funny Little Tragedy is a tune from Shout that I really enjoy. 

Mule took the stage to Journey "Anytime" for set two.  This set featured the new material prominently.  Scared to Live in another new tune that I really like.  Larger Than Life from the Dose album anchored the second set.  Slackjaw had more energy that usual.  There was a brief Drums by Matt Abts before they played their new Dark Side of the Moon rip-off Captured.  I think Effigy with Folsom Prison Blues jam was probably the highlight of the night.  Warren really shredded the hell out of that.   By the time they finished the set with I'm A Ram I was ready to hit the road.  I enjoy Gov't Mule but obviously it's extremely one dimensional blues rock.  The double encore, both covers, sent the crowd off into night.  The latter of which, Cortez the Killer, was with the guitar player from the forgettable opener The London Souls.  This show was a fun experience when I needed one.

9/28/13 Widespread Panic @ Riverside Theatre - Milwaukee, WI

Widespread Panic
9/28/13
Riverside Theatre
Milwaukee, WI

I: Postcard, Surprise Valley > Blue Indian, Ribs and Whiskey, Can't Get High, Visiting Day, Tortured Artist > Spoonful > Stop-Go, Solid Rock

II: Thought Sausage, Pigeons, Up All Night, All Time Low > City of Dreams, Rebirtha > Stop Breakin' Down Blues, Sultans of Swing, Greta > Jack, Henry Parsons Died

E: May Your Glass Be Filled, Rock



postshow P.A. music was Talking Heads "Burning Down the House"


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I drove up for the third and final night of the Widespread Panic run at the Riverside Theatre in Milwaukee last Saturday.  I was able to avoid the rain for the most part on the way up there.  I parked in the garage by the Marriot out of habit.  After walking through the mall for a while I decided to go for a stroll by the river to visit the Arthur Fonzarelli statue.  While in line to go inside I met up with Joe and Susie from Iowa City and I spent much of the show with them on the floor in the Schools Zone. 

Postcard got things going nicely.  "This town is nuts, I don't ever wanna leave" sums up the band's opinion of Milwaukee.  This has become a destination run for fans and the band.  Surprise Valley in the 2nd slot included a jam that I thought was going to become Let's Get the Show on the Road.  Finally, they settled upon Blue Indian.  They were very patient with the intro to Ribs and Whiskey in which amounted to a better than average version.  Can't Get High is a well written tune.  I'm so glad they went back to the original version of Visiting Day.  Upon the opening notes of Tortured Artist people were running for the bathrooms.  That was my first time hearing Spoonful in over 10 years.  UIC '03 with Bernie Worrell is the last one I recall.  Stop-Go had an amazing bass solo from Schools who was communicating well with Herring all night long.  JB followed up with the usual Strut 'N Crow rap.  Solid Rock rounded out a well played first stanza.

I went up the balcony for the beginning of the second set to compare the sound and vantage points.  With the first few greasy noises the band made tuning up you knew it was going to be Thought Sausage.  Pigeons was what my friend Frank was hoping for.  It was good to see him and Sand both of whom I went to high school with and have seen many,  many shows together.  Up All Night had a short jam in middle and this was followed by All Time Low which had a brief but effective jam that could have gone either way into Heaven or City of Dreams the latter which they chose.  Rebirtha was appropriate with the baseball playoffs getting going.  This had one of the bigger jams of the evening.  I was disappointed by the choice of Stop Breakin' Down Blues.  That wasn't what I wanted in that juncture of the show.  Sultans of Swing was a major highlight.  Jimmy Herring pwned this classic guitar tune.  They jammed Greta which eventually led into Jack.  Parsons to close the set on a Saturday works.  Following the slow song, fast song encore pattern they went with MYGBF and Rock.  This was my 89th time seeing Widespread Panic and for the second time in a row I saw them play "Burning Down the House" by Talking Heads on the P.A. system after the show which never gets old.