Live at Myrtle Beach [Live]

Disc: 1
1. Ain't Life Grand
2. Conrad the Caterpillar
3. Don't Wanna Lose You
4. Dirty Business - John Keane, Widespread Panic
5. Stop Breakin' Down Blues - John Keane, Widespread Panic
Disc: 2
1. Papa's Home
2. Henry Parsons Died
3. Action Man
4. Postcard
5. Bowlegged Woman
6. Chilly Water

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Well into their third decade as heirs to both the Grateful Dead's jam band mantle and the roots-entangled legacy of Southern rock, this 11-track double-disc live set showcases Widespread Panic's loping, energetic charms well. Recorded before an enthusiastic live audience of Spread Heads at Myrtle Beach's House of Blues, the five veterans turn in a workmanlike set fueled by flawless rhythmic interplay and tastefully succinct soloing, the byproduct of decades of ceaseless touring--and apt tribute to the wishes of late band co-founder Mike Houser, who succumbed to cancer in 2002. They dose "Conrad the Caterpillar" and "Henry Parsons Died" with bracing, jazz-head interludes, lube "Don't Wanna Lose You" with the greasy, slide-guitar driven spirit of classic Little Feat and evoke Lynyrd Skynyrd's grit on "Postcard." But while they make room for the tasty, Southern fried licks of guest guitarist John Keane on covers of NRPS' "Dirty Business" and Robert Johnson's "Stop Breakin' Down Blues," there's a nagging sense that this is a band content to preach to the converted. That's a shame, because their stellar musicianship promises so much more. --Jerry McCulley

Live at Myrtle Beach,Widespread Panic,Sanctuary Records,American Trad Rock,Jam Bands,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop

Live at Myrtle Beach [Live]

Average customer rating:

New era for Widespread Panic
Just Grand!!
Solid Live Album, Better than Uber Cobra
Rock Solid.....pretty damn good
It's Live Panic. Nothing more, nothing less.

Live at Myrtle Beach
Widespread Panic
Manufacturer: Sanctuary Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Rock Jam Bands | Jam Bands | Rock | Styles | Music

Jam Bands | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music

Southern Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Southern Rock | Live Albums | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Light Fuse, Get Away
Earth to America
Space Wrangler
Panic in the Streets
'Til the Medicine Takes

ASIN: B0007KTB6C
Release Date: 2005-02-22

Tracks:

Ain't Life Grand
Conrad the Caterpillar
Don't Wanna Lose You
Dirty Business - John Keane, Widespread Panic
Stop Breakin' Down Blues - John Keane, Widespread Panic

Tracks:

Papa's Home
Henry Parsons Died
Action Man
Postcard
Bowlegged Woman
Chilly Water

Amazon.com

Well into their third decade as heirs to both the Grateful Dead's jam band mantle and the roots-entangled legacy of Southern rock, this 11-track double-disc live set showcases Widespread Panic's loping, energetic charms well. Recorded before an enthusiastic live audience of Spread Heads at Myrtle Beach's House of Blues, the five veterans turn in a workmanlike set fueled by flawless rhythmic interplay and tastefully succinct soloing, the byproduct of decades of ceaseless touring--and apt tribute to the wishes of late band co-founder Mike Houser, who succumbed to cancer in 2002. They dose "Conrad the Caterpillar" and "Henry Parsons Died" with bracing, jazz-head interludes, lube "Don't Wanna Lose You" with the greasy, slide-guitar driven spirit of classic Little Feat and evoke Lynyrd Skynyrd's grit on "Postcard." But while they make room for the tasty, Southern fried licks of guest guitarist John Keane on covers of NRPS' "Dirty Business" and Robert Johnson's "Stop Breakin' Down Blues," there's a nagging sense that this is a band content to preach to the converted. That's a shame, because their stellar musicianship promises so much more. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

New era for Widespread Panic.......2005-09-09

WIDESPREAD PANIC HAS CHANGED AND THIS ALBUM IS DIFFERENT FROM PREVIOUS LIVE RELEASES.

The is a 2 CD album that contains the second and third set plus encore from a concert in 2005. (The first set, which is acoustic is on Uber Cobra). The first CD is 52 minutes long and the second CD is 62 minutes. The sound quality is very good. An added plus is that most of the between song chat as been edited out and the audience noise is kept to a minimum.

Widespread Panic has changed since Mike Howser died in 2002. This album is different than previous live releases in style and song selection.

Mike Howser had a unique guitar style that drove the sound of the band. He has been replaced by George McConnell who has a more traditional southern jam style of playing. He isn't as good as Howser, but in some respects, the band has gotten better due to the change.

Previously, Widespread Panic had a very muddled sound, featuring Howser's screaming guitar. With McConnell, the sound is brighter and clearer and the individual members of the band are easier to hear.

Previously, Widespread Panic would play up to 20 songs in a concert. They would blend one song into the next so sometimes the individual songs were indistinguishable. Although they were constantly jamming, song length would typically be 5 to 10 minutes. The jamming mainly ocurred during the segues between songs. But, solos were usually shorter and between songs.

Now, Widespread Panic is not combining songs and each song is distinct. Songs can now be much longer, with long, drawn out jams in the middle.

The band has also begun to experiment a little more and branch out from the original sound. For instance, there is a little space jam in Dirty Business and some vocalizing during Chilly Water. It isn't a lot of innovation, but it is a start.

What is good about this CD is that most of the material has not been available on other live CD's. Half the songs are covers of other groups or traditional blues numbers.

The group still suffers from some horrible piano solos. John Herrman makes some interesting rhythm contributions, but is really not a great soloist. The band should take a clue from groups like the Grateful Dead, who kept the keyboards in the background and the solos simple when they had Keith Godcheax.

While this is not a great album, it is a good addition to Widespread Panic's library of live CD's. It is certainly different than the previous releases.

My favorite Panic live CD is Classic City.

Just Grand!!.......2005-08-13

DO not be put off by any of the luke warm reviews of this cd... This is a very solid effort and even though it was recorded in late 2003 just before their year off in 2004 the guys are in fine form. Some highlights are Don't Wanna Lose You which features great guitar work by long time producer John Keane, great Henry Parson's Died and Postcard on disk 2... Also having just seen Panic in concert this summer I'm here to tell you this cd is great to pick up if you've seen them this year as it captures their sound just as they are in concert these days and if you're like me you'll enjoy listening and remembering your concert as you look forward to the next show..

Solid Live Album, Better than Uber Cobra.......2005-03-07

I have a tendency to compare all live WSP releases to "Light Fuse, Get Away", which I think is clearly their best live release to date. Even though this release is from the same set of shows as "Uber Cobra" and "Night of Joy", there is a tightness and comfort to these songs which seems oddly absent from the others. Maybe because Uber Cobra is an acoustic set, and the flaws are easier to pick out, I'm not sure. George seems to be coming into his own with the band and I hear it more here. If you don't own any live Panic, start with "L.F.G.A." and then pick this or "Live in the Classic City" next. Either way you can't go wrong with a great live set of music.

Rock Solid.....pretty damn good.......2005-02-25

This latest installmenet from the Myrtle Beach show is typical Panic. Easily proving it worth. I might give Light Fuse and Get Away the edge as my favorite live release. But Live at Myrtle Beach certainly gets the job done, as a fresh new batch to jam on, while we all start getting juiced for the tour. No Phish, Dead, ...and over a year off. Prepare for the hottest, hungryest tour on the jam scene in yrs. And definately take this disc with you to the shows!

It's Live Panic. Nothing more, nothing less........2005-02-25

This is pretty good. One thing of note is that if you couple this with the Uber Cobra CD, you get Panic's full 11/8/03 show
in its entirety. Cobra being the first set. Disc 1 here being the second set. Disc 2 being the 3rd set plus encore.

Enjoy.