Black Bear spotted on MSU's Meridian campus this AM

Bear was reportedly searching for food and a place to drop a load.

Photo via MTOK, a news station in Meridian.   

It seems those persistent in believing there ARE NO BEARS IN MISSISSIPPI have been proven wrong again.  With plenty of chatter on the line about the upcoming football season, and MSU praying for an Ole Miss loss in the season opener in 9 days it seems the bears are just going about their business. This stealth ninja mammal knew to go ahead and investigate a MSU campus, sure to find a whole lot of nothing.  The dahwg's (that's how they pronounce it) first 3 games are cake, but the Rebels on the other hand look towards a fierce CFB kickoff game against Boise State in Hotlanta in a little more than a week.  Only time will tell which fan base will have more momentum behind their shit talking. Although, we know how much Moo U likes to hate on Ole Miss.  They won't even say our name.  "TSUN" yea, good one! Almost feel bad for them.

One last thing, although I didn't support the creation of the black bear mascot- if these furry homies are doing their part around the state, I'm ok with that.  Hotty Toddy bitches.

As I've written this, reports have come in that some State fans were seen trying to hunt the bear.  Attempts were unsuccessful.

My journey into beer

It wasn't Asheville that introduced me to craft beer, nor was it the place I developed a love for more something than just the Budweiser's, the High Life's and PBR's.  Being from Atlanta, Sweetwater is king.  They may have strayed from "non-conformity or localism" that boast most craft brewers but they were part of the movement that got the industry where it is today.  It was Asheville, however, that made me want to try my hand at brewing.  It is, without any doubt the hub of this growing industry on the east coast and that fact has been solidified with the establishment of Sierra Nevada and New Belgium breweries investing in the region.  Many up and coming breweries also dot the landscape of NC, from Raleigh, to Charlotte, along the coast in Wilmington and now even in Boone up in the high country.  It's this setting and population of beer lovers that I now join, and jump headfirst into an exciting and bubbly endeavor.  

My first foray into brewing was limited only by the mass produced product of Mr. Beer's Beer Kit.  No offense Meredith. [my sister]  This was a perfect, thoughtful and appropriate Christmas present, so Thank You!  Despite the basic setup and steps, in a month, I'll have my own beer to guzzle that I made! (sort of)  

Although I know I have a long way to go before New Belgium hires me as brewmaster, the process is still similar to what the big dogs are doing: Hot water, some goopey, molasses-like substance (the hops/malt?), yeast, a fermentation vessel, and what seem to be important factors, temperature and time.

The liquid malt extract provided by Mr. Beer- a little scary at first glance once you set down your can-opener.  At least it smells like beer- or some ancient ancestor of beer. Vigorously mixing this motor oil extract in the scalding hot water takes some time.  It starts to smell like something you might actually drink.  The process then takes a turn for the crazy. 

Add this unfermented beer mixture- appetizingly called "wort" into the fermenting vessel.  Cold water awaiting the wort's entry, assures this scalding mixture doesn't melt the shit out of this faux plastic pony keg.  After more vigorous mixing, the yeast comes into play.  This is something I've worked with before, when tasked with being "breadmaker" before every dinner service while working in fine dining- a whole other ballgame.  Anyway, the yeast is added to the now semi-warm wort mixture and to my surprise the directions now call for NO MIXING.

So in closing, while this wort ferments in between 68 and 72 degrees, I'll try, as you should, valued readers, all 6 of you, to stifle my excitement for post number 2, the next step in the my brewing process.

See you in 2 weeks.

Tyler Davis

Warren Haynes Presents the 25th Annual Christmas Jam

Warren Haynes is a musician from Asheville.  He knows his way around a Gibson Les Paul.  In fact he dominates the ’58 Les Paul just like Duane’s.  Warren is a musician with a lot of friends.  The company in which Haynes has spent his burgeoning career is second to none. Early on he found a love for the blues, channeling in on Hendrix and Clapton.  Their influences became his influences; like B.B. King and Howlin’ Wolf.  A storied musical career starting early on with David Alan Coe, blossoming into a regular for the Allman Brothers reunion in ‘89.  Oh and he also has two bands of his own; Gov’t Mule and the Warren Haynes Band.  Clearly the man lives up to the hype, and if you’ve heard him play, there’s no question.  A strongly talented musician and songwriter that cares enough to grab some friends and give back to where he came from; that’s what this weekend is all about.

            December 13-14 marked the 25^th anniversary of the Christmas Jam, an event that began in 1988 at the old 45 Cherry Street music club in Asheville.  It became a reason to gather musicians and friends, play together, give back to the community- and have a damn good time while doing it.  The 25^th Xmas Jam called for something special, so the jam was extended over 2 nights.  That grew the number of musicians scheduled to perform.  A line-up that’s about as impeccable as it gets. 

The night started around 7 with a Gov’t Mule set to open the weekend.  Haynes and legendary Nashville songwriter Ray Sisk performed ‘Glory Road’ on acoustic first.  The rest of the band came onto the stage and moved through a few rocking numbers before landing on the ominous, thought provoking ‘Opium’ with Ike Stubblefield and Bill Evans.  The song is a Moe. original that Haynes has sat in on before with Moe.  As is the norm, Mule finished their freight train of a set, and handed things off to Keb Mo.  He changed gears and came out for a solo acoustic set.  Keb Mo is a young legend among blues guitarists, known particularly for his post-modern Delta style blues.  In my opinion, the perfect act to sandwich in between two rollicking electric sets.  Not to mention renowned jazz-man John Scofield joined Keb Mo for 2 songs of the set. 

Things moved right along.  The equipment crews are machines, nothing more can be said about them.  It’s hard to imagine all the hard work and organization that goes into corralling 13 bands together to play for 2 nights.  Kudos to everyone in the crew. 

John Scofield & the Uberjam Band played a fast and funky set of tunes carried by Scofield’s sensational picking.  Next, Gregg Allman’s set with Warren Haynes was a great thing to witness.  Such an amount of respect between the two men and you can hear it in their voices as they pour their souls into each song.  This set saw hits like ‘Midnight Rider’ and ‘Long Black Veil.’  Also a Neil Young cover; ‘The Needle and the Damage Done’ and closing it out with ‘Melissa.’  There were a few tears in the house I’m sure. 

Loads of anticipation preceded the next band to take stage.  The return of the Phil Lesh Quintet brought out the heads, as do any shows involving Lesh, but this one was special.  “The Q” as many call it, includes Lesh, Haynes, Jimmy Herring, Rob Barraco on keys and John Molo on percussion.  Deadheads around the country were no doubt tuned in to the live video/audio stream provided by TourGigs.  The set weaved in and out of staples and lesser known’s.  Heavy hitters like Playin’ In the Band > China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider kept the crowd on their toes and antsy for more.  Everyone can appreciate what these gentlemen on stage are doing and where they came from.  Hell, Lesh and the Grateful Dead pretty much paved the way for many of these artists and the way they tour the country today.  Not everyone in the house was a Grateful Dead fan, but they damn sure enjoyed and appreciated it.  The second half of that set proved to be just as sensational as the first.  Now, I never got the chance to see Jerry so any post GD performance is a special occasion for me, a sort of time-traveling musical experience.  We were on the rail, left side, second level- giving us a view of the entire house.  The band segued out of a jam into St. Stephen > The Other One > Somewhere Over The Rainbow > The Other One > Terrapin Station.  Yes, it happened.  It seemed to me these guys are enjoying each other’s company on stage.  The entire set was a real musical conversation, with Haynes and Herring trading licks back and forth, supported by Lesh’s thunderous, yet subtle bass bombs.  I could tell Herring was loving it and although WSP is his current gig to date, I think he misses playing GD tunes.  All ears were eagerly awaiting the set’s encore.  A Terrapin Station finished us off.  It was a great experience.  Everyone in the building singing and jamming a legendary GD tune in unison- truly uplifting.  I’ve failed to mention that at this point, things were running about an hour and a half behind schedule-which is bound to happen.  That put Widespread Panic’s set STARTING at 2:30 AM. Might be the latest they’ve ever played. 

Haynes played host and introduced the southern rock jam titans; “Almost everybody in this next band has been here before, some quite a few times, but as a band they have never been to Christmas Jam… Widespread Panic.”  Cue the crowd roar.  The band clearly had no problem playing so late, crushing the first part of the set with Disco > Pigeons > Papa’s Home.  Herring’s hammering licks sent the crowd to the moon.  Herring has settled in to his lead position with this band.  Not to replace Mikey Houser, but to carry on the legend of that lingering lead and gentle spirit.  An appropriately placed ‘Up All Night’ gave a nod to the late show as well as the time of the season.  “The best thing about New Years are the Christmas lights!” JB cheerfully sang with a smile as the crowd swayed.  ‘None Of Us Are Free’ was a real crowd pleaser.  The whole house was rocking.  Dropping into a smoking hot Surprise Valley the band kept the pace and the energy super high.  The late-staying crowd reciprocated the band’s energy well into the wee hours.  JoJo Hermann spiced things up playing the first licks of ‘Ride Me High’, a fan favorite.  Randall Bramblett, saxophone kingpin and longtime sit-in champion brought his soothing jazz sax on stage to help the boys work this one out.  At over 11 minutes- the tune allowed for improvisation on everyone’s part.  Dave Schools shot a glance across stage to Hermann, a total “let’s knock ‘em dead” look on his face.  The rest of the band took a breather while Sunny Ortiz and Todd Nance took us on a Drumz journey.  Back into ‘Surprise Valley’ almost out of nowhere.  ‘Expiration Day’ slowed things down before the upward paced end of set.  Haynes strolled on stage and joined Bramblett and the band for an ethereal ‘Angels On High.’  I’ve always dug the tune but with Haynes and with Bramblett’s sax, it really doesn’t get any better.  ‘Jesus Just Left Chicago’ put a nice cherry on top of an already stellar set.   A guitar tech brought a revealing instrument out to JB and with that, Panic closed night 1 of Christmas Jam with ‘Ain’t Life Grand.’  Often played, but very well received, this song stands out and has become more or less Panic’s mantra; a word or phrase that is repeated often or that expresses someone's basic beliefs.  This is life.  We all live it. Ain’t it grand? Yes, especially when the set ends at 4 am on a Saturday morning.

Night 2

Day two of Christmas Jam started with a nice meal at Luella’s BBQ.  My good buddy Bobby C and I downed some beers and nursed our hangovers with sliced brisket and collard greens.  Thank goodness for that.  A dreary cold afternoon prompted staff to open the doors 30 minutes early, so we got inside and picked out a row of seats, because standing for 10 hours straight just simply wasn’t going to happen again. 

Warren came out and addressed the crowd as the lights dimmed.  “Some times things happen, forces converge and merge with each other. They go in and out of alignment in a way that only they are capable of.  Ladies and gentlemen, from the four corners of the universe Matt Slocum, Jeff Sipe, Jimmy Herring, Oteill Burbridge, Col. Bruce Hampton… the one, the only, the Aquarium Rescue Unit.” A band well-worthy of Haynes’ fitting introduction.    They expand the definition of jazz fusion.  They play fast, they play loud, and they never miss a note.  The tune that comes to mind when I think of Col. Bruce is ‘Fixin’ To Die’, which they ripped to open the weird, funky jazz set.  Oteill showed his musical prowess with a constant scat singing right in tune with his outrageous solos that run way up the neck of his bass.  This is one of the sets I was anxiously awaiting, because Col. Bruce and Friends played probably my favorite set at this year’s Lockn music festival on Sunday afternoon.  I’ll never forget it.  The sit-ins would continue with Bill Evans on sax and Roosevelt Collier on steel for ‘Compared to What/Yield Not To Temptation.’  Others joined the stage for the last 2 songs of the set.  For the closer, ‘Right Now,’ there were no joke, 15 musicians on stage.  Sax, keys, pedal steel, you name it, just an all out everyone jam session.

          

  The biggest surprise of my Christmas Jam experience was a band hailing from Maryland, O.A.R.  I listened to them when I first started expanding my musical pallet some years ago.  Let’s just say I decided to move on to bigger and better things.  I retracted that statement in my head while I watched them kill their set.  With a full band and horn section, they kept the energy up and had the audience’s full attention early and kept it throughout their set.  Cruising through some of their biggest hits while showing quite a bit of depth, the band dropped hints of Outkast’s ‘Spotti-Ottie-Dopalicious’ and also Sublime’s ‘Pawn Shop.’ The band stuck to what they know and they know it well. They have an almost ska like sound mixed with some dub-reggae and rock and roll.  A far cry from what I remember listening to in 8^th grade.  The staple, ‘Black Rock’ was well received by the crowd.  Warren joined the band for a nice cover of ‘Fool in the Rain.’  Led Zeppelin’s 80’s latin-vibed hit.  You know the part where John Paul Jones goes nuts on the keys, yea, it sent the crowd into a dancing frenzy. After an acoustic number from frontman Marc Roberge, O.A.R. sent us out on a high note with ‘Crazy Game of Poker.’  I was truly impressed by their set.  They were very gracious with the crowd and Warren as well and you could tell they were having a blast.

           

The highlight of my weekend was the following set.  Gregg Allman and Friends.  Featuring a full band- Warren Haynes, Audley Freed, Ron Johnson, Jeff Sipe and Count M'butu.  A true spectacle.  Gregg seemed almost at home, in high spirits among great company.  The set opened with Statesboro Blues, a song I’ve been around my whole life.  Whether at a backyard barbecue, or hanging with my uncle Jeff that can tear up an electric guitar, I’ve always known it and loved it.   The horn section joined the band for the next few songs.  Wonderful, house-rocking versions of Just Another Rider, Soulshine, Stormy Monday, Dreams (the highlight  moment of Christmas Jam in my opinion) and finally closing with One Way Out.  Being from Georgia and growing up around the Allman Brothers Band’s music made this an especially awesome experience for me.   Truly one of the coolest live music experiences I’ve had in my short 26 years.
            Michael Franti brought his fun-loving, musical gospel to the stage inciting hugs and hands in the air.  Where else in the world could you see Franti on stage with Warren Haynes, Artimus Pyle(Lynyrd Skynyrd) Jeff Sipe and several others?  The crowd enjoyed the happy set with musicians cycling on and off stage.   
            Grace Potter and the Nocturnals then shook the foundation of the Cellular Center.  A band whose presence and sound is so enormous, they’re only highlighted by the soulful, stirring vocals and guitar of their wild front woman.  If you haven’t seen GPN, get to it.  They rock harder than most.  The second song of the set, ‘The Divide’ is a new favorite I can’t stop listening to.  A killer set that spanned genres and brought a nice mesh of fast and rocking songs, to slow and beautiful.  An almost country-rock-gospel tone in the song ‘Big White Gate.’  I loved every minute of it.  The set continued on into the night.  Stop the Bus > Paris (Ooh La La) > The Lion The Beast The Beat.  ‘Nothing but the Water’ featured a solo intro from Grace on her signature Gibson Flying V playing with a slide.  I’m pretty sure I heard touches of Zeppelin’s ‘In My Time of Dying.’  GPN closed out their rowdy set with Gimme Some Lovin.’  Grace was jumping up and down, hyping the crowd for this final rock and roll blues party and a party it was.  “I’m so glad you made it! So glad you made it, You got to, Gimme some a loving.”  Awesome.

The final set of the night reached deep into the Sunday morning hours with the weary fans and musicians alike finding themselves still pushing on at 3:30 A.M.  Gov’t Mule would be the last group to perform at the 25^th annual Christmas Jam.  A sought after reunion of Haynes and Scofield, known as ScoMule that hasn’t seen a stage since 1999.  The duo complement each other’s styles well, Haynes with his deep blues roots and Scofield versed in elements of jazz and rock fusion.  ‘Hottentot’ opened the set, a funky number, climbing in pitch and intensity.  Things got jazzier from there with Ron Holloway and Bill Evans bringing in the sax.  Haynes went on to explain that due to the show running late, basically they would not be taking a break pre-encore.  Grace Potter joined Haynes and the band for the encore and to close out the epic weekend.  ‘Soul’ a slow building tune was followed by ‘Gold Dust Woman,’ the perfect duet for Grace’s voice and Warren’s slide on his 12 string Gibson Les Paul.  Grace has sung the tune with the Allman Brothers, but this version with Mule was a little darker.  They killed it and that was a wrap.


It was an amazing weekend in Asheville filled with some incredibly talented musicians.  Probably some collaboration you may never see again.  I’ll be at Christmas Jam as long as Warren wants to keep it up, standing front middle, about 10 people back, happily spending my money for a good cause.  An awe-inspiring event that took place 6 blocks from my new home, I couldn’t be more fortunate.  Thanks to Warren for all he does, and thanks to the crews and all the helping hands that put time and effort into such an awesome event for us music fans to enjoy. 

Backstraps & Tomato Gravy

My grandmother,  Mrs. Billie Tullos was born in Felsenthal, Arkansas.  However, Memaw has spent the majority of her 84 years on this Earth in the great state of Mississippi.  A state rich in history, both famous and infamous, but we'll take it.  When my parents got hitched, (Mom from MS and Dad from NC) my Dad didn't know a lick about hunting.  Deer hunting especially.  While becoming part of the Mississippi family, he was indoctrinated with a plethora of knowledge you can't find on Google or on any Facebook page.  Knowledge gained over a lifetime of hard work, tough morals and the practice of providing a growing family with a bountiful harvest straight from nature.   Lavell Tullos took my Dad under his wing and taught him everything.  Scouting, tracking, shooting, field dressing etc.  To this day my Dad is squeamish around blood, but you put him in the woods on a big whitetail deer, he'll clean it, skin it, quarter it and have it in the cooler before you even got the fire going.  The man is an artist.  Lavell, or Pap as the family called him, also taught my Dad to respect God's majestic creature that has just been sacrificed so that his family may be fed.  My Mom's two brothers- Mike the oldest and Joel the youngest also took a liking to my Dad.  They helped with the transfer and application of said knowledge.  This, in turn allowed me to learn from and become very close with my two uncles.  We don't just hunt for sport.  It's a family affair.  As years wore on and I grew older my Dad passed this knowledge down to me.  Along with it came stories, tradition and most importantly, recipes.  This recipe in particular is one of my favorites for several reasons: it's simply the best cut of meat from the monster buck you just smoked with your Winchester 270.  Tender, juicy cuts of meat running just along each side of the backbone.  Secondly, this isn't a meal you have once a week.  Being such a coveted piece of venison, it's more suited for holidays or parties where you can share this plate of Southern love with those you care most about.  They are these recurring themes of love, kinship and certainly FOOD that makes me proud of where I came from.  My Mississippi roots run pretty deep.  Lavell also played piano in a gospel harmonizers group in the 1950's, the McGee Harmonizers.  I have an ancient recording of them on CD.  Truly amazing.  I knew my love for bluegrass and gospel harmonies came from somewhere meaningful.  Always respect your elders, for they know the ways of the world.  Here is the recipe I'm happy to share and hope one day it finds it's way to your supper table:

2 Venison Tenderloins

1-2 cups AP flour

Desired seasonings (season salt & pepper)

White rice 

1 can diced tomatoes 

1/2 - 3/4 cup oil for frying

Cast iron skillet is best 

Procedure: 

Clean and rinse tenderloin thoroughly.  Trim any remaining silver skin.  Cut loin into medallions, uniformly for even cooking.  About 1/2 inch thick.  Mix desired seasoning with AP flour.  Dredge loin into seasoned flour.  (may use eggwash for more crunchiness but not absolutely necessary)  Heat oil in cast iron skillet using medium-high heat.  

Fry tenderloin in batches, don't overcrowd pan. Fry 1 minute on each side, or until they float.  Cook rice accordingly while frying.  Be careful not to let excess flour in pan get too brown.  After final batch, lower heat and drain about half the oil BUT NOT ANY PAN DRIPPINGS.

Add UNSEASONED flour to drippings and mix to make a Roux.  If too wet, add more flower, if too dry add butter.  After roux thickens and browns slightly add diced tomatoes and let marry.  Serve tomato gravy over rice.  Best if paired with green beans, okra or any other vegetable.

Finished product:

Widespread Panic / Umphrey's McGee - October 4th, 2013 - Charleston, SC

October 4th, 2013 - Family Circle Stadium - Charleston, SC

from @widespreadpanichq

It was shaping up to be an epic weekend in one of the most glorious, storied, cultured cities of the Southeast. Not only are we lucky enough to witness these two bands together during the height of each other's fall tour, we find ourselves in an outdoor, 10,000 seat capacity tennis stadium.

Umphrey's McGee is a perfectly appropriate band to share the stage with Widespread Panic.  Their funky improvisational grooves force you to shake your hips, as was evident by the movers and shakers that made it in early to see this wonder. Slice those funky grooves in half with hardcore prog-rock riffs and reggae tones that make you scowl and rock your head like you've ingested something illegal. It's awesome. Really a site to behold. Umphrey's always seems to play the sets I want to hear. 40's theme, All in Time-both songs I've grown to love. We had floor tickets for Friday night so the view was spectacular.  During the next tune, Higgins- a rocking reggae number, they weaved in a nod to the band Chicago with a '25 or 6 to 4' jam. The crowd was loving it and starting to fill in the stadium.  About this time I ventured to find the bathroom and happened to run into longtime percussionist for Panic, Sonny Ortiz. We fist pounded as he was letting his family into the VIP area.  Super nice guy.

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Turns into this>>>

-- -- -- --

Panic's first set was rambunctious and filled with fan favorites. A Ribs and Whiskey opener greased the wheels and set the tone for what we were in for.  First set, 3rd song Blight?  Man, they aren't messing around!  Postcard, Stop Breakin' Down Blues, Greta, Proving Ground- all heavy hitters during that first smoking set.  The 2nd set comes out with a jam packed Makes Sense To Me, John Bell howlin' and moanin' like he does. They showed no signs of letting up. 'Pigeons' sends the stadium into a get down frenzy. The band is tight, and you can tell they're having a blast.  Dave Schools with his typical demeanor; picking out poor(or lucky) souls in the crowd and giving them a spooky smile or a nod of gratification if he sees you enjoying yourself.  He nearly brings the bleachers down with a bone crushing solo on his custom Modulus bass.   A short pause for a breath and they take the Family Circle Stadium into Use Me.  As usual, the crowd is loving the cover. Jimmy Herring solo's high as the sky using his unique blend of note/tonal knowledge and frequent use of the tremolo bar.  Clocking in at over 8 minutes, they really keep the energy up.  John Bell then gives a brief intro to the next tune: 'Thought Sausage'.  "This is a little tune born in New Orleans!"  I've always loved "Thousage" because it's a rocker and gets a little dark and weird. Perfect combo for Panic. The next 30 minutes is a solid jam sandwich. Starting off with Travelin' Light, both a tribute to the late JJ Cale and a Panic cover staple.  That slowly leads into Rebirtha. A song that has become one of my favorites mostly because it leads into Rebirtha Jam.  A keys and bass funk session lasting around 5 minutes, highlighted by Sonny and Todd's multifunctional beats.  Herring creeps in toward the middle and the whole band finds itself in the middle of a full on improvisational masterpiece.  Take a look around at fellow show-goers at this point and they're either getting down or staring in amazement of what they're are witnessing.
> Ride Me High. The ever popular JoJo tune has been known to incite passionate relationships on the spot.  This is followed up by an exceptionally placed Porch Song. A true nostalgic gem for any Panic fan.  The band builds off the slow momentum of Porch and goes nuts for the last songs of the 2nd set.  Bust it Big and Conrad.
First song of encore is slow, and I'm OK with that. Trouble; a beautiful rendition of the old Cat Stevens song.  To close out the night they went with Climb To Safety, a sing a long, excuse me scream along, that brings you, the band and all your neighbors into one harmonious hell of a time!  It's really a life changing experience and I highly suggest it.


Fortunate enough to spend the next day on the marsh with the gators and crabs, we were able to enjoy the full Charleston experience.  Ok, no gators, but we set the crab traps with some stank chicken and 2 half thawed bait fish cut in half.  Good eatin'.  We cabbed it to Daniel Island.  Our cabbie Andrew looked like an ole regular Head himself .  He had Jerry Band playing and had beer and cocktails for sale.  I'll take a Stella please sir.  The up-and-coming, almost high-browed Daniel Island was crawling with Widespread Panic fans, always an interesting mix.  I can only hope everyone was respectful and well behaved enough to let us come back and enjoy this beautiful place again.  Panic loves the Lowcountry! JB even said something along the lines of, "Thanks for findin' this place for us!"

What Mikey Houser means to me

What Mikey means to me?

I never got to see him.  I never saw Widespread Panic in the 90’s during their rise to prominence.  When they were becoming touring legends, Hell, I was in elementary school.  I was just a little wrangler when the band was selling out shows and scorching the highways across these great United States.  They were making a name for themselves.  They were amassing a following.  Jerry had the Deadheads, Phish has lots of phans, well, Mikey and the boys had the #HomeTeam in every venue they played.  I would come to find out that these #GoodPeople come from all walks of life.  What we share in common as fans of this band could be another post all on its own, so I’ll be concise.  First of all, we DIG a good time. That’s what it’s all about. Good times, good people, cold beer, GREAT music and spreading love, charity and kindness to the world.  Mikey was born in Boone and made his way to Athens, Ga in 1986 for some schooling.  He would cross paths with John Bell, budding a kinship and love of music that would open the door to what we now know as Widespread Panic.  In those days, and up until his untimely passing in 2002, Mikey liked to shred the now-discontinued Telecaster Deluxe with an Ernie Ball volume pedal. His lead subtly lingering behind the joyful melodies.  Mikey’s sound became a nostalgic reminder of those good times at a show.  The memories come flowing back; the crew you were with, the road trip to get there, those crazy chicks you stayed with, that one song you wanted to hear.. Widespread Mother Fucking Panic as they say.  All smiles thinking about it.  The smiles give way to sadness for many.  They miss Mikey. 

When he stepped away, it left the home team feeling an emptiness that can’t be described.  His impact reached far and wide.  For example, I never got the chance to see Mikey play, and this is my favorite band without a doubt.  I think that speaks volumes.  What he means to me is exactly this.  He started it all.  He was just living his life, unknowingly changing the lives of others.  Widespread Panic has allowed me to find myself and start to build a life around the person I am.  It’s more than just a party or a concert, it’s way more than that.  Each song perfectly placed within each set toys with your emotions and resonates within you.   Best feeling in the world. 

So I thank you Michael Houser, for doing what you did.  I will continue to delight in the memories I’ve made and the great times ahead seeing this band.   Mikey couldn’t be replaced.  Only filled in for, and Jimmy Herring has stepped up to the plate.  In addition John Bell, JoJo Hermann, Sunny Ortiz, Dave Schools and Todd Nance continue to tour on in Mikey’s memory and legacy.  And we are all so grateful for it.  

See all you good people on Fall Tour

#WSMFP

TD  

Widespread Panic spring tour closer: 2 nights in Nashville

Seeya face!

TWO SOLD OUT NIGHTS to close a Widespread Panic spring tour is nothing to just say, "meh, not worth it" or "nah, I have to drive by myself" or "It's going to rain ALL WEEKEND."  All lame excuses.  I tell you there wasn't one second of hesitation to enjoy another wonderful weekend of live tunes.  I headed up 85 North towards Chattanooga.  I was by myself on a rainy Friday afternoon, little did I know that rain would be the theme for the whole weekend.  I love the drive into Nashville, even on a rainy day.  Cruising up through Chattanooga is beautiful.  A lot better than the Oxford - Atlanta commute I did for 5+ years.  I arrived in 'Music City' around 3:30.  Normal people were still working.  My good friends Ross, Allison & Hayden were nice enough to extend their hospitality my way and let me crash for the weekend.  Thanks ya'll!  And what a weekend it would prove to be.  I had scored a ticket to Friday night before leaving town, so I was (almost) worry free for Friday night.  I hadn't heard of this Woods Amphitheater before.  It is now and will remain one of my favorite outdoor venues.

photo via Woods Amphitheater

The venue is out in the country surrounded by woods and farmland.  We  pulled into the lot that was full of cars but empty of people.  The Woods has a noise ordinance and bands can't play past 11, so the band had already started.
A nice Disco, Greta> Weak Brain, Narrow Mind to get things rolling.  Once on the grounds, you walk through the gates and you're still behind the stage.  A giant V cut into the forest faces the stage.  It reminded me of The Backyard in Austin, TX minus all the decks and seating area.  This particular show was all general admission so jump in where you want to be and there you are, with 4,000 other like-minded music fans ready for good times.  We grabbed beers and headed into the sea of spreadheads. Everyone there was toting a rain jacket, as the forecast called for 60% chance starting at 10pm.  None to speak of yet, so we jammed on as usual.  A funky back and forth from JoJo and Schools accented by Jimmy's unforgettable riffs.  The crowd was actively engaged from the first note, and we followed suit.

The bone-chilling first strum of the deep A chord in the song 'Pigeons' always greases the wheels.  People start getting DOWN.  Someone compared it to the likes of people dancing like they have bees on them, well not too far from the truth.  Halfway through the tune Dave Schools is dropping thunderbombs.  This may be new or may not, but an effect on Schools' amp makes it sound like those bombs are being dropped through a giant thunder tube.  An 8+ minute Pigeons was slowed into Ribs & Whiskey.  I started noticing a repeat of some songs from the previous weekend in ATL but TRUST me, I am no Panic snob, I was probably the most overjoyed person in the crowd.  So happy to be where I was, living in the moment. "Whiskeyyy makes my body feel hot!" the crowd shouts in unison with JB.  The song always reminds me of Matt Minyard.  Nug absolutely loves Ribs & Whiskey.

dark n' stormy: Night 1 with no screen rig

Boom! Papa Johnny Road.  Nicklaus Reed Ward's favorite.  Like I said some people were like "they just played this."  I couldn't have been happier.  "Laughed so hard that the devil got scared."  Loving it.  A few years back, they offered up the next tune, Visiting Day in a sped up version and it just lost some effectiveness.  So glad they played the slower version.  This JoJo tune has always struck a chord with me.  "Let's climb on up Thacker Mountain!" The crowd went nuts as he screamed "Up to Tennessee!!"  The next three songs were a gumbo of fast intense jams (Love Tractor) a singalong favorite (Surprise Valley) and a low and slow rocker that builds in intensity and peaks with Herring at the helm.  This band is masterful at doctoring the setlist to make connections with the fans and the city they are playing in.  "Oh kiss the mountain air we breathe!"  The last song of set 1 was Rock.  The crowd moves as one and gets down low, "Everybody's moving but me, everybody's moving but me, I'm gonna make it home piece by piece"

Set break allowed only enough time for a portopotty line and a very clutch roaming beer man much like the ones seen in baseball stadiums.  He was the only one I could find.  I also spoke to two middle school teachers in line.  I told them they were cool as hell.


The next 80+ minutes would prove the be pure Panic bliss.
Set 2:

Heroes
All Time Low
Junior>
Mercy>
Ride Me High>
Tie Your Shoes>
Papa's Home>
Action Man>
Last Dance
E:
No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature
End of the Show


There weren't any songs I'd never heard.  There weren't any crazy bust-outs or a first time played.  But, you see, that's not what this is about.  It's about this show, this place, this set.  This time that all 4,000 of us are getting to share with this legendary band.  I find joy in picking up little hints here and there during each set.  This was a tip of the hat to the fans that were here right now, and had been there previously on this tour.  A final icing on the cake.  I can't go on without talking about the weather.  It was one shade of sky away from Twister scene.  Just apocalyptic overcast rainy skies all weekend.  To those of you that stayed away due in any way to the weather, I'm truly sorry you missed it.  It was one of the best live music experiences I've ever had the pleasure to be a part of.  It's quite a site to see a band like this going full steam- not daring to hold back, during an all out down pour.  The bottom fell out 9:30 and showed no sigs of slowing.  It was raining like all hell and NO ONE cared, including the band.  As expected, the crowd got rowdy when JoJo started slamming the keys going into 'Ride Me High'  Another singalong "How high can you go?" Shout it to the heavens.  Schools then teased the hell out of Little Feat's 'Spanish Moon' during 'Tie Your Shoes.'  All of our hopeful little ears perked up.  It'll happen one day.  The encore couldn't have been rolled out in better fashion.  No Sugar has always been one of my favorite covers.  The crowd tipped their hats as the boys sent us away with fully saturated senses, grinning ear to ear.  JB-- "Seeya tomorrow night folks!"

my buddies, Gus and Nugget

Well it didn't stop raining all night or the following morning so we knew the all grass venue would look like Woodstock.  After Nugget
cold nosed me awake I immediately started working on a ticket.  Saturday had been sold out for a couple of weeks.  I needed a miracle! and after a little searching I found it!  Many thanks again to Shelley for allowing me to enjoy the rest of such a great weekend.

The afternoon was now a whole different story.  I had my ticket so I was able to relax and take in the scene and let it all come to me.   Many were searching the lot for extras with not much luck.  Everyone is dressed to the gills in ponchos, rain jackets and muck-lucks (except for one guy offering $40 to anyone that would sell him the jacket off their back.  We all came here for the same reason, and there damn sure isn't a rainstorm thats going to stop us.

This was maybe the closest I've ever been to the stage for a Panic show.  I'm typically a lawn guy.  But this night we would find ourselves stage left, right under Schools' nose.  The crowd hadn't quite reached capacity when we walked in so we grabbed our spot and waited in the rain.  The house music was on point again.  Rocky theme was playing as the band walks on stage.  JB greets the eager crowd with, "Alright, you buncha good sports!"

notice the wet stage

A few tuning notes later and the band dove into 'Give'.  The first lyrics to this heater, "Well it was pouring down!"  Herring wrangled his axe into submission and was blowing trees off the property from note # 1.  Good thing it was raining all weekend, Widespread Panic would have burned Woods Amphitheater to the ground.

With the band's decision to stream live from the soundboard all or most of their shows on this tour, I'd listened to every show on this spring tour (except Wanee & Jazzfest)  from Chicago to Columbia.  Finally, we got a 'Sharon' and I WAS THERE.  A favorite cover of many WSP fans.  And it's always played the second night of a 2 night run.  "Ya know the same rowdy crowd that was here last night is back again!" You better believe it!

from left: Todd, Dave and Sunny 

'Bears Gone Fishin' got the crowd moving.  JB told the crowd during 'C. Brown' "Just sit there in the MUD if it feels good." The last two songs of the set were Tall Boy> Sewing Machine.  Again, it perplexes me why they've been playing 'Sewing Machine' without it's usual counterpart, 'Protein Drink'.  The band is really flying in the last 2 minutes of 'Sewing Machine'.  Onward.

You'd be a hard pressed cynic to find anything wrong with set 2 and the encore of this tour closer.  "Thanks for hangin' around," says JB.  Schools' plays around with some bass effects and the crowd's brains.  Machine> Barstools FTW!  Here we gooo.

baskin' in the light

"The barstools are built for dreamers."  Always has been one of my favorite Panic originals.  Slow and twangy, but has the energy to speed up and tear your face off.  That brought us into Airplane.  "Sitting around watching the rain fall..." the crowd cheered amidst the hellacious downpour.  A 13 minute Airplane I might add with the band going in and out of jams and everyone trading licks.  Ending with a spaced out sleepy jam, Schools started on the bassline. "I'm your PUSHERMAN!"  A first time heard for me.    Once again, the next 65 minutes of the show they just didn't let up.  THIS is why I'm here.
Driving Song>
Low Spark of High Heeled Boys>
Driving Song>
Breathing Slow>
Big Wooly Mammoth>
Chilly Water
Encore:
Dream Song
Help Me Somebody>
Henry Parsons Died

This will go down as not only one of my favorite Panic runs, but one of the best show weekends I've ever been so blessed to enjoy.  I will always gladly come back to the Woods Amphitheater in Nashvegas.

from left: Jimmy, JB, and JoJo