Bluest Tape

College Football Playoff, Redux Man, were we wrong! Back in the late summer (episode #23 to be precise), we made our College Football Playoff picks, choosing Ohio State, USC, Florida State, and Alabama as our final four. Well, we only got one team right, but I think overall, we have a much better, more competitive, and more entertaining final four than we previously envisioned. So, congrats to the fans of Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Alabama. This week’s episode looks at selections from Tuscaloosa, Clemson, Athens, and, since Panic has never played in Norman, Oklahoma, we shift over to Tulsa for a solid show from summer 2000. Along the way, we give our pop culture recs for the week, Harvey rants about the fancy college dorms that kids have these days, Jeff says the Big Ten was better off missing the playoff this year, and, of course, we wish everyone safe travels, a Happy Chanukah, and a very Merry Christmas. We will be off on 12/26/17, so we’ll see you all again in 2018! Links below go to whole sho

Random Panic Towns, Volume 1: Salem, Virginia Since Panic first started hitting the road, they have always had an affinity for certain places: New Orleans, Red Rocks, Chicago, and Vegas are givens, along with lots of college towns. Sometimes, though, you look at the Everyday Companion, and you discover that the band has been in certain cities a BUNCH of times with little rhyme nor reason. Routing? Family members close by? Favorite club or promoter? One of these cities is Salem, Virginia, host to many a sleeper show over the past couple of decades. Tucked away in the Roanoke Valley and right along I-81, Salem has hosted Panic seven times since 1990. This episode focuses on three shows from Panic’s classic era: 9/16/95, 4/9/99, and 4/16/00. The band really stretches out in these selections, especially on 4/9/99, where both sets open with really nice improv jams. A must listen! Links below go to whole show streams from Panicstream. 16 September 1995 - Salem, VA - Bast Center, Roanoke College Raise the Ro

The Best of Lexington A Stroll Down Memory Lane with Harvey Since Harvey let us do a show about Lawrence, Kansas, we let him do a Lexington, Kentucky show. Of course, Harvey is a proud UK grad and a diehard fan of Big Blue (Note: Jeff is neither of these things), but it wasn’t too much of a chore, though, as there have been some great shows in the Horse Capital of the World. Panic has been playing in Lexington since 1990, but really started to put it down in 1994 and beyond. For three straight years, they played great shows in the paddock of the Red Mile Racetrack, and then returned in 1999 to the old Memorial Coliseum on the UK campus. For many of us, there exists a special connection between our hometowns or college towns and Panic, so enjoy not just the music but also Harvey’s youthful tales and reminiscences. A little nostalgia isn’t so bad! Enjoy! Links below go to whole show streams from Panicstream. 02 October 1994 - Lexington, KY - Red Mile Racetrack Sleepy Monkey > Stop-Go > Hatfield Source

Lagniappe #2: Just Keep on Giving Thanks We’re taking another break from our regular programming - road trips and family time took precedence over the pod this week. Instead, we hope you enjoy this little taste of Widespread Panic from Thanksgiving 2001. It’s a loaded first set, featuring a split “Papa’s Home” and guest spots from the DDBB and George McConnell. Hope everyone had a grand Thanksgiving - see you back here next week! Link below goes to whole show stream from Panicstream. 24 November 2001 - Memphis, TN - Mid-South Coliseum Travelin' Light, This Part Of Town, Tall Boy, Papa's Home > Fishwater > Papa's Home, Bayou Lena, Down (w/Kevin Harris on saxophone), Stop Breakin' Down Blues (w/George McConnell on guitar), Love Tractor Source: FOB/DFC mk4v~>kc5~>m222~>nt222~>vms5u~>AD1000~>HHb by Charles Fox  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Giving the Gift of Panic Instead of Furniture Jeff and Harvey Celebrate The Big #17 November 21. We don’t know what it means to you all, but for Jeff and Harvey, it means the beginning of a friendship that has carried them through nearly three dozen episodes of The Bluest Tape. We had traded tapes for a while, but never met face-to-face until a pre-show beer on 11/21/00. 17 years - did you know that furniture is the preferred gift for the 17th wedding anniversary? Random, right? Anyway, this week, we reminisce about that great Louisville show, talk about the genius of Carlton Smith, and highlight two other excellent Panic shows that took place on November 21. We touch on Fall 1999 with a jaunt up to New Haven, CT for a slightly reggae version of “Holden Oversoul,” and then on down to New York for a strong 1998 show at Roseland Ballroom. The band put their new sound system through the mill that night, with a scorching “Papa’s Home” and a super rare split “Love Tractor.” We close it out with 11/21/00 Louis

Lawrence, Kansas 1993-1997 This episode is an ode to Lawrence, Kansas, a city that is home to the University of Kansas, the third-to-fifth best college basketball program in history, an 1863 Civil War massacre, and six stellar Widespread Panic concerts from 1993 to 1997. While we discuss all of these topics, plus talk about European bootlegs of Panic shows from the 1990s, we try and stay focused on the music, and boy, do we have some music this week. We kick things off in 1993 for the first show in the epic fourteen shows in fourteen days run that followed. The band returned for a couple of mid-July shows in 1994 (check out the jam between Driving and Chilly) and 1995, and came back for a great three show run from November 1997. The band is in prime form here - tight, creative, and flawless segues. Outside of NOLAWeen, Red Rocks, Oak Mountain, or NYE, there might not be a better collection of songs and setlists for three shows at the same venue - sensational stuff. Links below go to whole show streams

Lagniappe #1: A Tasty Treat from Fall 1998 We’re taking a little break from our usual programming this week. We hope you this little taste of Widespread Panic from Fall Tour 1998 - play it LOUD! Links below go to whole show streams from Panicstream. 05 November 1998 - Greenville, SC - Timmons Arena, Furman University Ophelia > Diner > I’m Not Alone Source: AKG 483 > Oade M248 > SBM-1 by Max Hester  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Happy Halloween Ya Bunch of Freaks! As you might imagine, it’s pretty hard to pass up doing a Halloween-themed podcast when the podcast drops on Halloween, so no tricks here - we’re delivering what you, the listening public, wants. Though, instead of placing a bucket of bustouts above your door and dumping it in on you when come by for Whoppers and Oh Henry bars, we go in a different direction by playing some of favorite regular rotation songs from Halloweens past. Things get started with a holiday-appropriate Heaven > Me & the Devil from 1993, pass through Athens 1995 and Chicago 1996, and then land in New Orleans for some fantastic NOLAWeen Panic from 1997-1999. We close it out with one of our favorites, that super sneaky post-drums Galleon from the epic 2000 run. Happy Halloween! Links below go to whole show streams from Panicstream. 31 October 1993 - Missoula, MT - University Center Ballroom Heaven > Me & the Devil Blues Source: DSBD 31 October 1995 - Athens, GA - Classic Center Driving

Before We Ride On to Another City: All Hallow’s Eve Eve Over the years, Widespread Panic has blessed us with some incredible Halloween shows, bustouts, and rarities, from way back in 1992 at the Georgia Theater and the numerous runs in NOLA, to the recent Panic 3.0 shows in Colorado and elsewhere. Sometimes, though, the band reminds us that the road to Halloween is paved with hidden gems, too. This week, we bring a blistering segment from Halloween Eve 1993 from the 2nd largest city in Idaho; an epic Chilly sandwich from Elvis’ hometown on the road to the first NOLAWeen; a stealthy good first set closer from a 1999 trip to the Taft in Cincinnati; and a Tallboy> Blue Indian > Walkin’ from 2000 that is so good that even Jeff has good things to say about Tallboy, Blue Indian, and Walkin’! There is a first time for everything! Links below go to whole show streams from Panicstream. 30 October 1993 - Nampa, ID - Civic Center Rock > Hatfield > Junior Source: DSBD 30 October 1997 - Tupelo, MS - Tupelo Colise

The Rockwell Chronicles, Volume 2 We are back with the second part of our conversation with Everyday Companion founder and true friend of the podcast, Ted Rockwell. We start the music with a clip from Ted’s very first Panic show, 7/22/92 at the Park West in Chicago. This is an absolutely sublime version of “Stop-Go,” one that really shows how much the band had progressed from those final five man shows early that same year. Next, we jump ahead to 1998 for the final show from the band’s first European Tour. Ted has picked another gem, a lengthy, adventurous “Diner” played with great intention before a small, but welcoming, British crowd. We wrap with some a couple of non-Panic highlights from the 2007 JB & Friends show at the House of Blues in Orlando, and a great track from Dave Schools’ side project, Acetate. Many thanks to Ted for sitting in for the last two weeks - hope to have you back again very soon! Links below go to whole show streams from Panicstream. 22 July 1992 - Chicago, IL - Park Wes

The Rockwell Chronicles, Volume 1 This week, we welcome another special guest into the mix - founder of the Widespread Panic setlist database, Everyday Companion, Ted Rockwell. Ted has been following Panic since 1992, and has been an instrumental behind the scenes player in helping elevate the band in online circles for two decades. He and Will Duckworth put it up online back in 1995, and soon thereafter, published the first print copy of the Companion in 1996. It is hard to imagine to the Panic community without him! Ted made some great picks from throughout the band’s history, starting way back in 1988 in Atlanta, then a 1990 show from Murfreesboro, and closing it out with one of the last five-man band shows, the infamous Auburn University show from February 1992. It’s a pretty good journey this week, and we think that you’ll enjoy this trip into the wayback machine. Links below go to whole show streams from Panicstream. 19 November 1988 - Atlanta, GA - Little Five Points Pub Jam > Cleburne Terrace,

Wear Your Earplugs, Kids: Fall 1998 Well, usually about this time of year the temperature would start drop a bit, the leaves would turn brilliant shades of yellow, orange, and red, and we’d be enjoying some warm cider by the fire. Alas, our world is warm, y’all - like really warm. So, even though the calendar says FALL, the weather says SUMMER. Either way, let’s dive into a pretty solid fall tour - 1998 - that will remind you that the weather will hopefully take a turn for the better very soon. This is some classic Midwestern Panic this week. Coming off the Travelin’ Light shed tour, the band gets back to the comfortable environs of old theaters and ballrooms, starting up in Minneapolis, headed down I-35 (and then over) to Cedar Rapids, and then on up to the Dairy State for three shows. Fall 98 was unique because it was the last stand of the band’s old PA system, and former FOH mixer, Danny, put it through its paces with Schools bombs galore. Enjoy another couple great Panic sandwiches, a classic combo fr

“Rock n Roll, or Whatever You Call It:” Panic and the Boys from Bloodkin This week, we highlight a handful of songs brought to Widespread Panic by Daniel Hutchens and Eric Carter, aka Bloodkin. They came up at about the same time in Athens, and while Panic has achieved jam band royalty status, Bloodkin has remained under the radar, despite their massive songwriting output and far reaching influence, extending far beyond Panic. It is really hard to imagine Panic without the songs of Danny and Eric, from “Henry Parsons Died” to “End of the Show.” Selections include a handful of shows where the boys from Bloodkin sit in with Panic - it really doesn’t get much better than Danny and JB trading verses on “Quarter Tank of Gasoline” - including some rare FTP/only time played tunes. This episode is also remarkable for two reasons: Harvey makes a GRAND proclamation about one of the segments, and we (happily) play our first tracks from Widespread Panic 3.0, featuring the deft guitar work of Jimmy Herring. Enjoy!

Here Are Some Pretty Little Songs Guaranteed To Make You Cry Fall Tour 1997 The title of this episode is actually a JB’ism from 9/15/97, and we should all know by now that when John Bell dips into the well of ironic understatement, hold onto your hats (backwards or not). This week’s selections from the middle of the first leg of the Fall 1997 are classic Panic, and, if you’re from the “School of Heavy Panic” like we are, this episode is for you. We start with a “Chilly Water” from 9/19/97 in South Bend, Indiana (intro’d by another JB’ism - “Hope you like loud music!” - a tip of the hat to “True Stories” by the Talking Heads), and work our way backwards through the previous three shows all in Midwestern college towns. After a stop in Carbondale, Illinois for five songs we have yet to play on TBT, we go to Champaign, Illinois for a quick little “Can’t Get High > Jam,” and then end up in AMES, IOWA. Why all caps? Because with the shows Panic has played here over the years, they deserve the respect of AMES,

Sandwich Artistry Panic Sandwiches Everyone loves a good sandwich - whether they are the kind between two pieces of bread or when Panic splits a song in half. This week’s selections are both rare (uncommon) and well done (well executed). We start with a return to Buckhannon, West Virginia (episode 1) and a rare Dirty Business sandwich from 4/20/96. After a return to Red Rocks in 1998 for an inverted Pleas > Chilly > Pleas sandwich, we head to Harvey’s stomping grounds in Lexington, KY for a stellar Junior > Pusherman > Junior from 1999. A very un-festival like segment from Beale Street Music Festival follows. And we wrap things up (get it?) from 2 straight nights in Summer 2001. A Walkin sandwich from Little Rock that features a “little” Rock and Bears Gone Fishin > Papa Legba > Bears Gone Fishin from Tulsa, OK that gets a little out there at the end as it winds its way into Drums. All in all, we think these showcase some of Panic’s most original and experimental playing (and setlist creation). So,

Houston (and Beaumont, Orange, and Elsewhere), We’re With You! A 1,000 year flood. 27,000,000,000,000 gallons of water. 100,000+ homes damaged. Unfathomable numbers and unfathomable destruction all along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast. Hurricane Harvey was certainly an all-timer. From afar, it has been remarkable to witness communities coming together to help one another. The water will recede, but the effects of the damage will last for years. Houston (and Beaumont, and Orange, and elsewhere), we’re with you and we’re thinking of you! Widespread Panic has been visiting Houston for nearly three decades, first hitting the Space City on 2/28/90 - actually, their first visit to Texas, period - and have returned nearly thirty times since then. This week, we bring you some choice selections from those thirty shows, starting back in 1993 with a show from the epic fall tour of that year. We follow up with stops from 1995, 1997, and 1998, highlighting all-time versions of “Maggot Brain,” “Four Cornered Room,”

The Bluest Tape College Football Preview, Redux For this week’s Bluest Tape, we have a special guest, ESPN Senior Writer Mark Schlabach, who further breaks down the upcoming college football season for us. No surprise, he likes Ohio State and Alabama, too. Mark attended the University of Georgia from 1991-96, and, like many UGA students at that time, found himself at the Georgia Theatre and other venues around the South in pursuit of the “lingering lead.” Mark shares a few memories of what life was like in Athens during that era, and a great story about seeing Panic at the old War Eagle Supper Club in Auburn, AL. The selections this week reflect some of Mark’s favorite 1993-94 shows, including a stellar Athens NYE show, a killer “Low Spark” from the HORDE Tour, and two other nice sounding DSBDs from 1994. The interview closes out with a brief conversation about his new book with Paula Lavigne, VIOLATED: Exposing Rape at Baylor University amid College Football’s Sexual Assault Crisis, which dropped on Augus

Forget Phil Steele. Forget Pat Forde. Forget Tony Barnhart. When you want hard-hitting hot takes about the upcoming college football season, everyone knows that The Bluest Tape is the place to get them. What, that’s not the case? Okay, maybe we overstated a bit, but still, we kind of know what’s going on, so give us a chance. Anyway, we pair our preseason top four with four great shows from Widespread Panic’s illustrious past. We start out west with a post-Halloween 2000 gem from the Wiltern Theater featuring a rock legend on guitar, follow it up with a 1993 rarity from Harvey’s tape vault, and then head back to the Newport Music Hall in C-Bus for a nice selection from October 1995. We close out the show the way that the college football season will probably close out as well, with the houndstooth-clad folks in Tuscaloosa riding high yet again. So, get your red Solo cups out of storage - it’s football season! Links below go to whole show streams from Panicstream. 02 November 2000 - Los Angeles, CA - Wilte

Mikey and Us, Volume Two: Jeff’s Picks Just a few short days ago, we remembered the fifteenth anniversary of Michael Houser’s passing. It seems like yesterday, doesn’t it? This week, we look back at Mikey’s career with several selections curated by Jeff. We start off where we often do, way back in 1996, this time in the heart of the fantastic fall tour at the Barrymore Theatre in Madison, WI. Go ahead, find a better a “Pilgrims.” Next, we share a selection that will likely raise some eyebrows, the epic (perhaps for the wrong reasons) “Airplane > Diner” from the infamous March 1997 in Santa Cruz, CA. Was Sunny on cough syrup? Did Mikey make the show better or worse? No matter, his playing in the transition between these two Panic classics is worthy of mention. Before we jump back into some Mikey rarities, we make a stop in Champaign, IL, for the start of the second set on a chilly November night in 2000. While the Carbondale show two nights later is widely revered as an all-timer, this Champaign show has s

It is truly hard to believe, but on August 10, 2017, it will have been fifteen years since Michael Houser succumbed to cancer. Obviously, Widespread Panic has carried on, and Houser’s memory and music will live on indefinitely, but it is good to pause, honor his legacy, and play some of our favorite cuts from the band’s classic era. This week, Harvey makes his picks, featuring cuts from three shows he attended from 1995-97. We get things started with a demo version of “Pilgrims” with Houser on vocals, followed by an extended selection from the ultimate sleeper show, November 2, 1996 in Columbus, Ohio. Pay special attention to the monstrous version of “Pigeons.” Next, we take a step back to fall 1995, with three songs from a Lexington, Kentucky show at a horse racing track. Lastly, we end up in Harvey’s hometown of New Orleans for Halloween 1997, the first - and dare we say, best - NOLAWeen show at the Lakefront Arena. We just need one word to describe this show: DINER. This one’s for you, Mikey - thank you fo