LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Back in Los Angeles after two years, Widespread Panic is reclaiming its status as the premiere outfit in its class.

The sextet showed it's about more than just extended workouts, delivering a captivating two-part, three-hour show during Thursday's first of three dates at the Wiltern LG.

More than any other jam band of the past decade, including Phish, this group truly has inherited the mantle of the Grateful Dead, with a playful sense of discovery marked by heartfelt musicianship.

Sure, singer-guitarist John Bell has a cracked yet warm voice that recalls the late Jerry Garcia, but the band also taps into a rich legacy of Southern rock, especially the Allman Brothers, having absorbed a tapestry of American sounds. While Panic's songs might not be quite as iconic, there's an appealing organic approach at work.

It has been three years since the group's longtime friend George McConnell was brought in to fill the shoes of late founding guitarist Michael Houser. McConnell has definitely made his mark. His solos are tuneful and never showboating, from clean stinging leads to slide work that brought some Little Feat-styled loose funkiness to several tunes.

Panic still draws latter-day hippie and granola types out of the 9-to-5 capitalist society woodwork to dance, hop, writhe and gyrate with abandon. Most of the audience was on its feet for the entire show on the floor and up in the balcony.

The first set was a fine balance of shorter tunes and probing longer numbers, including the very Dead-like musings of "Makes Sense to Me" and the cheery saloon frolic "Help Me Somebody," with keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann taking the lead vocal. The gentler, bittersweet "Trouble" offered an introspective side, while a dark and growling big-beat take on Tom Waits' "Going Out West" definitely left fans wanting more. More>>>

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posted by ADMIN @ Tuesday, July 19, 2005