Grateful Dead Music Forum

Okay I want someone with the inside scoop to finally tell me the truth .... is WIdespread Panic really just Molly Hatchet on acid or are they a group of guys that are actually making that noise on purpose?
Hey somebody wake up Jimmy Herring and tell him to stop that solo he started 45 minutes ago ...

Thats a bit harsh, considering they are a really, really good band. Not many people are on pa,r with the likes of dave schools and Jimmys guitar playing. Plus if hearing them was something you've never done, then I can understsand because they are for sure an acquired taste. I think it really depends on which guitar player era you heard for sure too.

gumbo wrote:Thats a bit harsh, considering they are a really, really good band. Not many people are on pa,r with the likes of dave schools and Jimmys guitar playing. Plus if hearing them was something you've never done, then I can understsand because they are for sure an acquired taste. I think it really depends on which guitar player era you heard for sure too.

I just recently saw them at Wakarusa, and yes Jimmy and Dave are both unbelievable players, some of the best, but the whole show had NO dynamics, Jimmy wailed non-stop ... it was like a techno show or something as far as the lack of dynamics ... imagine Morning Dew being played without all the dynamics, the ups and downs, that gave the song it's power ... Panic just blew thru 4 hours of Jimmy wailing ... it's like he took the job and said how many minutes I need to fill ... I in no way question the talent of the group , just the ability of the band to create emotion in a live setting ... I am a veteran of over 300 Dead shows WITH JERRY, and have seen Yonder a bunch, RRE, alot of folks, and have played 100's of shows myself ... I went to Panic expecting to be blown away, and blown away I got, right over to another stage to hear somebody else cause I wasn't feeling it at all .... Now Honkytonk Homeslice, they rocked Wakarusa !!!!!!

I agree-- I saw them at bonnaroo for the first time and was greatly disappointed. The lead singer was painful to watch, he looked like he hated being there and i swear it seemed like he was faking his playing. Jimmy is AMAZING, HOLY SHIT-- but the band-- it was to centered around his soloing. I wish there was more interaction between each member. Oh yeah, jimmy... it wouldnt hurt to makesome sign of life when you are playing those amazing solos. you looked like a statue with numb facial expressions. boring to watch

Both you guys have really good points and I agree with them, I also have not seen them live ever either, so I also am not really fit to judge. I still really like them though and have heard some awesome music by them.

bobbybobbob wrote:I agree-- I saw them at bonnaroo for the first time and was greatly disappointed. The lead singer was painful to watch, he looked like he hated being there and i swear it seemed like he was faking his playing. Jimmy is AMAZING, HOLY SHIT-- but the band-- it was to centered around his soloing. I wish there was more interaction between each member. Oh yeah, jimmy... it wouldnt hurt to makesome sign of life when you are playing those amazing solos. you looked like a statue with numb facial expressions. boring to watch

No kidding, people always talked about Jerry being comatose on stage, compared to Jimmy Herring he was dancing ... Jimmy only moved once that I saw and that was to change guitars .. I was half expecting some guy to come out and pull it off for him and strap on another as not to wake him

I can't speak to WP with Herring. However, I saw them with Micheal Houser and once with Geroge McConnell. I have to say McConnell just did not do it. I have also seen Herring with TOO and he, well, he's not bad...

All that being said, I have "listened" to WP for several years now, and always thought that they had some good tunes, pretty good band, etc. I was way more into Phish. But for some reason, just recently (within the last few months) I have finally "heard" WP, and they are fantastic. As a whole, the music has such a "creamy" texture to it, great lyrics, great songs, and I think the lead singer, John Bell, might be one of the most unique and cool singers around right now. He's got a little southern thing going when he talks to the crowd, and the shows I've seen and heard, he is really into what he is doing.

Anyway, just my my two cents.

peace

i like them, but dont think their great. i have a bunch of live shows from them just through the trading universe, but i never seem to pop them in. if im gonna listen to WSP i usually pop in the big wu they are funkin awesome