Pros: Live 3-disc set by one of the most energetic bands in the country.
Cons: NOT one of their best performances; recording not very good.
The Bottom Line: Widespread live performances are usually great, energetic experiences; however, this set seems to be missing most of that energy - buy "Light Fuse, Get Away" instead.
martytdx's Full Review: Live in the Classic City by Widespread Panic
When I heard that Widespread Panic was putting out another live album - especially one recorded in their very won back yard - I was understandably excited. Having seen them live a half-dozen times in the last 3 years, I knew what they were capable of. I had several bootlegs of the shows I had attended, but having a quality recording of one of their shows was eagerly anticipated.
In the end, I'm still waiting.
This isn't a bad live album - but it's not what I expected from a band whose reputation has been made on their concert performances. I expected to be tapping my fingers and jamming throughout the three discs, but I was instead struggling through several under-powered songs waiting for the few glimpses of their talented energy.
[• the LINEUP •] Widespread Panic (WSP) is made up of 6 main members:
John Bell - vocals and guitars
John "JoJo" Hermann - keyboards, vocals
George McConnell - guitars, vocals
Todd Nance - drums
Domingo S. Ortiz - percussion
Dave Schools - basses
However, at the time of this album, guitarist Michael Houser was still with the band before his death on 8/11/02 to cancer. George McConnell had not yet joined the band.
[• the MUSIC •]
When the music starts, it seems like we are in for another treat, like their fantastic Another Joyous Occasion and Light Fuse, Get Away live albums. The intro, Action Man begins in typical WSP jamming fashion, pulling the crowd in from the first few moments. They quickly move from there to the live staple Chilly Water, continuing with their normal aplomb as they fade into a great version of Please and back into the finale of Chilly Water. Things are looking good.
But then there's a gap! I mean a literal 5 second silence before the music starts again! Not a bad thing if you are listening to a studio album - but a live album isn't supposed to be noticeably hacked. Even if you want to splice different shows or remove certain tracks, I've never heard a live album that left spaces in the show like this...
Eventually, the show goes on with C. Brown, a warped song about one of America's favorite losers. They we have the funky Lilly and I'm not Alone. The latter slows down the pace, and really isn't one of the stronger tracks on the disc. It doesn't get any better when they start a lackadaisical version of One-Arm Steve followed by a simply weak Flat Foot Floozy, a cross between rockabilly and hard rock that fails across the board.
Although there is another gap between Floozy and the next song, at least this time they make it seem like a set break. When the music returned, I found that Surprise Valley restored some of my confidence from the first few notes. A later classic, the guitars weave through the night, carrying the sound and energy of the band with them. John Bell's voice winds through the crowed in alternating gentle and plaintive notes. Then Blight begins, an odd tune that wasn't bad but wasn't altogether that interesting either other than being new at the time. They then segue into Walking, which I think might be impossible for this band to EVER mess up. It epitomizes the band's sound and works even better live.
DISC II starts with the band warming up before launching into All Time Low, a powerful country-influenced rock song. The dual vocals of Bell and JoJo bring this song off. I've heard better renditions, but this wasn't bad at all.
The gloomy song Mercy begins with horns and a mournful singing, mimicking the original's slow pace but somehow slowing it down even further to almost a plodding pace. On Ride Me High, they go through the motions without much real fire for most of the song, until they start to jam near the end. Once they hit that jam, though, they find a rhythm to finish with a jamming 70's-like flourish for the last few minutes of the 16 minute length before heading into Drums. As always, this is a spotlight for drummer Nance and percussionist Ortiz, with a highlight coming at the 9:20 mark. The drums then fade into a larger instrumental piece, as each member adds his own voice to the melody.
Time is Free then begins abruptly, heavy beats taking over from the previous jam and forming into a bass solo by Dave Schools, and then eventually adding a sub-par vocal performance to the better than par music. By the time that Climb to Safety has begun, the band has been jamming in one form or another for more than 30 minutes straight. Obviously warmed up at this point, they launch into this fan favorite, although I found that Bell's vocals seem a little loud throughout the tune, something I would have expected to be fixed in production. After another long pause, we hear the blues tones of Blue Indian. Unfortunately, this may be one of the only examples of a WSP song being better in studio than live.
When Disc III starts, we get back on track as the keyboards and drums introduce Bear Gone Fishin', a fun, funky tune. Although the vocals seem off (too loud and out of sync to each other), it still works. The jam from BGF runs into The Waker, where once again the vocals disappoint, almost being out of tune. It is actually hard to listen to the entire song, and so it seems appropriate that another hard gap appears in the disc here.
Dyin' Man begins promisingly, the blues-rock fusion sounding refreshingly on, and the vocals closer to what I would expect. The jam from here moves gracefully into the WSP classic Stop and Go, which they are physically unable to muck up. While the song here is a mellower version than usual, it still keeps me interested, with a nice piano piece during the jam. The piano continues as they begin Hatfield, a sorrowful dirge that builds into a powerful, musical storm. As JoJo tickles the ivories, the band continues its laid-back renditions of classics, but Hatfield is none the worse the wear for it here.
They jam their way into Tall Boy, where the dual vocals slip a bit, but Bell's leads carry the tune into another annoying pause. When we return from the forced intermission, WSP starts heading into the final turn with a trio of great tunes that save this disc. Red Hot Mama is a full-out jam that lives up to its name, followed by Worry, a fairly rocking tune. As a finale, we get to hear a good rendition of Let's Get The Show on the Road, finally fading to black.
[• final THOUGHTS •]
I wanted to like this disc. I had really enjoyed the last two live discs from WSP, and had high expectations for this one. Initially, I wondered if I had just set the bar too high - but subsequent listenings over time have convinced me that this 3-disc package is just lacking the same fire, same production that the first two did.
It's not a horrible album - there are highlights within - but as a whole, I can't see myself rushing to find this set when I am jonesing for some live Panic. If you like the band, you may enjoy this set - but only after you've gotten Another Joyous Occasion and Light Fuse, Get Away first.
[• related REVIEWS •] Light Fuse, Get Away
One of their best live albums - a must-have for any Widespread Panic fan.
Jackassolantern
Widespread Panic overs up some of its favorite covers from Halloween's past.
Uber Cobra
A wonderful acoustic album recorded last year at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, SC.
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Part of the Around Epinions in 23+ Reviews auto-writeoff.
Live In The Classic City comes on the heels of their Gold selling DVD, Live At Oak Mountain, released on October 9, 2001. The three disc, twenty-seven...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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