New Orleans, October 30, 1999.
--photo by Mark Rogers--
On October 28, 1999 I journeyed from Paris to New York, then down to New Orleans the next morning for Widespread Panic's weekend Halloween run at UNO. Scott Fischell, my longtime Grateful Dead tour buddy, met me at the airport in a rented white Cavalier convertible. In the words of Moody Miller, we were touring pimp style.
Scott & I were in New Orleans at the invitation of Sam Lanier, Widespread Panic's manager, & the band. Sam had made the offer on the last day of the summer tour, in a fish'n'chip shop in London. It was great to see all the boyz again so soon after the August Europe run. Sam, Mary, Ellie, Trey & all the Brown Cat folks were wonderfully hospitable to Scottie & me, granting us full access to backstage, as well as to Danny's soundboard complex, where I was able to visit with my taper friends in the grandstand just behind. I saw Eurotour vets Pat Sprowls, Disco Don Hess, Stacey & Bill, Deepesh & Karen, Jeff McLean, Terri & Randy & others in the tapers section. On the floor I encountered the likes of Pat Goodwin, Liz Burn, Laurie Troost, Travelin' Tracy, Ben Tanen & others. In the Phil Zone, Scott & I met & made quick friends with Kyle, Brooke & Kim -- three Panic krazies from Jackson, Mississippi.
As old Dead tour types, Scott & I were impressed with the excellent parking lot scene. Apparently the authorities had decided to leave well enough alone outside the venue. So the kids they danced & shook their bones, without much hassle from the boyz in blue. Scott, a Panic newbie, was totally knocked out by the band's musicianship, the jams, their friendliness & that of the fans. He commented more than once that this was the closest he'd gotten to the old Dead show vibe since Jerry returned to his home planet.
In our very spare free time we hung out backstage, visited Bourbon Street, caught a great aftershow club gig by Leo Nocentelli, Jaimoe, Oteil Burbridge & Michael Ray at the Howlin' Wolf, ate traditional Nawlins cuisine like fried oyster po' boys & gumbo. There was very little sleeping at our downmarket accommodations, the Daze Inn. After the Halloween show Scott & I hung out a bit backstage, went to the aftershow party, then drove into town to a bar near Panic's hotel called the Voodoo Two. There we encountered Brown Cat’s Ellie & husband Bob. We hung out with them for a hour or so, then went to the St. Charles Tavern for slowly-served late dinner.
It was a wild & wooly weekend: three great shows! And it was my first opportunity to catch Panic before a big U. S. audience. Prior to Halloween, I had seen 20 Europe shows played to small club-size audiences.
This was a whole other experience. I'm grateful to Sam & Brown Cat for inviting me.
10/29/99 Lakefront Arena, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
1: Tall Boy > Makes Sense To Me, C. Brown, Holden Oversoul, Stop-Go > Machine > Barstools and Dreamers, Ophelia, One Arm Steve
2: All Time Low > Diner > Blackout, North, Chainsaw City* > Drums** > Ride Me High > The Waker > Love Tractor
E: Coconut, End of the Show
* with Brad Rosen (Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons) on drums/percussion, Jerry Joseph (Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons) on guitar/vocals ** with Brad Rosen (Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons) on drums/percussion [Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons opened]
Scott & I went to
the SuperJam at the Wolf
@ 2 a.m., after the Panic show.
10/30/99 Lakefront Arena, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
1: Surprise Valley > Red Hot Mama, Dying Man, I'm Not Alone, Radio Child, Sandbox > Wondering > Fishwater, Flat Foot Flewzy*
2: Big Woolly Mammoth > Bear's Gone Fishin' > City of Dreams, Ain't Life Grand > Drums > Driving Song > Riders On The Storm > Driving Song, Henry Parsons Died
E: Rebirtha > Hope In A Hopeless World
* with Terry Adams (NRBQ) on keyboards [NRBQ opened]
Seventy-two hours of Widespread Panic
The frenetic boogie of the terminally manic
Haltered girls and shirtless guys
The Arena knows no rainy skies
Dodging bombs that Schools has thrown
Digging the groove within the zone
After hours leads night to morning
The day begins with little warning
Sleep till noon and feel all right
Let's do it again for Halloween night
--Scott Fischell, October 31, 1999
10/31/99 Lakefront Arena, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
1: Papa Legba, Space Wrangler, Blue Indian, Impossible, Pigeons, You'll Be Fine, Greta, Dear Mr. Fantasy, Conrad the Caterpillar
2: Misty Mountain Hop, Chilly Water > Pleas > Chilly Water, Happy Child > Pilgrims, Drums* > Guilded Splinters, Travelin' Light, Won't Get Fooled Again
E1: Wind Cries Mary, Climb To Safety
E2: Dream Song, Porch Song
* with Various Members (Wild Magnolias) on percussion [Only 'Misty Mountain Hop', Only 'Wind Cries Mary', Only 'Won't Get Fooled Again'; Wild Magnolias opened]
Scottie the Cowboy & I arrive
for the Halloween show.
A gal needs time
to put it all together.
--photo by Scott Fischell--
Todd & JB, ready to rock.
--photo by Scott Fischell--
The Caped Bomb-dropper.
--photo by Scott Fischell--
--photo by Scott Fischell--
New Orleans drag queen
with Brooke & Kim of Jackson, Miss.
--photo by Scott Fischell--
Disco rocks!
--photo by Scott Fischell--
A swarm of yellowjackets.
--photo by Dean Nohe--
Serious woody time.
--photo by Dean Nohe--
Pat Goodwin, Ben Tanen
& others of that ilk.
--photo by Dean Nohe--
A New Orleans drag queen &
a Wild Magnolia, October 31, 1999.
--photo by Scott Fischell--
take me home to
Email: phildemetrion@yahoo.com
