Widespread Panic - Live from the Backyard in Austin, TX

Starring:Widespread Panic
Studio: Sanctuary Records
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Athens, Georgia's Widespread Panic soldiers on following the August 2002 death of guitarist Michael Houser--and judging from this outdoor concert and the enraptured response of the "Spreadheads," the band's devoted fans, they've barely missed a beat. Houser's replacements in the celebrated "jam band" are George McConnell on guitar and saxophonist Randall Bramblett (who's played with Traffic and Steve Winwood), both of whom acquit themselves nicely. And while Widespread Panic may lack the versatility, sheer musical prowess, and great songs of the Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers, their two most obvious influences, guitarist-singer John Bell and his cohorts play with the relaxed confidence of the established veterans they are, and they build up a serious head of steam in the course of this generous show (157 minutes, including a 22-minute drum/percussion fiesta). The package even comes with a second disc, featuring behind-the-scenes footage, band interviews, photos, and more. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews:

Some great moments during the second set.......2005-11-12

BAD CAMERA ANGLES AND POOR EDITING

ANOTHER POORLY FILMED AND EDITED CONCERT. IT IS A BASIC TREND IN THE MUSIC IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.

This is a 2 disc DVD set. The first DVD is the whole concert. The second DVD is the "movie", which is just interviews of the band and support personnel, with other extras like a picture gallery. There is also a CD release that just contains the 10 shortest songs of the concert.

I started to watch the second DVD and was bored by it. I am a big "spreadhead", and own most of the albums. A bigger fanatic might get into the second DVD.

The music DVD is almost 3 hours long. It is a complete concert. It is a lot like a Grateful Dead concert. The first set is weak and things really pick up on the second set.

This show is shortly after guitarist Mike Houser left the band due to cancer. George McConnell, who has played with the band on occasion, will eventually replace Houser. But, on this DVD, he is listed as a guest musician and he sounds like a guest.

Also appearing as guests at the concert is Randall Bramlett on saxophone, and guests on slide guitar and percussion.

The first set is fairly weak. I think the problem with the first set is the band tries to fit the guest mucisians into the traditional Widespread Panic style and it doesn't work.

It takes about half way through the first set before the sound is right. On the first songs, the sound is really muddled. The sound gets much better through the show, although it is never perfect.

The peformance is also muddled through the first set. McConnell sounds really out of place on a number of songs. He also does some standard rock solos that just sound bad. Bramlett does a better job filling in and is really the main lead on many of the songs. There is a good version of Rock, and it nice to see Schools take lead vocals on Doreathea.

As always, John Hermann's piano playing style of pounding on the keys can sound really harsh and out of place at times.

The second set is great. The band moves away from playing in the traditional Widespread Panic style and is much more comfortable with it. The band opens up and is looser. There is a great 46 minute jam interlude. I am not a big drum solo fan, but this one has an extended drum solo that is very interesting.

The guest on slide guitar shows up on the second set. He is the real star and runs rings around McConnell.

When Mike Houser was alive, the band had a unique sound and style in concert. The song would all blend together, with the solos taking place during the seques between songs. The jams were more of a group effort than individual solos. McConnell does not play like Houser, and does not fit into the old style. The group sound has later evolved to fit better with McConnell style. The band is now a more traditional Southern Rock band, playing distinct songs, with long solos in the middle.

Like most modern concert videos, the filming is done poorly. The camera angles and editing are horrible. The picture is always moving all over the place, never staying focused on one player. Plus the camera is never focused on the right person. McConnell will be breaking into a solo while we see a picture of Bell's head.

The quality of the video is not that great either. The colors are not vivid and the resolution seems poor. The concert starts out in the day, where the video is acceptable. It gets much worse for the second set when it gets dark outside.

The camera is always zooming in and out on the band. It is just a cheap formula for making a concert video. You keep the cameras moving all the time. That way you don't have to know anything about the band, and you can do the editing in an afternoon.

IF YOU WANT TO SEE HOW A CONCERT FILM SHOULD BE DONE, SEE TALKING HEADS STOP MAKING SENSE. Another good quality concert is 21st Centrury Schizoid Band, Live In Japan.

music tremendous---video color ghastly.......2004-12-17

How can I rate this with 5 stars if the video color is a horific muddy brown (note almost everyone on stage is wearing brown t-shirt as well)? The music is absolutely first rate and the camera work is not great but very acceptable. If you want to make this DVD both gloriously listenable AND watchable, then get your remote and go to your TV's control setting and set the color on zero giving you VERY watchable black and white. You might have to tinker with brightness but that's about it. The difference between black and white and the so called "color" format of this DVD is stunning. It used to be a very annoying production and now watching in black and white it is a gem. Due to the down to earth nature of the band and the depth of their music, it probably should have been filmed in black and white regardless if they could have done it in adequate color. Now that I know the black and white "trick" I've been able to salvage a couple other music DVD's that are now beautiful rather than nearly unwatchable.

It is, what it is ..........2003-10-18

After viewing this several times and then comparing to the "Live at Oak Mtn" show, it's apparent these guys are tyring hard to carry on. But, it needs to be taken in the context of when it was recorded: three weeks after Houser leaves the band and discloses he's dying and three weeks before he does die.

With that in mind, what an inspired show. It still rocks and rocks hard in the 2nd set. The jam is very cool. I disagree this is a band in decline. They take their lumps and do what they do best ... play.

Compare this to the recent Allman Brother's "live at the Beacon" dvd (which incidently was filmed by the same guys) and you'll see a big difference.

Excellent DVD.......2003-05-08

As a recent Widespread fan, I understand the controversy behind George's addition to the band. However, he truly shines on this dvd in several songs. Although "Bayou Lena" isn't typical of WP, it made the dvd a must have for me, and "Stop Breaking Down Blues" is mind blowing with the guy from North Miss. All Stars making a guest appearance. The future of Widespread looks bright.

Great Show, Great Sound!!.......2003-05-07

I have read numerous reviews from folks that do not like this DVD because Michael Houser is no longer with us. It is rather obvious to me that these folk have no idea what they are talking about. Perhaps they would have preferred if WP had just quit making music after Michael passed away? Or perhaps, they feel that Michael's body would have played a good guitar?
This is a GREAT concert. Do not let these other rubes that detract from this DVD fool you. I would say that Mr. Houser would be very proud to see his band striving on, in the face of adversity, still making awesome music. George McConnell plays a mean guitar and fills Michael's shoes just nicely, thank you very much! Rock on WP!!

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