Spring and Summer Tour 2002

The Backyard, Bee Cave, TX	Red Rocks, Morrison, CO
Bonnaroo, Manchester, TN	Oak Mountain, Pelham, AL

 

The Backyard, Texas Review
7/18/02 - 7/20/02

here's the scoop

first, it is still widespread panic, same vibe, sound, groove, etc. i have 0 regrets about going, spiritually or musically (if there is a difference) from jb saying here we go and the band swinging into wrangler to open the run, througj the last notes of thousage, it was good old widespread panic.

that being said, it is different without mikey. his music, smile and spirit are missed. we, the fans and the band are affected by that, in ways both clear and subtle. it is not the same. it will never be the same. life is like that, we either learn, adapt and grow, with the help of our Higher Power, or we suffer.

on the whole george is an able replacement who will only grow with time. he had some real good solos and missed a few things, but on the whole a positive rating.

frankly, for me (its all about me, dammit), in a way i'm glad it was no mikey, seeing as how that's how its going to be, time to face it and deal with it. randall adds nice color and texture, and his songs are great. i hope he stays with them. (more about him below)

i personally thought friday was the best night, but all 3 had their highlights..thursday's were the jam before avis, the 1 by 1 -> dear mr fantasy, and the whole second set smoked, esp the supersitition/coconuts.knockin round the zoo with ddbb, followed by the best
me and the devil i have heard..jb was sick on vocals...friday the use me was real good and the stop n go was killer, especially schools...randalls God was in the water is great, funky and throbbing, a real tight diner, vg watchtower (though this doesnt do very much for me, being a little burned out on the tune, but listening to it it was very good), good arleen, good porch song encore cut short by curfew...saturday, a dvd was recorded, a little songy as opposed to long jammy, but good on the whole, down, rock and
trouble stand out for me in set 1, in set 2, old neighborhood was nice, randall's get in get out tasty, the katie and action man were nice finishers, encores old joe, sweet, blue indian started nicely and caught fire, and the thousage banged us home (it made for a thousage sandwich, since it was the soundcheck thursday as i was walking in)

all 3 warmup acts were good, never saw robert randolph...i would again, north miss allstars were good, too. ddbb was their usual selves

the table scene was great...band (shay) made us right at home gave me all 3 nights passes up front so no hassles...eddie was a great teammate on the run...good meetings, great closing prayer vibes (usually mone of the highlights of a show meeting) we got a great location, we could se the whole stage by standing up and taking a couple steps to our left...also right by rockmed, saw the wasted girl carried in complete with shat in pants...eddie saved a guy from puking all over himself by directing him to the nearest trash can...then there was the guy who stopped by to tell me he was just as sober as I as he hadn't had any drugs since smoking a fatty in
the parking lot at 2 that afternoon, another guy who asked me if i hated just him or all druggies (told him what he did was none of my business and that I hated noone), and the guy who offered to help me with "converts"..told him we weren't looking to convert anyone, to which he said everyone around him was drunk (he seemed to be, too, but what do i know), and i replied, let em drink all they want, when they're sick and tired of being sick and tired, they know where to find us.

a few people who were in recovery only knew of us cause they saw us there...met another taper staying clean on his own ("you don't understand how bad it got...i had to quit"...told him good luck and gave him our flyer and my card if he needed to talk).

randall came and talked to me early before thurs and sat, talked with him a good 10 minutes before it dawned on me which randall i was talking to...a bona fide nice guy with a great spirit and walk.

the service aspect was a priceless bonus...passes were useful to carry that out, but totally stayed away from that scene otherwise...it doesn't make me "somebody" like i used to think it did

what a wonderful weekend...met so many greta folks, won't name em lest i leave somone out...i was lifted up and carride by God working through the gateway fellowship and the music.

thanks for letting me share and be of service. i'd do it again in a heartbeat

marcus de florida

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Red Rocks Review
6/28/02 - 6/30/02

i will echo steve's sentiment it was really great to have a spot to meet and it really added something to the RR experience this year. i am stilled amazed that i am actually capable of making to work the day after a run of shows, something that for many years of seeing shows had never been possible.

the best part of the table of course is that with the passes we get to hang out backstage all show - just joking clay. things went really smoothly with the table and it was great that they gave a spot where you could really hear the music (i expected the table to be at the very top of the rocks)

as for the shows i thought this was another really good RR run. the first set first night was about as good an opening run set as you could have. great energy great songs and everything flowed. the second set friday really jumped out of the gates and when sonny blew the coconuts intro whistle they place was ready to explode, and explode it did. the hesteria of coconuts made almost comedic when dave added, 'that's a good thing' after one of JBs, 'ladies lying in the sun' towards the end of the tune. unfortunately, it just seemed that they could never get it back to that level the rest of the set.

sat night was truly a great show. hard to pick a highlight because there were so many. i don't believe i have ever seen a suprise valley that was not at the bookend of a set, so that was quite a surprise (no pun intended). SV is a RR tradition as they have played at every year since it was written (including the first ever). so you always know its coming, just a matter of when.

the second set just blew the roof of the place (despite there being no roof). things really got hot after greta with the first extended jam of the night. goin' out west was right were it needed to be and the Use Me with randel took things to the level that (imo) only WP can go. coming out of drums JB was simply on fire during the hatfield rap, you could tell how much fun he was having. the parson was so powerful i was sure they were ending the set with it, even though it was only the second song outta drums. then they kicked into the CTS, steve through me the high five and they took to agian to that next level.
ophelia, flewzy was a great way to end things and it seemed like the whole crowd was joinng dave with 'on a saturday night'

unfortuanetely on sunday things never really got going. for some reason it just did not seem to click. some great songs but just.... even the chilly did not seem to get to the next level. the end of show was pretty sweet and the hight point for me was definately the LGTSOTR. JB was hitting it and i was getting chills up & down my spine.

all in all it exceeded my expectations the panic still has it, and it is going to be a great tour. i may just have to get to the greek to confirm this, though.

have a great day
-joe

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Bonnaroo Review 1
6/21/02 - 6/22/02

Wow,

What an incrediable experience this weekend has been. I feel like Im a part
of some big musical family. The Wharf Rats, Jellyfish, and Phellowship
raised close to $350 for us this weekend, and they were all such awesome
people. We owe them a great deal for supporting us like this, and I think we
can repay them by carrying the message on WSP tour. There were 70 people at
our saturday wsp setbreak meeting. Incredible! I got to meet Don, the
founder of the wharf rats, which was super cool. So many wonderful people,
that Im sad I had to leave them. When you guys see people from these other
fellowships, please hug their neck, and tell them how much you love them.
Thanks Robert, Nadia, Paige, Miko, and everybody!!!!

It was also great to see such a strong contingient of Gateway folks there.
We are lucky to have such wonderful people among us. I beleive strongly
that we can make this thing work, especially with God's help. The most
wonderful part of it was that in a crowd of probably 100,000 folks, we had
20-30 sober Gateway people all dancing their asses off together. A truly
beautiful thing. People kept asking if I had some X I could sell them. I
guess they wanted whatever we had. I love you guys, and miss you already.

Last but not least, Panic upstaged everybody at that festival saturday
night. They came out with the old-school nastiness that only tha Panic can
deliver. If somebody says that another band out performed them, they were
either not there, or they were curled up in a ball trembling with fear. I
love the boys, and they never cease to amaze me. I would love to hear a
proper tour review form others.

These three paragraphs hardly scratch the surface of the love and happiness
I felt at this festival. It was so undescribable how wonderful it is to do
an event of this magnitude with so many sober brothers and sisters. So much
love!

Peace,
Clay

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Bonnaroo Review 2
6/21/02 - 6/22/02

This was quite an event and I won't be able to do justice to it. I left after I got a flat tire fixed. Then three hours down the road I hit a tire as it was getting kind of dark and had to call the police to file a damage report. Then two hours later hit a stand still making the entrance sixteen hours. My traveling companion was furious to say the least. All I was thinking to myself was it will be forgotten at two that afternoon. I really enjoyed Big Wu and the Disco Biscuits both of which I had never seen before.

Friday I lost my friend after an hour and we didn't meet until that night back at the tent. I was looking all over for the table and met up with some folks from thephellowship and they were wondering the same thing. I was quite a bit away from the stage when Panic began and the crowd around me was kinda quiet and still. Similar to what Clay said, some people were snickering because I think I was a little too into the music. It was like listening to discs in my living room and dancing, except another 70,000 people. So I decided to move a little closer and to the other side. Surprise Valley opener, that song always makes me smile. "Goodbye it's time to fly" meaning that I have moved on from the past, and worried about the present, at least for me. Driving>Porch>Driving>Breathing Slow was beautiful. Later the Dirty Dozen make an entrance and I was pretty excited to see that happen, as I hadn't in quite a while. Climb to Safety closer, which in the past, I was not a big fan, but as life passes and lyrics seem to change meanings in your mind, you can grow exceptionally fond of some things. Friday night was a teaser of what was to come.

Saturday I checked my email because I had a feeling there would be a post about where the table was. So I stopped by right after checking the email Clay had sent out. Thanks Clay! Otherwise I wouldn't have found yall. I saw the new sign and it sure does look nice Michelle. Great work. As I was walking off with a friend, he said, "I can't believe that something of that nature is organized. It must be such a huge help for you and something really special." Talk about a dose of gratitude. Later I checked back by and met Clay briefly and went to go check the end of the cheese and hopefully get positioned a little better than the previous night. The boys came out and that darn grin kept spreading over my face. Chilly Water!!! WOOHOO! It was loud and packed but still had enough room to get down. JB looked intense that night. SO much emotion locked up in his face that just poured out through his voice. Amazing! So One Arm began and I have never been shaken from Schools bass like that. Honestly, from where I was I could feel not only my chest vibrating, but the ground below. It was spectacular. Dottie Peoples and her choir came out and I was especially giddy. The last time I saw them it was so amazing as it was the second time around. Schools was motioning to her with a big smile on both of their faces. Went to the meeting and it was really special. Lots of humor in that group. Nice to see you again Gretchen. I looked for you guys during the second set and couldn't find you. Next time I will just go with you. Second set Disco opener and it was time to get down. Glad made me real happy. I really enjoy the keys. I couldn't stop moving the entire set except to take a photo of a group that was in front of me. I think I can count the number of times that I danced during drums on both hands, and every one of those times has been when I was clean and sober. To me, that is an amazing correlation. I expected Visiting Day and always enjoy City of Dreams, but this COD had nothing on Savannah. All in all, it was a great weekend. I was really grateful to have found the table. It gave me such a glowing feeling being around the other like-minded individuals. Everyone seemed to have big grins on their faces and just having a great time.

One day at a time,
Jimmy

What can be said about the roo that hasn't already been said? Clay
and Patrick pretty much summed it up for me. It was an amazing four
days….the music, the fellowship, the weather, the atmosphere, again
the fellowship…..it is really hard for me to put into words the
experience I had this past weekend. I have been to many wharf rat
meetings in the past and I have been to a handful of soberfan
meetings, but none of them comes even close to the fellowship I felt
at the roo. I really fell in love with you guys this weekend. It
was an honor to meet some new soberfans……Gretchen with a smile that
lit up the place and made me feel like I've known her for ages, Ed a
damn funny azz mofo, Kimberly who could get lost in a circular
driveway and be completely content in doing so, Casie you know its
true, and last but surely not least…….. Michelle another smile and
laugh that is now burned into memory….I looked for you before I left
but you no where to be found, wanted one last hug and to tell you
that the color blue is now my favorite color! Thank you so much for
the work you did on the banner and the work you are doing on the
site! I look forward to taking you by the arm and twirling with you
again….. and everyone else that I have forgotten to mention….it was
an honor and thanks so much for making my weekend.

The "united front" (soberfans, jellyfish, wharfrats) without a doubt
carried the message and that, for me, is what it is all about and
that is what I will remember most about the roo!!! We gave new
meaning to the phrase "attraction not promotion". It reaffirmed my
commitment and belief in the 12th step and the message we are
carrying at these shows. Clay is right on target when he talks about
the support of the Jellyfish and the WharfRats….they were amazing!
The meeting Saturday night absolutely blew me away…80 strong! Damn
it was beautiful!! Constantly on Saturday night I was getting these
what I like to call "God Elbow Jabs". It is where all the sudden it
seems God jabs me in the stomach with his elbow and says "Lincoln,
wake up and truly see what sobriety has given to you!" I felt God
working his miracles all weekend long, from the moment I had a farmer
practically escort me into Manchester, to the moment
i "coincedentally" bump into Clay in the middle of 50k+, to the
moment I hit I-24 heading for home, I left the roo feeling completely
blessed and refreshed…..with my feet dirty and my soul clean

Ditto to what Clay said...."WOW"

Oh and one other thing…..Panic Saturday night……… (insert expletive)

Till we meet again...peace....panic....and.....

fuzzies,

lincoln

 

I'm trying to decide how to review this weekend and it's hard to even know where to begin. It's funny that the first thoughts that come to my mind for a review of this weekend have nothing to do with setlists. The highlight of this weekend was the friendships I made with people that love the Panic and are active in their recovery. The bond that's created by this whole sobriety thing is almost freakish. Michelle said at the setbreak meeting Saturday night that she was now addicted to going to shows sober. I believe that would sum up my thoughts on the issue.

There was, however, some kick ass music played this weekend. I'm not into some critical review evaluating individual performances and all that, but I can tell you about my own experience. The first night getting into the shows really sucked. I had to practice patience while standing outside waiting to get into the venue. It was good to be with other sober fans, but at this point we had really just met. It was a little uneasy and I was pretty pissed off to come walking into the venue at the tail-end of Cream Puff. I settled into my groove for the rest of the second set, but the meeting at setbreak was much needed.

The meeting introduced us all to each other and I'd say there was about ten of us in all. It was great to match some faces with names and see recovery in action at a Panic show. Incidentally, Robert Randolph was tearing it up pretty good which forced us behind a concession stand of some kind to get out of the loudness. This would become base camp for the meetings the next two nights.

The second set is when things started really heating up for the Panic. Bowlegged opener is always a sign of some sickness right around the corner. It climaxed for me during the Me & The Devil when the spotlight was on Mikey. I could barely hear a note he was playing due to the crowd going absolutely ape-shit. This would be a theme that carried on throughout the weekend. I know that the crowd generally gets excited during nice Mikey solos, but there was a totally different feel this weekend. It's all speculation at this point, but the possiblities brought up a lot of emotion for a lot of people including myself. Clay got his Can't Find My Way Home which was sweet. It's always great to know when someone gets the song they're chasing. Even though I didn't see it, I'm sure he had a big-ass smile on his face.

Saturday, Clay took all of us to a meeting which was cool as shit. It's always good to hit a meeting outside of your normal routine especially when you're on vacation and about to go see a Panic show. We spent the rest of the afternoon waiting for pizza at the Mellow Mushroom. It actually ended up being kind of nice receiving crappy service as it gave quite a few of us a chance to talk and get to know each other a little better. By this point, I would say we were all pretty comfortable around each other and really having a good time.

The second night opener of Surprise Valley was very sweet. I hate to say I told you so, but...I called it. You could actually here Mikey during TPOT which was nice and again the crowd was going nuts. I was really getting goose bumps by this point. The second set for me was all about USE ME UP!! This song is the shiz-nit and I can't remember if and when I've seen it before. That was probably the hardest groovin' I did all weekend. The Alone>TYS>Alone deserves mention as something a little different and TYS always gets me jumpin'. Some good classic Panic right there. Brannon (sp?) got his Don't Be Denied encore and I did get to see the big-ass smile on his face. A great, great show and a few more people at the meeting.

Sunday night was really emotional going into the venue for me. I wound up by myself which was totally fine as far as any obsession to use was concerned. But I ran into this guy who had a made a huge banner for people to sign made out to Houser. Again, I know all about rumors, goosip, and speculation, but I let it get to me as I signed the banner, "You have no idea how imortant you are to so many people. Love, Jason from Chicago." I really didn't have the words, but the emotion was there.

Genesis in the first set was beautiful. That's one of my faves and they played with as much soul as only Panic can. The Holden and Conrad to end the first set got me psyched up for the setbreak meeting. There were close to twenty of us there and again it was good to see all the people into recovery at a Panic show. Chilly>Visiting Day>Chilly was a perfect way to start the second set. I had been voicing some desire to hear either Papa's or Stop-Go. I went bananas when they started into Papa's as the rain started to fall. I guess Hatfield is supposed to be the rain song, but something felt very appropriate about Papa's in the rain too. Trouble was heart-wrenching as was a lot of the weekend for me and the Postcard sent me out smiling.

Okay, I guess this ended up being a pretty detailed review. I'm still pumped up about the whole experience and am still in awe about how much fun I can have in recovery. Perhaps the single best aspect of the weekend was being around other soberfans while Panic was actually playing. I mean we were a legitimate crew of people. It was kind of like the feeling I used to get when going to shows with some of my old friends without all the extra baggage. We're not trying to be cooler than anyone else or know more about Panic than anyone else. We're not trying to get higher than the person next to us or be paranoid about the guy not dancing behind us. We are there to support each other's sobriety and enjoy Panic. From my vantage point in Chicago I can declare mission accomplished. I love you guys and can't wait to see you again.

In the moment,
Jason