St. Augustine Night 3 (3/22/26)

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Fans were literally fizzing as we made our way back to The Amp for one last show. As the saying goes, “never miss a Sunday show” and we certainly didn’t want to miss the last few hours of the daytime lot scene. By night three, everyone had it dialed in… the entry is easiest, the vibes were the perfect combination of calm yet excited! It was the same rowdy crowd, back again with a vengeance and intent to rage.

Everyone took their places, including the six MVP’s in the amphitheater, and they kicked things off with a hot Holden Oversoul. They started the show 30 minutes earlier, as curfew on Sundays is 10 pm at the venue. The sun was higher than ever, as the music kicked off at 6:39 pm. Even Schools rocked his shades! The jam was absolutely firing, and with about 90 seconds to go in the song, there was a mighty drop as all six cylinders worked together. This did not feel like the jamming of an opener, they were gelling and working together, already creating magic. This was the 97th time the elders opened with Holden, and the 820th time the song had ever been played. This means that it sits in the set 0/1 song 1 slot 11.83% of the time it's played.

With barely a micro pause, Nick kicked off Can’t Get High, a Bloodkin cover, the second and last Bloodkin cover of the weekend. Even though it was written by Eric Carter and Danny Hutchens, Widespread Panic actually released the song first, but only by six days! This song was tied for the second longest show gap, last played at Red Rocks, 6/27/25, which was 34 shows ago.

Another micropause and Duane started off with a little solo to introduce Travelin’ Light. This was the first and only JJ Cale cover of the weekend, and the only song with lyrics from the evening that they’ve played over 1,000 times, 1,047 to be exact. Each player was front and center and got a turn to show off - Jojo’s organ solo was spectacular. He was in it all weekend! Then, Nick had his turn to shine. So many people were blown away by his ability to fit right in with the band. Some direct texts from friends include messages like, “he’s just so seamless. There’s no takeover. It’s amazing.” “He leaves so much space for everyone else but then comes in at the perfect time.” “He’s so in the mix yet SHREDS and his mannerisms are so calm.” “He crushed this weekend and never overwhelms.” Way to go, Nick! It’s safe to say that the kid is welcomed into the Panic-verse with arms and hearts wiiiiiiiide open.

The second cover and third song of the evening came to a full stop, with plenty of time for JB to grab some water. It was hot out there, especially with the earlier start time! Hydration is important and it’s nice for the coolest front man in the biz to remind us all to drink our chilly water. Nick kicked off the intro to Happy, a beloved instrumental, last played in Milwaukee last year and only played ONCE in 2025 and 2024. This song saw a huge break between Mikey and Jimmy, last played during the Mikey era on 4/19/02 and then shelved for 309 shows until 9/30/06, only two weeks after the White Wizard came aboard. Happy clocked in as the longest song of the first set (fifth set of the weekend). The last few minutes of jamming were energetic and allowed for a very, very strong outro to the song! 

The Bass Master took a strong lead as Happy wound down, and DAS led everyone into the familiar bassline of Little Lily. They rocked this one, it was Nick’s third time playing this song, the band seemed comfortable together. Dave seemed so animated and happy during each show. He was dancing around, walking all over the Schools’ Zone, smiling, and having fun! He even acted out some of the lyrics, pantomiming similarly to the way our WATLO interns dance. One of the highlights of this was during the lyric “don’t believe everything you see” when Dave pushed his sunglasses from the lower half of his nose up to the bridge. During the last 90 seconds they had a very quiet ending with absolutely no talking, not a chomper chomping in sight. There were three obvious “blue” songs during the show, and the lyric “like a blue girl” kicked off the three-song colored theme. 

The fizzle outro took us into Driving Song. Another comfortable song for Nick, as it was his third time playing it in the big leagues. Driving Song is quintessential Panic and one of their oldest songs, first played on 4/7/86. It’s commonly used as bread for a sandwich, so it’s important to pay attention to whether or not they finish it before going into the next song. According to our nerd research, the first evidence of the song being used as sandwich bread was 6/1/88 at the Rockfish Palace in Athens, GA when they stuck Astronomy Domine Jam right smack dab between two pieces of Driving Song bread. 

Jojo filled the space after the top of the sandwich with a beautiful piano solo which introduced Blue Carousel. Jojo and JB had some really nice harmonized vocals. This was only the 12th time the song had ever been played live, but you wouldn’t guess it based on how good it sounded. It debuted in Wilmington on 9/16/23 during the infamous alphabet run where they spelled out the entire alphabet, starting with the first show. They didn’t play a “Z” song, instead they played I’m So Glad. Then the band spelled out “TUFF SHIT” to end the second show, and finished the run with an encore spelling “B.Y.E.” Blue Carousel, You Wreck Me, and End of the Show. Those two Wilmington shows are worth revisiting for an example of a modern Panic all-out throwdown. Rumor has it that Mikey nicknamed Jojo “Cat” and they started writing this song together but never finished. So, we like to believe that the lyric, “Hey, Cat! What’s it all about?” is an homage to Mikey asking Jojo what life is all about. His answer? LOVE AND JOY! We were so happy on our blue carousel! Carry that love, joy, and happiness with you post run and shine as bright as ever! This was also the second nod to the color blue during the show. 

The meat of the sandwich sort of fizzled out, which is typically how they bring Driving Song back around. Suspicions were quelched as they finished the only sandwich of the evening. A one-ingredient sandwich, like a heady lot grilled cheese - YUM! Driving Song came to a conclusion and barely a second past before Nick ripped the six-headed monster into Conrad. 

Conrad is another oldie but VERY goodie. First played on 5/26/86, it’s been played 738 times. This song is so good and fires on so many levels. The lyrics are inspirational, about transforming, independence, working hard to be able to play hard, freedom, and knowing and owning what’s best for you. The tempo changes are spectacular, it rips but has such an elegant breakdown that’s so beautiful. Sunny and Nick went off at the end, leading the charge. One helluva energetic way to end the first set of the final show of the run! The crowd erupted, the band left the stage, and we all had one more opportunity to run set break errands.

The previous two set breaks were 33 minutes, yet this one clocked in at just over the 30-minute mark! Some of the shorter set breaks in modern Panic runs! The early curfew was no joke! We were so glad we could contribute to the neighbors getting to bed on time, it was good to be of service.

The 6th and final set of the weekend began with not a note out of place, our current lead guitarist was able to deliver a perfect take on the classic composition that is the beginning of Pilgrims. Another selection from the 1993 Everyday album, Nick’s second outing on the band’s 580th performance of this beloved song. Any fan that has hit the road with their favorite band can relate to the radio and lights from the town fading out as they add more miles to the odometer in the name of chasing WSP. Nick stayed true to the original feel of this song and was blistering the lead in the peak of the song and then faded into the ensemble for the groovy comedown which created space for Jojo and DAS to take us on a wee cosmic journey while they were setting up to take the briefest of pauses before parading into the second song of the set.

A bass signature from the big dog alerted us it was indeed going to be a carnival-like atmosphere in the pit from here on out. This is a chased and loved cover song, known as Sharon. More than a few lot shirts that have “Sharon” in the font and style of “Sheraton” have been worn and worn out over the last 40 years. JB put his million dollar voice on full display as he led us through a fictitious adventure to watch a fancy dancer perform (like her back had no bone, and crawling like a reptile). This 1972 song by David Bromberg offered a delightful opportunity for the band to pass the mic all around the stage with each member having his moment to shine and deliver a bit of extra oomph to the tale as old as time. At around 7:25 Schools added some fun vocals, then they all slowed down a bit and locked into the groove. JB was facing Nick several times at this show and during this song he was turned all the way towards Jojo, as if he was hiding the magic slide guitar work that caused the main street moan to emanate throughout the entire amphitheater, neighbors be damned. Listen in again at the incredible vocal peak around 9:26 DAS says “Just wiggle it around” and “Tell me girl”. It was clear that the energy from our rowdy crowd was fueling the Panics to new heights and they were playing without fear. 

The first two songs of the second frame were both over 10 minutes, and the third was about to clock in at about 9.5 minutes. A newer number, and the first hint of the fishing theme that was going to be the anchor of the closing set for this run. Salt life, Salty crew: however you play it, you can't deny that this area of the country is all about the angling lifestyle and the amazing fresh catch was a great way to keep fed throughout the weekend. Tackle Box Hero is a Jojo song through and through, and he did it absolute justice. His vocal tone and splashing keyboard set a scene that was both philosophical and powerful. Any fan can relate to waking up ten feet high, with a red sun next to you, rolling up with the morning tide. Just making waves. This was Nick’s first go at being a Tackle Box Hero, and yes it sounds like a repeating theme: he nailed it. Being that this was only the 17th total time this song has ever been played (FTP 1/17/23 N4 PELP), there is still so much room for it to grow and evolve with this current lineup of two young studs and four experienced legends. Tune in and listen loud around 7 minutes when they take it to another level and really push the song to its current maximum, strings bending and drums beaten with no regard for their feelings. It is obvious this band can hit a peak at any time, plan your bathroom breaks carefully y’all.

In the lot before the show we had the honor of doing a fan interview with a young Panic fan from Wilmington, NC. His name is John F. and his song request was Fishing. Song 4 of set 2 bubbled up from the deep, and the young man must have been feeling the love big time. The fan favorite and deeply spiritual song took over the vibe and many of us were put into a trancelike state by the flawless beginning of the 65th version of the very first track from the 2003 album Ball. The vocal inflection at 1:42 when JB sings “We’re always lucky, if we see fishes, we go fishing” gave our President and Secretary both a moment of just absolute and pure gratitude and joy in knowing that we all are the lucky ones! There was a time from 2/10/16 to 6/25/23 when this song was stowed away on the shelf. It was an incredible moment when they brought it back at Red rocks after a 291 show gap. It was equally incredible how they intertwined it into an angling theme this evening at The Amphitheatre in St. Augustine. Please check out this link for a deep sea dive into this song and fishing themes in modern live WSP. Fishing deep dive from Ashville N1. The angelic and sublime bliss of Fishing was an interesting prelude for the weirdness that was about to unfold in the next song. 

The second longest and most abstract song of the evening was next. Clocking in at 12 minutes exactly, the Col. Bruce Hampton number known as Time is Free was next to join this instant classic Sunday show setlist. Among the dissonant guitar tones and myriad tempo changes, JB wove in lyrics about the blazing sun, which described a bit about the midday lot scene on this sunny, hot Sunday. Time is Free tied Can’t Get High as the second largest LTP gap - both songs were last played on 6/27/25 at Red Rocks. It is difficult to describe what went down in the pit during this time travel experience (ex. Wheelchairs, piles of puke, bodies on the floor, and pit pizza). Our well meaning neighbor brought 4 limp and lifeless slices of cheese pizza to share without a trace of a napkin or plate; just raw dogging four slices with her greasy mitts, yet there were no takers for this pit pizza party. Not too surprisingly, we got hot and humid and started sweating. A few folks may have felt woozy simply from the idea: ‘who could eat pizza at a time like this?’ Words do the song no justice, just put it on and let the ghost of Col. Bruce wash over you like a wave. It's good for your soul.

Next up was another installment of the fishing theme for the set, Bear’s Gone Fishing. Most fans know the story of the Band's friend named Bear and his fondness for mermaids. Seeing Sunny by the edge of the sea was a treat, the beach scene was popping all weekend and there were good waves for surfing on both Saturday and Sunday. A few fans may have even gotten pitted, (so pitted) before the show, or at least got their feet in the wax, or at the very least did some serious kooking in the water. Jojo was strong in the come down from a standard version of BGF, not too much wandering or jamming was available on this one.

Our brilliant world class Secretary of WATLO likes to call what is next a “drums with a little d”. That was how it was written in our setlist notebook and it indicated that all the boys stayed on stage while the two masters of percussion provided a soundtrack for dancing hard, or sitting down: both are acceptable approaches within our all inclusive fan base. Sunny seemed to be showing the young Duane how to really accelerate on the bongos, the man is a national treasure. After just about 4.5 minutes of drums (little d), we saw the coveted and celebrated whistle positioned in Sunny’s pursed lips.

The petition organized by Hometeam FM to bring back the whistle was amazing in its scope and its success: for those of you who signed it, TYFYS. Hearing a Fishwater drop with a whistle just feels right. The pit pizza party was officially concluded (the wayward slices had been stuffed into a few empty plastic cups and added to the nearest midden). More importantly, the full send and no holds barred dance party was fully ignited, turnt up to eleven and then some. The mini-drums lead into FW made the drop hit even harder. We can't really imagine having any more fun than this at a concert. The whole place was just getting it. A Sunday show for the ages. Not a head in the house could resist dancing like nobody was watching. We couldn’t watch, we were too busy gyrating in a way that would likely have the neighbors asking for this band to be permanently banned from idyllic and innocent St. Augustine. Sunny must have been inspired by his whistle because he went hard in the paint and his bongos paid the price. JB sounded mean in a way that was oh so nice. He added a little flair at around 2:38 as he sexily growled “Gimmie gimmie gimmie that thang”  Jojo laid down a super funky groove and was a candidate for MVP on this 7.5-minute version. The sounds from Jojo seemed to inspire Dave to get a bit nasty as well, heck they were all decidedly giving it full effort and it showed. Around 5 minutes they collected themselves and focused in the groove, and DAS had his bass aflame, adding some heavy drops and howling vocals, JB dashed in a hawk scream for good measure and then Nick did a quick face melter and all the while Duane was keeping the tempo and time so danceable and nice that the 50+ year olds may have actually been in less danger of pulling a muscle. 

Our kind neighbor was adorned in only red, responsible for the scarlet streamers, and tried delivering red sauced pizza to the pit. She clearly didn't get color theme memo. With Little Lilly and Blue Carousel in the first set, and then a Blue Indian late in the second set, the color for the evening was definitely blue. I’m Not Alone was already played on N2 but we can count it as a foreshadowing blue influence. With the sea sometimes being referred to as “The Blue,” it can be extrapolated to see this as some deep home where the big fishys go. The Blue Indian was a standard almost studio-worthy version and the sing along with hats off was as fun and satisfying as ever. There was then a pause as our front man underwent an equipment change.

JB had Zoel bring him his Black guitar, a sign of either Vic Chesnutt or perhaps some elite level slide guitar playing. It would prove to be the latter. We heard and saw a simple drum beat from Duane and then Jojo tickled his piano keys, and we even saw and heard a faint whimsical slide whistle from Sonny. Ribs and Whiskey was next, and saw its 250th time being played at a show. Happy quarter of a millennia, R&W! Incredible fact: Our Secretary of WATLO noted in the moment that it was “weird” to see R&W as the set 2 closer, and she was so right! In the 250 times this song has been played, only 4 times has it ever been slotted as the closer of the second set, or just 1.6% of the time, wow!. The four times that R&W was played at the end of the second set were: 2/11/12 (wood tour), 10/29/21, 9/13/25, and 3/22/26. Jojo was the flame that lit the BBQ and the brown liquor was the heady and hearty slide guitar from Mr. Bell. Another tale as old as time, an accidental glimpse of an unrobed girl leads to threats of paternal gun violence. Whether you hear it as a breakup song, a drinking song, hunting song, or otherwise (please email us and tell us your interpretation of R&W!). Jojo was showing a lot of fortitude late in this show and again was vying for MVP on this number. Nick joined him in getting saucy and the whole thing again coalesced into a high vibes dance party. JB said “Thank Ye!” just before they left the stage for a wee break before the encore. 

Upon returning to the stage to close out the weekend with a two song encore, Schools said “Thank You”. Everyone took up their spot and upon a couple cymbal taps the encore began. It was Hope in a Hopeless World, and it had a controlled and professional start, reigning in the wild abandon that was the dance party at the end of the second set. Easily the longest show gap since last played of the evening, it had been 66 shows since the 12/31/23 show when HIAHW anchored the middle of the 2nd set in a 3-set affair at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA. This contemplative and raw song was first played live way back in 1996 during the infamous Sit & Ski tour (if you were there, likely you were plenty ready for some rest and recovery after this weekend in Florida). One of two songs (the other being Happy) played this evening from the 1997 album Bombs and Butterflies, this song was only seeing its 172nd playing (Happy saw its 162nd outing). Originally written by Roebuck Staples, and released on his 1994 album Father Father. As we collectively rocked and laughed and danced and forgot all our worries, there was a legitimate war actively going on halfway around the world. Here at home many factors can weigh a person down if they choose to watch the news and hear about ongoing conflicts and clashes. To hear HIAHW was a good reminder to not let it be a bummer and look around and see the smiles and eat the pit pizza.

Similarly to the previous night encore being two songs that share an obvious connection, (Vacation and Postcard), the encore and final hurrah on N3 saw two songs that could easily be correlated as a thematic commentary about the world we currently live in. Life During Wartime is also a cover, and is what we are all living right now. The good news: this version of this song was an absolute stunner in how hard it rampaged. We know that ⅔ (that’s 66.66666667%) of the individuals playing on stage were definitely at every show of the Sit & Ski tour, yet at the end of the run they brought the epic fury and flared this song into a crescendo that was almost hard to comprehend. A final dance, fist pump, head bang, and release to let it all out. JB belted the lyrics like his life depended on it. Real talk: they all seemed to play as if it could be the last time. We all know however that the next one is gonna be the best one of the year. It is truly amazing how much energy these guys all have left in them after the countless miles and god knows how many shows. So many young fans we met this weekend that are just jazzed on these guys, kids that were not even close to being born in 1996. We are so grateful for all these fans no matter what. Thank you all for being there and for being kind. Upon the conclusion of the melee, JB spoke up and said, “Thank you St. Augustine, Sleep tight.” 

See Y’all in Alabama. 

Pizza is Expensive.