photo by Jason Koerner
While I’m not a Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park rookie anymore, I am a first-timer at Wanee and am so grateful for the event organizers to have allowed us to cover the show this year. Widespread Panic’s performances were so captivating, I wound up latching onto their tour as it continued from Live Oak, FL to Augusta, GA via my new road buddy, Cori Anne.
Cori Anne is a sweet-faced sandy blonde-redish-head who stands about 5.2” in her cropped black combat boots – add a couple inches if she’s donning her signature feathered hat. Cori can pour out music stats like an ESPN sports broadcaster. If you want to know about Widespread Panic, Grateful Dead, or even the off-topic subject of Michael Jackson go find her whimsically swaying in the crowd. Though she may be slightly under eye level you’ll still probably spot her slipping into your front rail spot while you take a beer/bathroom break. She is the youthful energy that fuels the future of Wanee.
Seeing as how 2016 is the last official tour for Panic and I’m already overwhelmed with life plus music articles to write, it seemed like a good idea to accompany her on Monday after she posted on Facebook looking for travel companions. I will forever be inspired by spontaneously deciding to join her.
Cori Anne worked an estimated 17-hour shift at the Solar Café vendor booth day one of Widespread’s Wanee appearance, missing most of the set. Meanwhile, I lost my campmates and ended up witnessing the initial WSP playlist contently alone. Totally in awe, I sat wondering if the twinkling moss-draped oak tree backdrop and firework-esque light show were figments of my flashback imagination.
The following day while I sacrificed the second WSP show to deal with car trouble, my soul sister got to boogie down to once-in-a-lifetime opportunities like WSP’s cover of Talking Heads’ “Swamp.” I was left wanting more.
After reaching out and making a few hurried up-in-the-air plans, Cori Anne picked me up Tuesday afternoon in Jacksonville Beach – changing from work clothes to concert apparel in two minutes flat. “Let’s hit the road!” she shouted as we hopped in her Jeep hatchback.
And a LONG road it was – two-lane bump-a-longs that Google Maps laughably calls “highways.” More like “slowways.” After four hours of excitedly sharing our Wanee weekend memories we reached the James Brown Arena car lot well after the attendants had stopped collecting money. Free parking for us! Luckily we only missed the first few songs, although Cori said they were some of her favorites.
Widespread Panic – Augusta, GA. Photo by Andy Tennille Photography
We found our hometown friends and jammed through the remaining first half; took out-of-focus selfies during intermission; and hit the ground floor hardcore for act II. I recognized some of the songs from Wanee and other past experiences but some of them I’ve never heard. Just so you know, I fall into the category of “I’ve seen a few Panic shows but didn’t really get it until now so I’m late to the party.”
WSP gets me when JB’s dark voice calls out honest lyrics I can’t help but relate to, like digging up closet skeletons I don’t want my chill-bumps to expose. But f*ck it I’m not alone, you’re all in this with me. The chaotic drum rhythms are sometimes onbeat or off, depending on the mood – which all of our regular lives can be at times.
Not to mention the piercing visuals, which often force your eyes closed allowing the audio to takeover. These are the sensory factors that command even the most unimpressionable. These are the reasons we ditched work for dancing.
After the show we couch crashed for a couple hours before making the sleepy trek back to Jacksonville in the morning. Ironically, we talked about Prince for nearly 30 minutes – losing ourselves in what it would be like to score tickets to one of his intimate theatre concerts. Sadly, he passed the next day.
As I packed my bags for Tipper & Friends and thought about what a whirlwind this month has been, Cori continued on to WSP in Charleston, SC. Since then, I’ve talked to several WSP enthusiasts who have all said the same thing, “I’ve followed Panic shows forever but they really outdid themselves at Wanee this year.”
Cori Anne & Mary Ana pre-gaming in Charleston
I look forward to reuniting with my Wanee friends in 2017 – especially Valerie Davis, a.k.a. “Festi-Mom”, who always deserves VIP treatment (that’s her in the photo below). She is the embodiment of the Wanee sharing & caring attitude.
View additional Wanee favorite moments like getting down with Kung Fu, Umphreys McGee, Greg Allman and many more in the FULL PHOTO GALLERY HERE.
