In episode 144, hosts Harvey Couch and Jeff Kollath recap Widespread Panic's three-night New Year's run at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta (December 29-31, 2024) while addressing news that broke after recording: Jimmy Herring's health issues and Nick Johnson stepping in as guitarist.

Episode recorded January 6th, before Thursday's announcement about Jimmy being unable to tour. Nick Johnson confirmed as touring guitarist.

Billy Strings' Statement: Billy revealed he was on standby for New Year's: "I came ready to play as much or as little as they needed me... Jimmy absolutely killed it... Nick Johnson is an absolute monster on the guitar and will handle the reins until Gandalf the Loud can get back in the saddle."

Night 1 - December 29:

• Billy joined for final portion of second set
• Fishwater > Surprise Valley > Fishwater with tempo changes
• Jimmy and Billy "played around each other" rather than traditional call-and-response

Night 2 - December 30:

• Dark and heavy second set theme
• Jeff's critique: "Jack doesn't work in that second set spot"
• 17-minute Second Skin featured "slinky bass intro" from Schools

Night 3 - New Year's Eve:

• Don't Be Denied acoustic: poignant as always
• NICK JOHNSON DEBUT: Ribs and Whiskey, Tall Boy, Diner - "acquitted himself very well"
• War Pigs: Only second time ever played
• Paranoid: Third time ever (Halloween '87, Halloween '16, NYE '25)
• DISCO HIGHLIGHT: 11-minute version "right up there" with greatest ever

Background: Atlanta-based guitarist, played with Colonel Bruce Hampton, close friends with Duane Trucks

Host Reactions:

• Harvey: hopes Nick "crushes it"
• Jeff: "Curious" about stage presence and gear setup
• Jeff's wishlist: "I hope Nick refuses to play Cosmic Confidante and puts Stop-Go on his must-play list"

Riviera Maya (Jan), Austin (Feb), St. Augustine (Mar), Birmingham (Apr), Jazz Fest, Las Vegas (May), All Good Now Festival (June)

Jeff:

• "I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not" (CNN documentary)
• Allman Betts Family Revival Tour clips with Amanda Shires (Nuggs/YouTube)

Harvey:

• "A Year with C.S. Lewis" daily readings book
• Dry January with non-alcoholic Lagunitas IPAs

• "That's why you stick around to the end. You never saw anything like the other night." - Jeff
• "The one thing Billy Strings doesn't need is to join Widespread Panic." - Jeff

Episode recorded on Mike Houser's birthday (January 6th).

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This week, The Bluest Tape takes a trip through the looking glass — and down the rabbit hole — for a Halloween recap that’s as musically rich as it is delightfully strange. Harvey and Jeff reconnect fresh off a Memphis weekend for Jeff’s son’s bar mitzvah (with a party at Dr. Nick’s House, no less — yes, that Dr. Nick, Elvis’s doctor!) before diving headfirst into the latest Widespread Panic Halloween blowout.

From Elvis lore and raccoon etiquette to Panic’s fully realized Alice in Wonderland–themed Halloween show in Savannah, this episode covers everything from family milestones to jam-band mythmaking. The guys are joined by longtime Panic fan and writer Aaron Stein, who authored the viral fan essay decoding the literary and lyrical threads behind the band’s 2025 Halloween setlist.

Before Aaron joins, Harvey and Jeff share stories from Harvey's Memphis trip — Jeff’s son’s bar mitzvah, the legendary Dr. Nick house party (complete with a racquetball court, Elvis pinball machine, and polite raccoons), and a mix of fall show chatter.

There’s plenty of Halloween talk too — Billy Strings’ marathon sets, Goose’s Hulaween appearance, and the perennial joy of jam bands leaning into the spooky and surreal.

Then comes the deep dive with Aaron Stein, a veteran of the Spreadnet era who returned to the Panic fold and penned a scene-stealing breakdown of the Alice in Wonderland set. Together, they unpack how nearly every song choice — from Gradle to Free Somehow — fit the story arc with uncanny precision.

Highlights from the conversation include:

• How Panic built an immersive Alice in Wonderland world, complete with mushrooms, teapots, costumed rabbits, and trippy transitions
• The brilliance of subtle choices like Impossible, You Should Be Glad, and Free Somehow — each lyrically tied to Alice’s journey
• White Rabbit as the show’s recurring motif, threading through the night before finally exploding in full at the end
• Easter eggs galore — from Who Are You to Greta > Conrad
• The rare and fitting bust-outs (Free Somehow, Crazy, Riders on the Storm) that deepened the theme
• And, of course, that perfect finale: Red Hot Mama > White Rabbit > Red Hot Mama — the Queen of Hearts brought to life, Savannah-style

Throughout, the guys and Aaron trade memories of past Halloween themes (Wizard of Oz, Dreams) and marvel at the band’s growing intentionality — how Panic has turned their Halloween tradition into a full-blown art form.

• Aaron Stein’s “Alice in Wonderland” Set Narrative: Panic Halloween Breakdown PDF
• Widespread Panic official site: https://widespreadpanic.com/
• Everyday Companion (setlist archive): http://www.everydaycompanion.com/
• Hometeam.fm (live recordings & streams): https://hometeam.fm/

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Welcome back to The Bluest Tape! Fall energy is officially here — crisp nights, cozy vibes, and plenty of Panic talk to warm the soul. This week, Harvey and Jeff kick things off by recapping the latest runs, setlists, and seasonal show anticipation before diving back into our conversation with author and longtime jam-scene journalist Mike Ayers, discussing his book Sharing the Groove.

If you missed part one, go hit Episode 140 first — then come right back, because this second half is loaded. Mike re-joins us at 01:05:24, and we pick up right where we left off: deep in the world of 90s jam bands, scene lore, the post-Dead landscape, and the obsessive joy of tape culture and musical memory.

Harvey and Jeff start the episode catching up on fall shows, livestream moments, and that annual Milwaukee magic. There’s talk of setlist arcs, covers popping up in unexpected spots, and where the band is vibing right now.

We get some fun reflections on recent Panic runs — great weather, great crowds, and that uniquely kind Milwaukee energy that always shows up strong. There’s also some speculation on Halloween in Savannah: costumes? themes? the eternal Red Hot Mama debate? It’s all on the table.

A little life update too — travel plans, kids growing up (shoutout to the bar mitzvah planning energy), and juggling the very real jam-fan calendar vs. parent calendar thing. We feel that one.

Once Mike rolls in, the conversation opens up into:

• Why the early 90s jam moment felt lightning-in-a-bottle
• How mainstream labels never quite knew what to do with bands who built real communities instead of singles
• Scenes inside scenes — from Panic to God Street Wine to Hatters to acoustic hookah??
• The emotional fabric of traveling for music, and why that heartbeat still matters
• Tape culture as a living archive, not just nostalgia
• Why Mexico runs, Milwaukee pilgrimages, and small historic rooms like the Cap still feel sacred

Mike reflects on the jam world’s past and future, drops a few theories (some sentimental, some spicy), and reminds us why this music still pulls us in decades deep. The band-to-fan-to-place connection? Still unbeatable.

By the end, we’re swapping Dave Matthews memories, laughing at our own encyclopedic pre-2000 Panic knowledge, and loving every minute of the trip down memory lane.

Widespread Panic (official site)

https://widespreadpanic.com/

HomeTeam.FM (live show archive / stream hub)

https://hometeam.fm/

Everyday Companion (setlist archive)

http://www.everydaycompanion.com/

Mike Ayers — Sharing the Groove

https://www.sharingthegroove.com/

Nugs.net (official live recordings)

https://www.nugs.net/widespread-panic/

"From the Earth to the Moon" film reference

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_the_Earth_to_the_Moon_(miniseries)

We’ve got a Fall ‘95 deep-dive cooking with a special guest — and yes, Jeff has been waiting for this one. Stay tuned, and get your tier lists ready.

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