Remembering Todd Nance: Performing With Widespread Panic On New Year’s Eve

Last week, the jam scene lost a legend when founding Widespread Panic drummer Todd Nance died at age 57. Nance passed away on August 19 due to what his family described as “sudden and unexpectedly severe complications of a chronic illness.”

Todd Nance was behind the kit for the band’s official debut as Widespread Panic on February 6, 1986 at The Mad Hatter Ballroom in Athens. The drummer’s driving and intense beats were at the heart of the band’s music and his playing helped Panic develop a local and then regional and then national following as they grew to become one of top drawing acts in America. Nance stepped away from the sextet before their Fall Tour 2014 to attend to personal matters and then left the band for good after rejoining WSP for their 2016 Panic En La Playa destination event.

New Year’s Eve is always a special occasion for Widespread Panic and this week’s Full Show Friday features three WSP NYE shows from Nance’s time in the band featured on the recently launched JamBase Live Video Archive (JMLVA). The JMLVA contains hundreds of Widespread Panic videos for your viewing pleasure including many full shows and sets dating back to 1988. Most have been tagged by song, so you can start the video right where you want it.

This Sunday, Widespread Panic will air their 2001 New Year’s Eve concert as the next installment of Never Miss A Sunday Show. While we get ready for Sunday’s broadcast, let’s dive in for a look at three other Widespread Panic New Year’s Eve shows from the Todd Nance Era:

!function ($) {

$(function(){ // document ready

$(‘.video-sticky’).stickybits(
{
stickyBitStickyOffset: getNavbarsHeight()
}
);

});

}(window.jQuery);

Athens, Georgia | December 31, 1993 (Set One)

Let’s Get the Show on the Road
00:00:20

Wondering
00:07:00

Ain’t Life Grand
00:12:01

Can’t Get High
00:17:50

Mercy
00:22:38

L.A.
00:28:36

Who Do You Belong To?
00:32:03

Heaven
00:37:15

Porch Song
00:42:38

Widespread Panic ended one of the busiest years of touring in their history with a two-night New Year’s Run at the Georgia Theatre in their hometown of Athens on December 30 and 31, 1993. The band made their Georgia Theatre debut on October 30, 1989 and performed at the venue 41 more times. New Year’s Eve was celebrated by Panic at the Georgia Theatre in 1991 and 1992 as well as 1993. Fittingly, “Let’s Get The Show On The Road” was the opener and the first set was also highlighted by a stellar pairing of “Mercy” and “Who Do You Belong To?” that was connected with the rare instrumental “L.a.”

Channel


tdunski


(See 406 videos)

Band


Widespread Panic


(See 343 videos)

!function ($) {

$(function(){ // document ready

$(‘.video-sticky’).stickybits(
{
stickyBitStickyOffset: getNavbarsHeight()
}
);

});

}(window.jQuery);

Athens, Georgia | December 31, 1993 (Set Two)

Fishwater
00:02:15

Papa’s Home
00:13:20

Hatfield
00:23:28

Holden Oversoul
00:31:36

Jack
00:38:15

Travelin’ Light
00:45:05

Heroes
00:51:37

Better Off (Widespread Panic)
00:57:16

Machine
01:02:37

Worry
01:06:25

Just Kissed My Baby
01:13:40

Junior
01:17:52

Proving Ground
01:23:25

Postcard
01:32:09

Stop-Go
01:36:50

Bowlegged Woman
01:44:10

Can’t Find My Way Home
01:53:38

The sextet hadn’t yet expanded their NYE festivities to three sets in 1993, but Panic did treat fans to a lengthy second set and two distinct encores. Jam vehicles “Fishwater” and “Papa’s Home” got the frame underway as the band mixed such beloved originals as “Hatfield,” “Holden Oversoul” and “Junior” with covers of JJ Cale’s “Travelin’ Light” and The Meters’ “Just Kissed My Baby.” Panic kicked off the first encore with a short jam before pairing “Postcard” and “Stop-Go.” While “Bowlegged Woman” ended the first encore, the band returned to close out the night with an emotional cover of Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home.”

Channel


tdunski


(See 406 videos)

Band


Widespread Panic


(See 343 videos)

!function ($) {

$(function(){ // document ready

$(‘.video-sticky’).stickybits(
{
stickyBitStickyOffset: getNavbarsHeight()
}
);

});

}(window.jQuery);

Denver, Colorado | December 31, 2008

Chilly Water
00:05:59

Travelin’ Light
00:15:00

Space Wrangler
00:22:15

Coconut (Widespread Panic)
00:37:52

The Take Out
00:45:53

Porch Song
00:48:06

Stop-Go
00:51:50

Driving Song
01:05:05

Breathing Slow
01:12:10

As Time Goes By
01:27:48

Tall Boy
01:31:29

Ain’t Life Grand
01:44:40

Who Do You Belong To?
01:54:22

Fixin’ To Die
02:01:18

Vacation
02:10:53

Clinic Cynic
02:22:46

Weak Brain, Narrow Mind
02:27:27

Don’t Be Denied
02:31:33

Angels On High
02:39:37

Arleen
02:48:23

Papa’s Home
02:59:22

Give
03:08:39

Up All Night
03:19:55

Disco
03:23:27

Love Tractor
03:27:35

The band’s home state of Georgia hosted every Widespread Panic New Year’s Eve show through 2007. Panic moved the festivities to Denver’s Pepsi Center on December 31, 2008 after eight straight NYE concerts at the Philips Arena in Atlanta. Yonder Mountain String Band opened in Denver and Yonder’s Dave Johnston and Jeff Austin sat-in on banjo and mandolin respectively for a run of “Ain’t Life Grand,” “Who Do You Belong To?” and “Fixin’ To Die” during the second Panic set of the evening. Widespread Panic aired the official video above for an installment of their Never Miss A Sunday Show archival video series. The first set featured a near-complete performance of the original Space Wrangler studio album that omitted just “Gomero Blanco.” Other highlights were the band’s lone cover of Herman Hupfield’s “As Time Goes By” and the pairing of “Disco” into “Love Tractor” that ended the show.

Channel


nugsnet


(See 532 videos)

Band


Widespread Panic


(See 343 videos)

!function ($) {

$(function(){ // document ready

$(‘.video-sticky’).stickybits(
{
stickyBitStickyOffset: getNavbarsHeight()
}
);

});

}(window.jQuery);

Charlotte, North Carolina | December 31, 2011 (Set One)

Chilly Water
00:00:25

Imitation Leather Shoes
00:12:30

Mr. Soul
00:18:28

Cotton Was King
00:24:12

Shut Up and Drive
00:31:00

Walkin’ (For Your Love)
00:39:06

Saint Ex
00:44:03

Slippin’ Into Darkness
00:51:50

Bust It Big
00:59:47

Chest Fever
01:07:01

Once again, Widespread Panic held their New Year’s Eve show at Atlanta’s Philips Arena in 2009 and then brought 2010 to a close at the Pepsi Center in Denver. Panic went on to move the festivities to Charlotte in 2011, where they played three sets at the Time Warner Cable Arena. The band took “Chilly Water” deep to begin the marathon concert and ended the first frame with a number of special guests. A cover of War’s “Slippin’ Into Darkness” featured crew member Steve Lopez on percussion and the evening’s initial appearance from The MegaBlasters horn section. The MegaBlasters stuck around for the seequence of “Bust It Big” and “Chest Fever” that closed the set with John Keane also aboard for the latter.

Channel


tdunski


(See 406 videos)

Band


Widespread Panic


(See 343 videos)

!function ($) {

$(function(){ // document ready

$(‘.video-sticky’).stickybits(
{
stickyBitStickyOffset: getNavbarsHeight()
}
);

});

}(window.jQuery);

Charlotte, North Carolina | December 31, 2011 (Set Two)

Henry Parsons Died
00:00:29

Quarter Tank of Gasoline
00:06:26

Coach
00:13:06

L.A.
00:17:23

Degenerate
00:22:31

C. Brown
00:27:08

Blue Indian
00:33:16

Ain’t Life Grand
00:38:58

The sextet went the old school route to open their all-acoustic second set at Charlotte’s Time Warner Cable Arena on December 31, 2011 as Panic went without guests for a run of classics “Henry Parsons Died,” “Quarter Tank Of Gasoline” and “Coach.” Next, saxophonist Randall Bramblett emerged for “L.a.” John Keane then helped out on guitar for “Degenerate” before playing pedal steel on “C. Brown,” “Blue Indian” and “Ain’t Life Grand” to end the frame.

Channel


tdunski


(See 406 videos)

Band


Widespread Panic


(See 343 videos)

!function ($) {

$(function(){ // document ready

$(‘.video-sticky’).stickybits(
{
stickyBitStickyOffset: getNavbarsHeight()
}
);

});

}(window.jQuery);

Charlotte, North Carolina | December 31, 2011 (Set Three)

Tall Boy
00:00:45

Love and Happiness
00:05:40

Tail Dragger
00:12:28

Space Wrangler
00:19:12

Papa’s Home
00:28:00

Machine
00:43:52

Barstools and Dreamers
00:47:04

Pigeons
00:58:23

Up All Night
01:08:40

On Your Way Down
01:17:25

You Should Be Glad
01:26:22

Disco
01:39:46

Surprise Valley
01:44:33

Pilgrims
01:51:10

Surprise Valley
01:58:30

Climb to Safety
02:01:48

The MegaBlasters horn section joined Widespread Panic to kick off the third and final set in Charlotte on New Year’s Eve 2011 with the original “Tall Boy” and covers of Al Green’s “Love And Happiness” and Willie Dixon’s “Tail Dragger.” Panic had last performed “Love And Happiness” 312 shows prior on Halloween 2007 and have yet to cover the song again since December 31, 2011. Next, the sextet went without guests for a run of oldies that included “Space Wrangler,” “Papa’s Home,” “Machine,” “Barstools & Dreamers” and “Pigeons” before the horns came back for “Up All Night,” “On Your Way Down” and “You Should Be Glad.” Keane also contributed to “You Should Be Glad.” Finally, Widespread Panic said farewell with a wild encore of “Disco” into “Surprise Valley” into “Pilgrims” into “Surprise Valley” into “Climb To Safety.”

Channel


tdunski


(See 406 videos)

Band


Widespread Panic


(See 343 videos)

Head here to explore more Widespread Panic videos on the JamBase Live Video Archive.

Article Source and Credit jambase.com //www.jambase.com/article/todd-nance-widespread-panic-new-years-eve-videos Buy Tickets for every event – Sports, Concerts, Festivals and more buytickets.com