Photo Credit: Dino Perucci
Yesterday, April 25, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival rang in the 54th anniversary of its incomparable celebration with a thrilling day of performances. From April 25-28 and May 2-5, Jazz Fest will draw more than 5,000 artists and 500,000 fans to the Big Easy for two incomparable weekends of music, community, culture and so much more; yesterday’s presentation marked the debut of the tradition’s newly expanded format, adding a first Thursday for two balanced four-day weekends of programming.
On day one, Jazz Fest boasted a total of 72 performances, highlighted by acts like Cimafunk, Lakecia Benjamin, Kenny Barron Trio, Roy Rogers & The Delta Rhythm Kings, The Beach Boys, Stephen Marley, Robert Finley, and The Headhunters featuring Bill Summers, Donald Harrison Jr. and Mike Clark. This dazzling bill came together beneath headliners Widespread Panic, which presented a two-hour single-set performance of certified classics. Panic adorned its set with a healthy serving of flair, adding a tease of War’s “Low Rider” from Dave Schools during “Pigeons,” an inverted intro for “Radio Jam,” a trademark cover of General Echo’s “Arleen” and its 20th-ever performance of Tom Petty’s “You Wreck Me.” The band opened and closed its set with expansive four-track medleys and returned to the stage with an encore of “Ain’t Life Grand,” which included an appearance from crew member Cola Jarnigan on tambourine.
Check out the artists in action through the gallery below, courtesy of photographer Dino Perucci. For a detailed schedule of Jazz Fest’s upcoming performances, click here. Read on for Widespread Panic’s complete setlist.
Widespread Panic
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – New Orleans
4/24/24
Set: Wondering > Greta > Pleas > Little By Little+, Saint Ex, Walkin’ (For Your Love), Tall Boy > Christmas Katie > Radio Child$, King Baby > Bust It Big, We Walk Each Other Home, You Wreck Me, Pigeons > Arleen > All Time Low > Climb To Safety
Encore: Ain’t Life Grand*
Notes:
+ “Little By Little” with a “King Baby” intro/miscommunication/recovery
$ “Radio Child” w/ inverted intro (ending jam played first)
% “Pigeons” w/ tease of War’s “Low Rider” from Dave Schools
* w/ Cola Jarnigan on tambourine
# entire show with Edie Jackson (ASL interpreter)
Setlist via panicstream.com