Customer Reviews

Live in the Classic City

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ok first this is an amazing product and an incredible value for the money. Let me give a little of my background. I had heard of the group but never really come across their music. I shied away because I thought with their name it was a punk or heavy metal band 2 genres I am not overly fond of. But I flipped on Austin City Limits as all good Austinites (and music fans should do) and the announcer starts of saying serving up a spicy gumbo of music....Widespread Panic. And then I sat there for the next 50 minutes in groove induced bliss.

What kind of moron was I to never have heard these guys? Well I tried to rectify my peccadillo by buying Live in the Classic City. Wow. Ok they were great on Austin City Limits and I thought a live 3 CD set....nice. And yes it is very nice. Some of the best jams I have heard on CD ever. Again, I am a widespread novice but for anyone like me who does not have any of their CDs, buy this if you at all like great classic rock music. Some of the best percussion work you will ever hear is on this, along with great guitars, drums, keyboards. The vocals? Kind of earthy, kind of mellow, not the biggest part of the performance but not bad.

And you get over 210 minutes of music. That is like 4 or 5 CDs worth of music given the average size of a release nowadays. For 20 bucks, are you kidding me? And you can dance ALL NIGHT with this or jam down the highway. And make it more then halfway from L.A. to San Francisco, how is that for value? But it is not length; this is some fine, fine music. I guess for people new to them like me they are like (from bands I know) the String Cheese incident, little feet, the grateful dead, but they are also their own wonderful 'music gumbo'.

Live in the Classic City is a great album overall, however, similar to DMB live discs, there's not much new live material on the disc (new not meaning brand new, but unheard live). If you have "Light Fuse, Get Away" the "Don't Tell the Band Bonus" (which is the first 4 tracks from the first disc here) and "Live at Oak Mountain", then you've heard much of this disc already. But remember... Widespread Panic is a jam band, so though you've heard the songs done before, they're always done a bit different! Some of the songs are wonderfully done (Little Lilly, Bear Gone Fishin', Climb to Safety). Oh, and did I mention the SPECIAL GUESTS??? Makes it all the more worthwhile!

If you're just getting into the band, I highly would reccomend this disc, as it gives you a good overview of a lot of the band's material, though the set revolves around later discs ("'Till the Medicine Takes" especially). For the veteran WsP fan, it's still a good addition to any CD collection.

Great disc, just go buy it... you know you want to!

The release of Live at the Classic City was highly anticipated by any sane spreadhead, and it's hard to say it truly let anybody down. Panic is standing alone nowadays, being perhaps the most popular jam band not releasing troves of live discs to obsessive fans. While I would be willing to snap these up as assuredly as anyone, the decision for not producing live discs en mass is simplified with the release of Classic City and the fact it presents: Panic likes to play their hits. Their new album will present you with live versions of some of their most radio friendly tunes and mix it up only so-so. The music is incredible but the song selection hardly does it justice. Til the Medicine is especially emphasized through the performance of Dyin', Bear's, Steve, Safety, Indian, etc. while Ain't Life Grand is mysteriously ignored once again: Fishwater remaining the only released live song off the incredibe album. Bombs and Butterflies is disappointedly represented only by Tall Boy, which clearly isn't a live song to begin with. Finding I'm Not Alone and Mercy is noteworthy for the songs unpredictably concert-friendly sound, and Panic pulls off impressive versions. The previously unreleased covers are my favorite moments of the album, however, with the hopping FFF, strangely melodic Blight, climaxing in the BLAZING Ride me High (Followed by an incredible Drums)and Time is Free, and appropriately ending with LGTSOTR. I would love to be treated to more off-the-wall covers from Panics bag of tricks, but this album is not the case. Until the band pulls a "Phish" and becomes a bit more experimental, we'll continue to be spoon fed WP hits like Walkin' and Lilly; happy, yes, but never completely content. Not until I get my Jack and Gradle.

This is not a bad album. Sound quality is great, the boys are playing great. Only complaint is that for many fans this is just sooo predictable. I was at the 3rd night of this run in Athens, and that night alone produced many a gem more exciting than what's offered here.

As the reviewer below stated -- until wsp pulls a phish or dead (and really unlocks the "live" vaults) this is about as good as it's gonna get.

All that said, if you are new to the band this isn't a bad start at all. Many good a tune here to get you familiar to the boy's live sound post "Medicine."

This is a good live document of WSP. As another reviewer stated, there isn't a whole lot of new ground covered here but a great disc nonetheless. The sound quality is much more crisp than "Light Fuse, Get Away" allowing the listener to become more involved in the recording. In fact, this album has the best sound quality for a live album I have heard in a long while. Schools' basslines sound incredible and the band is VERY tight on every track. There are a few songs on here that make a live debut (Blight), but for the most part these are Widespread staples and chestnuts that fans of the band will find highly entertaining. If you like WSP, then you'll love this album. If you are a newbie, give this a try. It is a fine sampling of some of this band's finest work in a live setting (which is the best way to experience Panic, IMO). Highly Recommended.

This is a great sounding, quality produced album from the boys, but I find myself hitting the "skip" button on the cd player more than I would like. Where are "A of D", "E of G" and "B of D"???? These are truly Panic CLASSICS that contribute to the originality of the band, yet are sadly omitted here. There are a couple of great improvisational jams that we so look forward to at the shows, but my ears yearn for more. "Blue Indian" is included, but it sounds kind of muddled on this particular occasion. The highlight of this 3 disc set, I believe, is the "Ride Me High>Drums>Time is Free" scorcher on disc 2. All in all a great release, but a CD companion release of our beloved "Live at Oak Mountain" DVD would be more appreciated at this point. It has more of the tight jams and deep covers that make us love our boys. Until then, I guess I'll still wear out my copy of "Light Fuse."

Throughout most of Panic's album career, the results have been great songs, but doesn't sound the same as live, baby, live!!!! Well, guess what, here comes 3 powerhouse discs from a dirty Georgia show!!! The sets are really solid, but I would have liked to have heard a few more rarities, as any Panic fan would. But the main reason why you should buy this set is because of the superior sound! John Keane knows how Panic should sound! Highlights include the funkiest "Ride Me High" I have ever heard, sick "Blight", "Blue Indian", "Worry", and the Southern slam "Time is Free" with Col. Bruce, aka "Our Daddy!"

Bottom line, BUY THIS SET! If you are new to the band, I would check out "Light Fuse, Get Away" before this one! But then again, you could just jump on tour and see the real thing!!!

This release really tears me up inside. Let me explain...

I was taking classes in Rome in the summer of 2002 when the song list was announced for this live release. The lone Panicfreak on the trip, I needed to share my excitement with somebody ANYBODY the amazing prospects this great setlist represented. The CD was waiting for me upon my return to the States, and I was ready to be blown away with my head friends. So on the afternoon of my return I hopped in the car with my brother, and we went out for tacos and took a good long listen...

...and we were pretty disappointed. It's not that the songs are poorly played, it's that they just sound awful, like the speakers were immersed in mud or something. They could not have done a worse job at mixing this CD. I have dozens of soundboard bootlegs with much, much cleaner sound mixes than this disc. Granted, the guest tunes are solid, and there's a few covers and rarities that are simply gems. I think, though, that the boys released this one largely for sentimental reasons, having recorded the songs in their hometown of Athens, GA.

So, to judge this one solely on the merits of song selection and guest appearances, I have to give it a solid 5. Sound quality, however, ranks considerably lower -- around a 2.5 or 3.

Light Fuse Get Away is still their definitive live CD release, and their three concert movies are amazing as well, as is the great documentary The Earth Will Swallow You. But this one... It just pains me to think of the potential wasted.

Rest in peace Mike Houser

All I have to say is the Climb To Safety with Derek Trucks is one of the best jams I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. It is rockin'. BUY THIS SET!!

This was my first experience with Widespread Panic, besides a song I enjoyed named Tall Boy. That led me to purchase this 3 cd set, and I will never regret it. Every disc is wonderful, esp. the 3rd. I became a huge Panic fan after listening to this album almost non-stop for months. Do yourself a favor, and pick this up if you don't have it.