festgrrl: Wanee 2015 Hits on All Cylinders

Former Allman Brothers drummer Butch Trucks rages it! festgrrl photo.

In its first year since the breakup of its founding band, the Allman Brothers, the 2015 Wanee Festival delivered lots of Allman love and showcased its new headliners, Southern jam-rockers Widespread Panic.

Photo by Brian Hensley/MusicFest News

More than 20,000 music fans descended on Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park April 16-18, and it was clear that many have decided to take the week off from work to enjoy Wanee properly. By Tuesday night, most of the primitive camping areas located close to the stages were already taken, and that is highly unusual. Wednesday can get packed out, but Tuesday? This is a testament to the popularity of Georgia's Widespread Panic, who headlined both nights to capacity crowds under night skies on the Meadow Stage.

As far as the weekend’s Allman love: Gregg Allman delivered a fine afternoon performance, filled with Brothers hits, including a funked-up version of the classic ‘Whipping Post.” Former Allman Brothers guitarist Warren Haynes brought his hard-charging Gov't Mule, and they played some originals, some Allman Brothers songs, and covered Van Morrison, Elton John, and even Steve Miller’s “The Joker.”

Oteil Burbridge playing wit Butch Trucks. festgrrl photo.

Allman Brothers drummers Butch Trucks and Jaimoe each held their own notable sets during the weekend; Trucks rocked it (with Oteil Burbridge on bass and his son Vaylor Turcks on guitar) and Jaimoe jazzed it.The nights belonged to Panic, and here are the setlists:

Widspread panic's John Bell. Paul Haftel photo for JamBase.

April 17: Love Tractor-Travelin' Light -Who Do You Belong To? -Little Kin-Christmas Katie-Radio Child-Steven's Cat-Climb to Safety-Blight-Papa's Home-Blackout Blues-Drums-Diner-I'm Not Alone-Smokestack Lightning-Use Me-Tail Dragger-Porch Song. April 18: Makes Sense To Me-Chainsaw City-Weak Brain, Narrow Mind - Wondering-Robs and Whiskey-Stop Breakin'Down Blues-Can't Get High-Sel Sell-Barstools and Dreamers-All Time Low-Arleen-Pilgrims-Airplane-Second Skin-Surprise Valley-Red Hot Mama-Conrad-End of the Show-Big Wooly Mammoth-Mr. Soul.

Thanks to our friends at Panicstream, you can listen to many of the Wanee shows here (THANK YOU TAPERS!!!)

Melvin Seals and JGB. festgrrl photo.

Wanee’s preparty on Wednesday night was especially sweet this year, paying homage to the 50^th Anniversary of the Grateful Dead with performances by excellent South Florida Dead cover band Crazy Fingers as well as Melvin Seals and JGB. The Crazy Fingers set was simply outstanding, one of the best sets of a great weekend, featuring killer versions of Dead classics Eyes of The World and Terrapin Station. Upcoming Jacksonville funksters The ParkerUrban Band impressed, and Tampa jammers Cope charged up the energy, especially with their wonderful homegrown song, Suwannee River Scrubdown.

Crazy Fingers. festgrrl photo.

Georgia guitarist Bobby Lee Rodgers showcased his guitar chops with his Trio Thursday, followed by Royal Southern Brotherhood, Raw Oyster Cult (featuring members of the great New Orleans band, The Radiators,) Hot Tuna Electric and Pink Talking Fish. Pink Talking Fish, which specializes in covers of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish, was a crowd-pleasing extravaganza with a fantastic light show, excellent song choice and execution. It was an absolutely incredible day of music, all held on the beautiful ampitheater stage.

Raw Oyster Cult. festgrrl photo.

On Friday, the fest opened up to two stages, and those of us who had rolled in early in the week were flagging a bit. But the new crew of Wanee weekenders who rolled in Friday brought energy to the party. I kicked off my day with a gorgeous afternoon set by Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band.

Roosevelt Collier (left)and Robert Randolph play lap steel. festgrrl photo.

We got our gospel on during an afternoon set on the Meadow Stage by The Word, a collaboration between pedal-steel guitar master Robert Randolph, Luther Dickinson (electric guitar) and Cody Dickinson (drums) from the North Mississippi Allstars, John Medeski on keys and Chris Chew on bass. Randolph had a cast on his hand, so pedal-steel peer Roosevelt Collier sat in with The Word to (literally) lend Randolph a hand.

Earth Wind & Fire. festgrrl photo.

1970s funk legend Earth Wind and Fire hit the stage during the gorgeous afternoon with a high-energy dance party. I was looking forward to this set immensely, and although I loved hearing many of my favorite hits, my fellow festivarians and I thought that the show suffered from poor song choice. (or did I just not realize how many draggy ‘80s ballads the band produced when I wasn’t paying attention?)

Zappa Plays Zappa, led by the late Frank Zappa’s son Dweezil, turned out faithful renditions of the quirky legend’s tunes to a packed-out ampitheater crowd, ending with a killer Whipping Post-Muffin jamout. They were followed by Colorado bluegrass whoop-assers Leftover Salmon, who sparked a Friday night dance blowout. After Gov't Mule (You can hear their set here) and Widespread Panic wowed at the Meadow Stage, New Orleans’ Dumpstaphunk kicked it old school with a 1970s late-night set featuring covers of P-Funk, Rick James, The O’Jay’s, Sly and the Family Stone, the Temptations and even Joe Walsh’s Funk 49. Most excellent! You can hear that show here.

Dumpstaphunk's Ian Neville offers a rare smile for the camera. festgrrl photo.

Saturday’s JJ Grey and Mofro show at the Meadow stage showcased our hometown Jacksonville-boy-made-the-big-time and he did not disappoint, with a soulful, spine-tingling show. JJ is a star, people! You can hear it here.

JJ Grey. festgrrl photo.

Nostalgia came in again during the afternoon, with a set by classic rockers Cheap Trick, and a Steely Dan cover set by New Orleans supergroup, the Nth Power.