Photo Credit: Erik Kabik

Widespread Panic returned to the stage on Thursday, April 24, for the first of three nights at the Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville, Tenn. The Athens ensemble’s arrival in Music City represented their third locational stop this year, following their Valentine’s Day stand in New Jersey, and March follow-ups in St. Augustine, Fla. 

The group’s 2025 live comeback arrives after a series of health-related postponements and cancellations related to Jimmy Herring’s cancer diagnosis, which the band publicized in July 2024. Illness aside, and healing-centered, last night’s concert was a return to normalcy with a hefty offering of material that touched on a range of original releases, covers, and included a guest appearance. 

Before the arrival of the night’s special guest, Widespread Panic found its start on Van Morrison’s “Send Your Mind,” last played on January 19, 2024, effectively ending a 22-show performance gap. They continued with originals, “Coconut,” “Porch Song,” and “Party at Your Mama’s House,” which converged into a longtime cover, and piece of their musical arsenal, “Stop Breakin’ Down.” 

The night’s initial frame brought out the band’s Till The Medicine Takes inclusion, “Surprise Valley” paired with The Guess Who’s “No Sugar Tonight/ New Mother Nature.” Widespread Panic reprised the footing of coalesced numbers, returning to their original, and eventually capping the set after “Conrad.” 

Returning for the night’s second set, Widespread Panic commenced part two with “Big Wooly Mammoth,” which unfolded into a jam complete with teases of Jimi Hendrix’s “Third Stone From the Sun” and Carlos Santana’s “Jingo” before opening into “Hatfield.” The band nodded to their Snake Oil King set with two pulls, “Little By Little” and “Small Town.” The former’s arrival represented only the second ever live run-through of that specific number. 

WP performed “Imitation Leather Shoe” before the Cosmic Country guitarist, Donato, emerged on stage. Previously in 2023, Donato opened for the band during their time in Charleston, S.C., helping out on “Surprise Valley” and Talking Heads’ “Life During Wartime.” Last night included a four-movement series of united might on “Olden Oversoul,” BloodKin’s “Trashy,” Bukka White’s “Fixin’ to Die,” and Funkadelic’s “Red Hot Mama.” 

Widespread Panic ultimately returned for their concert’s official finale, clocking out after a pair of Warren Zevon covers: “Keep Me in Your Heart” and “Lawyers, Guns and Money.” 

After night one on the Ascend Amphitheater stage, Widespread Panic will return for a two-night follow-up. Tickets are sold out.

Widespread Panic 

Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, Tenn.

April 24, 2025

Set I: Send Your Mind, Coconut, Porch Song, Party At Your Mama’s House > Stop Breakin’ Down Blues, Surprise Valley > No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature > Surprise Valley, Conrad (58 mins)

Set II: Big Wooly Mammoth > Jam > Hatfield, Little By Little, Small Town > Imitation Leather Shoes, Holden Oversoul*, Trashy* > Fixin’ To Die* > Red Hot Mama* (90 mins)

Enc.: Keep Me In Your Heart, Lawyers, Guns, and Money (8 mins)

Notes: 

* w/ Danny Donato on guitar (Cosmic Country)

– LTP ‘Send Your Mind’ 1/19/24 St Louis (22 shows)

– ‘Third Stone From The Sun’ and ‘Jingo’ teases before ‘Hatfield’

– LTP ‘Fixin To Die’ 12/31/22 Nashville (67 shows)

Setlist via panicstream.com.