Last night, December 30, Widespread Panic resumed its New Year’s Eve run at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. After opening the three-night series with help from guitar great and bluegrass maestro, Billy Strings–who contributed to four songs as well as the evening’s encore–the special guest was back for a sit-in. During Tuesday’s appearance in the Peach State, Strings trimmed back his contributions, reducing the number of songs he sat in on by one, an adjustment that neither diminished the vigor nor the momentum of the band’s interplay; instead, it bred a sense of on-stage telepathy, a gut instinct that flowed with an unspoken trust between players. 

Before welcoming Strings back to the stage, Widespread Panic set course with opener “Let’s Get This Show on the Road,” which was trailed by a sequence that incorporated “Driving Song” into “Pleas.” Rather than yield their build, the band made a U-turn, returning to “Driving Song” before accelerating into “Bear’s Gone Fishin’” and “St. Ex.” After the Dirty Side Down track, the band paused, receiving a mighty response from the sold-out audience before moving into a segue that consisted of “Greta” into Bobby Rush’s original, “Bowlegged Woman.” Rather than end it there, the band positioned “Action Man” as the set’s final feature. 

On the other side of the concert’s halfway marker and subsequent break, the band resumed their positions on the Fox Theatre stage, igniting part two with “Rock.” They continued with a take on Bloodkin’s “Henry Parsons Died,” and “Second Skin” into “Jack.” Next, they picked up “Pigeons” before two pulls from the brute. catalog: “Protein Drink” into “Sewing Machine,” which represented the final move of the night before Strings returned to the stage. 

Strings’ return came with a sense of naturalism; like the seventh member of the band, he commenced the sit-in by assisting his hosts with a three-piece sequence that began with “Mercy,” bumped into “Bust It Big,” and eventually bred a set-ending with “Chilly Water.” During Strings’ Tuesday night appearance with Widespread Panic, tracks he previously performed with the band during their June 5, 2025, Chicago concert, “Chilly Water” among them, as well as last night’s initial encore feature, “Pickin’ Up the Pieces.” The latter was especially well-received, with John Bell and Strings going back and forth, ahead of the night’s official closer, a take on Jerry Joseph’s “Climb to Safety.”

Tonight, Widespread Panic returns to the Fox Theatre stage to close out the year and welcome 2026. This evening’s performance is sold out. For more information, visit widespreadpanic.com/shows. 

Scroll down to view a video and photos from last night’s concert.

Widespread Panic 

Fox Theatre – Atlanta

Dec. 30, 2025 

Set I: Let’s Get The Show On The Road, Driving Song > Pleas > Driving Song, Bear’s Gone Fishing > St. Ex, Greta > Bowlegged Woman, Action Man

Set II: Rock, Henry Parsons Died, Second Skin > Jack, Pigeons, Protein Drink > Sewing Machine, Mercy+ > Bust It Big+ > Chilly Water+

Enc.: Pickin’ Up The Pieces+, Climb To Safety+

Notes:

+ With Billy Strings