After canceling 2024’s weekend in the mountains of western North Carolina due as Jimmy Herring battled back from a cancer diagnosis, Widespread Panic on Thursday made its long-awaited return to ExploreAsheville.com Arena at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Ashville.

Much like at Panic’s first show back on Valentine’s Day in Atlantic City earlier this year, an electric current ran through the audience as they filled the intimate venue to capacity. After missing out on Panic last year—and weathering the lasting effects of Hurricane Helene in the months that followed—the Asheville fanbase was rabid a night with the swamp-rock lords of Athens, GA. Herring, John Bell, Dave Schools, JoJo Hermann, Duane Trucks, and Sunny Ortiz were happy to oblige.

JB broke the silence to start with a simple “Good evenin,’ Asheville” before opening with a “Little” trio—“Little Lily”, “Little by Little”, and a resounding “Little Kin”—each featuring high-voltage Herring guitar solos.

The slow roll of drums lined up “Better Off” until pivoting into the only cover of set one, Bloodkin’s “Trashy”(“We’re trashy but we’re true! We’re the lucky ones”). Next, for the first time since the ban Chicago’s run, JoJo commandeered lead vocals for a rowdy “One Arm Steve” after a jaw injury rendered him mute at Red Rocks in June.

To close out the first set, Widespread Panic welcomed longtime collaborator and skilled multi-instrumentalist John Keane to the stage for “Fishing”, the beloved tune that returned to the live rotation during 2023’s Red Rocks run. Keane stuck around from there to add to a pair of compositions by the late Michael Houser, “Travelin’ Man” and “The Waker”, to cap set one. This marked the 13th time, the two Mikey songs were performed together.

As the band retook the stage after set break, Widespread Panic remained a seven-piece band. This time, however, it was tour manager Steve Lopez joining in on percussion for a howling cover of War’s “Slippin’ into Darkness”. Ortiz and Trucks rolled into J.J. Cale’s “Travelin’ Light” as Lopez made his exit.

JB rolled up his sleeves to slice and simmer all the necessary ingredients for “Thought Sausage”, stirring patiently while the band cooked. JoJo and Duane were ready to go as the keyboardist teased “Bear’s Gone Fishing”, signaling Dave Schools to settle into the song’s deep groove. During the twelve-minute jam that ensued, Jimmy Herring’s guitar ascended to higher ground before ultimately plunging into the obscure depths of “Jamais Vu” (“Snowing at the edge of July”).

The music trended ever as an improvised segue pointed the band toward “Halloween Face”. The heavy jams at the end of the newer tune set the stage for a timely Black Sabbath cover, “Fairies Wear Boots”, two days after Ozzy Osbourne’s passing.

The spiritual void is that followed was unfathomable, capable of shackling even experienced explorers to its depths. When the band resumed its ascent, some of the audience lingered involuntarily in the shroud. “Holden Oversoul” broke the curse, shining a divine light where there was naught. Still not finished, the Panics tumbled over the waterfall of a set-closing “All Time Low”.

Back for encore, Widespread Panic again enlisted the help of John Keane—this time, on pedal steel—for “Old Joe” (“Hope we live long and lucky”). After, Keane switched to guitar for a closing cover of Neil Young’s “Mr. Soul”.

Below, view the full setlist, gallery of photos via Robert Francis, and a selection of crowd-shot videos from the first of three Widespread Panic shows in Asheville this week. Widespread Panic returns to ExploreAsheville.com Arena for two more nights on Friday and Saturday. Find tickets to upcoming Widespread Panic tour dates here.

Setlist [via HomeTeam.FM]: Widespread Panic | ExploreAsheville.com Arena | Asheville, NC | 7/24/25
Set One:
Little Lily > Little by Little, Little Kin , Better Off > Trashy (Bloodkin) > One Arm Steve, Fishing [1], Travelin’ Man [1] > The Waker [1]
Set Two: Slippin’ Into Darkness (War) [3] > Travelin’ Light (J.J. Cale), Thought Sausage, Bear’s Gone Fishing > Jamais Vu > Halloween Face, Fairies Wear Boots (Black Sabbath), Holden Oversoul > All Time Low
Encore: Old Joe [2] Mr. Soul [1]
Notes:
[1] w/ John Keane on guitar, vocals; [2] John Keane on pedal steel; 
[3] Steve Lopez on percussion. ASL interpretation by Edie Jackson.

Widespread Panic – “Fairies Wear Boots” (Black Sabbath) – 7/24/25