Widespread Panic explored the familiar landscape of the mountains surrounding Asheville, NC and reached higher peaks during the band’s second night back at ExploreAsheville.com Arena.
Barging into the first frame with a double dose of covers, Link Wray and his Ray Men’s instrumental “Rumble” rolled like a funeral procession slowly and steadily into Bloodkin’s “Henry Parsons Died”. After chunking the titular Hank into the clay and even burning down his house (“if he ever got the nerve to come back!”), John Bell, Dave Schools, JoJo Hermann, Jimmy Herring, Duane Trucks, and Sunny Ortiz flipped through their own catalog and settled into the percussive rhythms of “Rock”.
JB shared an intimate glimpse of his life off the road during “We Walk Each Other Home”. Featured on 2024’s Snake Oil King, this poignant tune was inspired by the change in the frontman’s daily routine after the loss of his dog. Following a brief pause, Jimmy Herring cranked the dial of the thermostat during the second instrumental of the set, “Party at Your Mama’s House”, and blazed into Robert Johnson’s “Stop Breaking Down Blues”.
As he did in Atlantic City, NJ earlier this year, John Keane stuck around for for Friday night and hit the stage next for a pair of Vic Chesnutt covers. Keane wielded an acoustic guitar while taking vocals on the 17th performance of “Degenerate” before swapping instruments in favor of an electric guitar on “Sleeping Man”. Dave Schools introduced and thanked John Keane before taking lead vocals on the second Vic song. JoJo countered the bass barrage with a funky clavinet solo.
Tour manager Steve Lopez took the stage to next for the band to wrap up the first frame as an octetwith the reggae – infused melodies of Jerry Joseph’s “Chainsaw City” (“No bad vibes!”). During this, Schools quipped a quick tease of The Clash’s “Guns of Brixton”.
Past the midway point of the three-day run, Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” smashed into the opening slot of the second set, marking Panic’s second Sabbath cover in as many nights as the world continues to mourn the passing of the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne. This was only the band’s fourth overall performance of this song and first outside of a Halloween run.
Originals followed in succession. JoJo’s piano synergized with Jimmy Herring’s guitar during the surging peaks of “King Baby” until Dave Schools shed any remnant of childhood fixations by slithering into the serpentine rhythm of “Second Skin”. As JoJo’s organ echoed into nonexistence, Duane Trucks and Sunny Ortiz chiseled out the foundation of fan-favorite “Diner”. The audience accompanied JB for the first two lines before letting JB’s vocals bask in the light of Ms. Lee.
JB allowed his imagination to became a conduit for a power unforeseen as he delved into the uncharted lands of an improvised rap. “I remember back in High School. You were gonna be a movie star and I was gonna be a titan. At least you got a job….”
With the short and sweet albeit unusual rap in the rearview, Widespread Panic locked into a piano-heavy jam. Soon, Schools morphed the bass line into J.J. Cale’s “Ride Me High” as JoJo scooted over to his clavinet and took lead vocals to complete the transition.
Without breaking stride, Widespread Panic segued into a screaming “Postcard” (“This town is nuts! I never wanna leave!”) before switching gears for a bouncing ride on “Love Tractor”. Jimmy Herring swapped out diesel for rocket fuel to send the old motor into overdrive. Still not finished, the Panics cruised down the avenues of Tom Petty’s “Running Down a Dream” to close out the jam-heavy second set.
Like the night prior, Widespread invited John Keane back onstage to assist with the encore. Before getting started, JB admitted, “Some nights you are just flying by the seat of your pants.” John Keane’s pedal steel added depth to Talking Heads’ “City of Dreams” (“Southern U.S.A.”) and The Dillards’ “There Is A Time” (“And you’ll find your love in the summer sun”). Panic’s 13th performance of this Dillards tune featured suave handoffs between JoJo’s piano, Keane’s pedal steel, and ultimately, Herring’s guitar.
Keane then grabbed his electric guitar as Widespread Panic dished out an emphatic “Porch Song” to finish its second night back in Asheville. Naturally, the crowd energy was boisterous throughout Friday’s finale. Afterwards, JB bid the audience good night and thanked ASL interpreter Edie Jackson for “the good signs.”
Only one show remains in Asheville, Good People. Let’s boogie.
Below, check out a gallery of photos via Robert Andries, watch a selection of an-shot photos, and view the full setlist from Friday night’s Widespread Panic show in Asheville.
Widespread Panic returns to ExploreAsheville.com Arena for two more nights on Saturday. Find tickets to upcoming Widespread Panic tour dates here.
Widespread Panic – “Iron Man” (Black Sabbath), “King Baby” – 7/25/25
[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]
Widespread Panic – “City of Dreams” (Talking Heads), “There is a Time” (The Dillards), “Porch Song” – 7/25/25
[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]
Setlist [via HomeTeam.FM]: Widespread Panic | ExploreAsheville.com Arena | Asheville, NC | 7/25/25
Set One: Rumble (Link Wray > Henry Parsons Died (Bloodkin), Tall Boy > Rock, We Walk Each Other Home, Party At Your Mama’s House > Stop Breakin’ Down Blues (Robert Johnson), Degenerate(Vic Chesnutt) [1] , Sleeping Man (Vic Chesnutt) [2], Chainsaw City (Jerry Joseph) [3]
Set Two: Iron Man (Black Sabbath), King Baby > Second Skin > Diner > Ride Me High (J.J. Cale), Postcard, Love Tractor, Running Down A Dream (Tom Petty)
Encore: City of Dreams (Talking Heads) [4], There Is A Time (The Dillards) [4], Porch Song [2]
Notes: [1] w/ John Keane on acoustic guitar & vocals; [2] w/ John Keane on electric guitar; [3] w/ John Keane on electric guitar & vocals, Steve Lopez on percussion; [4] w/ John Keane on pedal steel; “Rumble” LTP 6/23/23 (53 shows); “Iron Man” LTP 10/28/23 (38 shows).
