Widespread Panic concluded its 13th Panic en la Playa event at the Hard Rock Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico on Friday night. Interim guitarist Nick Johnson has already done an incredible job while Jimmy Herring receives cancer treatment. As a bonus for the getaway’s fourth and final night, the lords of swamp rock hosted a guest sit-in during each set—first mandolinist/vocalist Sierra Hull, then Circles Around The Sun keyboardist Adam MacDougall—then gave a loving nod to the late Bob Weir with their first-ever cover of Grateful Dead classic “Jack Straw” during the encore.

Barging into the first set with fistfuls of dynamite on “Postcard”. John Bell read the crowd and voiced what many were thinking: “This town is nuts! My kinda place… I never want to leave!”

After two more originals, “Pilgrims” and “Walkin’ (For Your Love)”, JB welcomed Sierra Hull to the stage assist for the next two tunes. Sierra, who performed on the beach stage earlier that day, lent her voice and mandolin to soul-stirring renditions of Van Morrison’s “And It Stoned Me” and Panic’s “Pickin’ Up the Pieces”. Her angelic voice soared gracefully alongside JB’s buttery smooth vocals. (“Sweating out my worries.”)

Widespread Panic w/ Sierra Hull – “And It Stoned Me” (Van Morrison), “Pickin’ Up The Pieces” – 1/23/26
[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]

Splitting and stacking, the band layered the first halves of “Fishwater” and Traffic’s “Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys” onto a bodacious, bass-heavy cover of Bobby Rush and Calvin Carter’s “Bowlegged Woman”. Sunny Ortiz’s hand drums and Nick Johnson’s hot-handed guitar were omnipresent as the group finished off the back halves of “Low Spark” and “Fishwater”. All in all, the double-decker torta lasted for over a half an hour across the three songs to lead into set break.

Breaking the silence onstage to start set two, JoJo Hermann served up a monumental helping of “Bust It Big” for the all-inclusive, south-of-the-border assembly (“Pour my shots and ride my liquor down…. to MEXICO!”), while Dave Schools reminded them that real shit was happening back home with a simple “F— I.C.E.” after the song’s “Rosemary’s baby is a New York City kid” lyric. The band accelerated through Neil Young’s “Mr. Soul” from there, then mellowed into a serene “C. Brown”.

After the music faded and the audience settled in, JB welcomed keyboardist Adam MacDougall, founding member of Circles Around the Sun, to expand “Second Skin” to mythic proportions. Without stopping, the seven-piece band attacked Funkaledic’s “Red Hot Mama” before turning their sights toward Howlin’ Wolf’s “Spoonful”. In the purgatory between, the keyboardists teased The Doors “Riders on the Storm”. JB dialed in the grit as Nick continued to exhibit his masterful understanding of these old blues songs. (“Smokestack Lightning” from Night 1, “Me and the Devil Blues” on Night 2, & “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl” on Night 3).

Widespread Panic w/ Adam MacDougall – “Second Skin”, “Red Hot Mama” – 1/23/26
[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]

Winding down the second set with a pair of originals, “All Time Low” tumbled down the medieval corridors of “Jack”. Schools stepped to the microphone to ace the spoken-word introduction to “Maggot Brain”, the second Funkadelic cover of the set, and unleash Johnson for some Eddie Hazel-inspired six-string expression.

Widespread Panic – “Maggot Brain” (Funkadelic) – 1/23/26
[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]

With that, Widespread Panic opened the floodgates to close the second set with a wet and wild “Chilly Water”. More than water flew through the air last night; beer, tequila, and any liquid in hand contributed to the spray.

But there was still more excitement to come: For the week’s final encore, Widespread Panic honored the legendary life of Bob Weir with its first-ever cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Jack Straw” to open the encore. Despite playing as a band for 40 years within the jam band archetype the Dead pioneered, Panic has only sparingly waded into the Grateful Dead catalog, though the California band certainly influenced the Athens, GA rockers’ sound and style. The rare collaboration between Weir and Robert Hunter, who typically wrote with Jerry Garcia, stands out as one of Bobby’s purest western-style narratives. With JB’s emotive voice taking Bobby’s lines, you could feel the reverence in every shimmering turn of phrase.

Widespread Panic – “Jack Straw” (Grateful Dead), “Ain’t Life Grand” – 1/23/26
[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]

There was only one place to go from that homage to the late legend: gratitude, by way of a Panic en la Playa Trece-closing “Ain’t Life Grand”.

Eggy performed the final set of the destination event on the Stairway to Heaven Stage (with help from extra-busy special guest Sierra Hull) as the Main Stage was already being dismantled in the courtyard in the background. There was a loss for words as the steadfast emptied the last of their fuel tanks, but most just stared off into the distance with a far-away look in their eyes and a smirking grin still imprinted on their faces. Words don’t come close to the feeling shared by the Playa folks. If ya haven’t been, there’s nothing like it.

The return North to a winter snowstorm seems eminent for most as salted rims of margaritas will be replaced by salted driveways and the arduous labor of removing snow and digging out cars. Hold onto that sunshine as long as you can, Goodpeople. Until we can meet again and dance to our favorite band in the Mexican sunshine…

Widespread Panic has an ever-growing list of 2026 tour dates on its calendar including weekend runs in Austin, TX, St. Augustine, FL, Birmingham, AL and more ahead of an appearance at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in late April. Find tickets to upcoming Widespread Panic tour dates here.

Listen to all of Panic en la Playa Trece an extensive library of live Widespread Panic recordings via nugs here. Revisit our full, nightly coverage of Panic en la Playa: Night 1 | Night 2 | Night 3 | Night 4. Below, check out the full setlist and a selection of photos from the fourth and final night.

Setlist [via HomeTeam.FM]: Widespread Panic | Panic en la Playa Trece | Riviera Maya, MX | 1/23/26
Set One: Postcard > Pilgrims, Walkin’ (For Your Love), And It Stoned Me*, Pickin’ Up The Pieces*, Fishwater > Low Spark of High Heeled Boys > Bowlegged Woman > Low Spark of High Heeled Boys > Fishwater (68 mins)
Set Two: Bust It Big > Mr Soul, C Brown, Second Skin** > Red Hot Mama** > Spoonful** > All Time Low, Jack, Maggot Brain > Chilly Water (95 mins)
Encore: Jack Straw, Ain’t Life Grand (13 mins)
Notes:
* w/ Sierra Hull on mandolin & vocals
** w/ Adam MacDougall on keys
– ‘Riders on the Storm’ tease after ‘Red Hot Mama’
– LTP ‘Spoonful’ 3/24/23 Saint Augustine (89 shows)
– ‘Maggot Brain’ with spoken word introduction
– FTP ‘Jack Straw’ (Grateful Dead)
– Without Jimmy; Entire show w/ Nick Johnson on guitar

 

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