Back in July of 2024, Widespread Panic issued an announcement that sent shockwaves through its diehard fanbase: “The Widespread Panic Family is sad to report that our Brother, Jimmy Herring, has been diagnosed with stage 1 tonsil cancer,” the Athens, GA outfit wrote. “He will begin treatment immediately and is expected to make a full recovery. That part we’re happy to report.”
The part they were less enthused to report was that for the time being, Widespread Panic needed to be put on an indefinite pause. In a matter of days, the band had cleared its schedule of all upcoming shows. Months passed as concerned fans waited for an update. The year closed without the band’s traditional Halloween, New Year’s, and Panic en la Playa announcements—but not before the veterans of jam-rock broke their silence by scheduling their first shows where the sand turns to gold in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Valentine’s Day weekend. A flurry of announcements soon followed, with 2025 runs scheduled St. Augustine, Charleston, Nashville, and Chicago. For a band and fanbase tragically familiar with the cancer’s unforgiving nature, each set of dates came with a collective sigh of relief. Jimmy Herring was okay. Widespread Panic was back.
Emotions ran high as fans migrated to Atlantic City on Friday for their first workingman’s blues fix since last summer at Red Rocks. Many shuttled in from Philadelphia, which celebrated its recent Super Bowl victory with a parade that disrupted outgoing train services. The weather was an obstacle for others as a snowy Wednesday and Thursday forced many flights to cancel.
When the road-hardened fans finally stepped foot in the Hard Rock Casino, the elation and excitement was comparable to the Super Bowl parade. Etess Arena was still filling up when Panic stepped onstage to a thunderous roar. For the first time in too long, John Bell welcomed the audience with a heartfelt “Happy Valentine’s Day, Jimmy” and the grateful crowd echoed the sentiments with chants of “Jim-my… Jim-my.” The song that opened the first Widespread Panic show since Jimmy’s diagnosis said it all, to a roar of approval from the audience: “Ain’t Life Grand”.
Widespread Panic – “Ain’t Life Grand” – 2/14/25
[Video: Carl Schell]
The band kept up the original material throughout the first set. Sliding smoothly out of an uplifting “Pleas”, Widespread Panic cracked open a “Tall Boy” that gave Jimmy his first true solo of the evening. Another segue flowed into the opening track of 2024’s Snake Oil King, “Little by Little”.
“Hatfield” featured a strong Jimmy Herring and JoJo Hermann collusion before JB, the whimsical frontman, honed in on an atypical rap. This section began with characteristic descriptions of Hatfield’s mama and playing in the summertime before Bell conjured imagery yet unforeseen. “Sitting back looking at the clouds roll by / what do they look like / that looks like my teacher / looks like Captain Kirk / most of them look like doggies / I’m gonna make those clouds cry…”
As the last of the rainfall mixed into the dirty, snow-filled gutters of Atlantic City, Panic strolled through “Steven’s Cat” before Dave Schools and JoJo Hermann weaved through the jaunty introduction of “Rebirtha”. Feeding the fire, Jimmy Herring injected his signature high-voltage, screeching here and in the set’s final two songs, a saucy, slide-heavy serving of “Ribs & Whiskey” and a soaring “Saint Ex”.
Coming back after setbreak for round two, Widespread Panic opened with a classic “Walkin’ (For Your Love)”, channeling the romance of Valentine’s Day for the first of many times throughout the set. Continuing the trend of originals, JoJo used “Greta” to whip the crowd into a rabid frenzy before slowing down the tempo for a heartwarming “I’m Not Alone”.
During one of the only pauses of the set, Panic picked up where they left off at Red Rocks and once again welcomed Jason Crosby and his fiddle onstage. This time, however, Crosby was joined by longtime Panic proucer John Keane, acoustic guitar in hand, for a rare, eight-piece collaboration on “Fishing”. Adding to the amazement, Panic stirred in a tease of “Her Dance Needs No Body” into the mix. Afterwards, Keane grabbed an electric guitar while Crosby joined JoJo on keys to pay tribute to their fallen founder, Michael Houser, with a double dose of Houser compositions, “Travelin’ Man” and “The Waker”.
Widespread Panic w/ John Keane, Jason Crosby – “Fishing” – 2/14/25
[Video: Carl Schell]
Once the guests took their leave Panic spread its wings on a “Surprise Valley” featuring a hefty drum battle between Sunny Ortiz and Duane Trucks. For much of the rest of the first night in A.C., Panic veered from originals embraced the holiday with hot and heavy covers, beginning with a raunchy, blues-heavy rendition of “Junior” (“I love ya babe… I love you since you were born”).
Always a knave, Dave Schools impishly quoted Animal House (“Do you mind if we dance with your dates?”) as Jason Crosby rejoined the band and settled in alongside JoJo for a two-part nod to Jorma Kaukonen by way of “Genesis” and “Bowlegged Woman”, the latter of which was written by Calvin Carter and Bobby Rush but was famously covered by Jorma’s band, Hot Tuna. “Bowlegged” was particularly hot, benefitting from a half-dozen measures of Jimi Hendrix’s “Machine Gun” in its mid-section. Once Jason Crosby left the stage, Widespread Panic finished the second set with a rowdy Valentine’s Day ride on the “Love Tractor” as a six piece.
Widespread Panic – “Love Tractor” – 2/14/25
[Video: Carl Schell]
For the first encore tune, Jason Crosby grabbed his fiddle and John Keane took a seat on a pedal steel for an emotionally charged, thoroughly appropriate cover of “Keep Me in Your Heart”, which Warren Zevon wrote as a farewell to life before succumbing to lung cancer at the age of 56—a perfect choice for pensive reflection on the weight of Zevon, Mikey, and Jimmy’s battles.
To wrap up the first night with an unholy fury, Panic lit the fuse of Funkadelic’s “Red Hot Mama”. The raunchy rhythym was hot… it was sexy… and it was a perfect ending to Valentine’s Day. Two more nights ahead, folks, put your makeup on and git your hair up pretty, it’s time for Panic in Atlantic City.
Widespread Panic w/ John Keane, Jason Crosby – “Red Hot Mama” (Funkadelic) – 2/14/25
[Video: Carl Schell]
We might even get some snow, so bundle up and good luck. Hold on to your wits and wallets, these Jersey streets have seen many come and go and only a rare few walk out on top. However, with Panic back onstage, you can’t lose.
Check out the full Friday setlist and a selection of photos from the show below. Find tickets to Widespread Panic’s upcoming tour dates here.
Setlist [via PanicStream]: Widespread Panic | Hard Rock Live @ Etess Arena | Atlantic City, NJ | 2/14/25
Set One: Ain’t Life Grand > Pleas > Tall Boy > Little By Little, Hatfield, Steven’s Cat, Rebirtha > Ribs & Whiskey, Saint Ex (72 mins)
Set Two: Walkin’ (For Your Love), Greta > I’m Not Alone, Fishing* > Travelin’ Man** > The Waker***, Surprise Valley > Drums > Surprise Valley, Junior, Genesis****, Bowlegged Woman**** > Love Tractor (87 mins)
Encore: Keep Me In Your Heart*****, Red Hot Mama (16 mins)
Notes
* w/ John Keane (acoustic guitar) and Jason Crosby (fiddle)
– ** w/ Jason Crosby (keys and vocals) and John Keane (electric guitar)
– *** w/ John Keane (guitar) and Jason Crosby (keys)
– **** w/ Jason Crosby (keys)
– ***** w/ John Keane (pedal steel) and Jason Crosby (fiddle)
– ‘Her Dance Needs No Body’ rap during ‘Fishing’
– LTP ‘Genesis’ 4/16/23 Austin (45 shows)
– DAS before ‘Genesis’: “Do you mind if we dance with your dates?” (Animal House)
– ‘Machine Gun’ tease during ‘Bowlegged Woman’
– First set all originals
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