In the shadows of the notorious Green Monster in Fenway Park’s left field, loyalists filed into the MGM Music Hall to experience Widespread Panic’s Boston finale. The packed venue seemed twice as boisterous compared to Thursday’s Chuck Leavell-assisted opening night. Reciprocating the energy, Widespread Panic pitched a setlist of almost all originals, rounded third base with a massive second set sandwich, and slid into home plate for a three-encore walk-off in Boston.

A greasy “Thought Sausage” had Panic cookin’ early with a recipe full of original, homegrown ingredients. The opener featured distorted Jimmy Herring guitar riffs and a double serving of come-n-get-it’s from John Bell. JoJo Hermann took leads during a subsequent, slide-heavy, “Dyin’ Man” before Jimmy leapt through “The screen door, to the back porch, to the backlands” of “Holden Oversoul” for an unbridled solo. (“One last time to feed!”)

Bassist Dave Schools leaned into an Allman Brothers Band “Mountain Jam”-esque rhythm but soon dove headfirst to secure a hard-hit line drive into “Worry”. JB’s vocals paired with JoJo’s piano like stout and chowder during “This Part of Town”. Possibly coincidentally, but this song abbreviates to T.P.O.T. (or phonetically, “teapot”) and may have been an allusion to the Boston Tea Party of 1773.

Widespread Panic — “This Part Of Town” — 8/23/25

[Video: Chad Sclove]

With three songs left in the set on the third night, JB wound up and dealt two original heaters, “Little by Little” (“Three’s our lucky number”), “Rebirtha” (“Since the big leagues left us dry” … “I know a town where real life’s a game and baseball’s all that’s really real / At night all the faces light up as the players take the hill”), and a well-placed, breaking curveball, Professor Longhair’s “Red Beans”, (Red Sox + Beantown) to end the first frame, striking out the side.

Widespread Panic — “Red Beans” (Professor Longhair) — 8/23/25

[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]

The final set break felt more like the 7th inning stretch. The insatiable crowd observed the scoreboard and accepted their approaching date with destiny. A crack of the bat interrupted any further idle ruminations as Widespread Panic shattered the silence with “Disco”, a base hit to lead off a lineup of originals.

The following “Pigeons” landed down the line before “Cosmic Confidante” loaded the bases with mesmerizing patience, despite only five career at-bats. The clean-up hitting “Surprise Valley” emptied the bases during an unending, 43-minute double-decker slugfest.

After acknowledging the approaching end of the game (“Good-bye, it’s time to fly”)”, Panic split off “Surprise Valley”’s switchback melodies to land among the second instrumental of the set, “Party at Your Mama’s House”. Rallying on, WSP mashed an off-speed pitch, Traffic’s “Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys” and split the ball (and song) at the seams.

As two songs were left unfinished, WSP bridged the front and back end of the batting order with “All Time Low”. In a city brimming with over 30 colleges and freshmen arriving for orientation, the lyrics “I was talking with my teacher / Said I didn’t have a clue” rang especially true for a fifth of Boston’s population.

Rounding out the second halves of the unfinished tunes, Panic completed the double-decker jam sandwich as well as the second set with the tail ends of “Low Spark” (“Spirit is something that no one destroys”) and “Surprise Valley” (“Spirit moves in all things”) before “Postcard” stamped a close to the relentless, 50-minute rally.

Widespread Panic — “Surprise Valley” > “Party At Your Mama’s House” > “Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys” (Traffic) — 8/23/25

[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]

Widespread Panic — “All Time Low” > “Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys” (Traffic) > “Surprise Valley” — 8/23/25

[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]

Thoughtfully, JB thanked the crowd in Boston before approaching the mound for a three-song encore. Following the rules of baseball, Thursday’s night one featured one encore, Friday’s second night had two, and appropriately, Panic closed the run with three strikes (encores).

“Blue Indian” brought out “the broom” for the “Brave Indian” before the ninth performance of The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence” set up the ever-reliable closer, “Porch Song”, to secure the series sweep. The final song’s lunar lyrics (“Livin’ the moontime!”) coincided with a black moon that presented a clear sky and viewing of August’s Perseid Meteor shower.

Widespread Panic — “Dear Prudence” (The Beatles) — 8/23/25

[Video: Less Than Face Productions]

Any streetwise cat knows there’s subtle themes and impish deliberation embedded inside most WSP setlists. Whether geographically, historically, or even astrologically, Panic eclipses significance among the seemingly random selection of songs. Until the next ballgame, travel safe, and travel well. Richmond and Memphis are on deck. Find tickets and tour dates here.

Below, check out some videos from Widespread Panic in Boston along with photos by AJ Genovesi.

Widespread Panic — “Disco”, “Pigeons” — 8/23/25

[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]

Widespread Panic — “Dear Prudence” (The Beatles), “Porch Song” — 8/23/25

[Video: Chad Sclove]

Setlist: Widespread Panic | MGM Music Hall At Fenway Park | Boston, MA | 8/23/25

Set One: Thought Sausage, Dyin’ Man, Holden Oversoul > Worry, This Part Of Town, Little By Little, Rebirtha, Red Beans (Professor Longhair) [1] (57 mins)
Set Two: Disco, Pigeons, Cosmic Confidante, Surprise Valley > Party At Your Mama’s House > Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (Traffic) > All Time Low > Low Spark of High Heeled Boys > Surprise Valley, Postcard (74 mins)
Encore: Blue Indian, Dear Prudence (The Beatles), Porch Song (20 mins)

[1] LTP 2/20/22 Columbia (122 shows)