Widespread Panic last performed at the Fox Theater in Oakland a decade ago, when the band appeared for two nights, on July 14 and 15, 2016. On Thursday, the group returned to the venue, opening up a three-show run. In conjunction with these performances, a virtual food drive is underway to support the Alameda County Community Food Bank.

Yesterday’s show opened strong during a 31-minute stretch that flowed from “Airplane” into “Rebirtha” and “Space Wrangler.” Then, after Everyday favorite “Better Off,” Panic  dusted off “Time Zones,” the Earth to America track they had previously performed on 12/30/23 at the Fox in Atlanta. Other first-set highlights included a run from “Gradle” into “You Got Yours,” as well as a set-closing version of Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Guns, And Money.”

The second frame kicked off with a spirited “Ribs & Whiskey,” which pushed beyond the 12-minute mark. An energetic “Big Wooly Mammoth” came next, eliciting ample enthusiasm from the crowd, as did the version of “Pigeons” that came a little bit later. This then gave way to a memorable concluding combo of “Mercy,” “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl” (which had a slinky, steady energy to it), a pulsing “King Baby” and then a freewheeling “Fishwater.”

The encore paired a cover of James Taylor’s “Knocking ‘Round The Zoo” with the band’s “All Time Low.”

Widespread Panic will return to the Fox this evening. As a reminder, the group is offering free audio steams via the Nugs app, YouTube, Facebook and Twitch.