Widespread Panic Conclude New Year's Run with Billy Strings, Salute Jimmy Cliff and Ozzy Osbourne

Widespread Panic Conclude New Year’s Run with Billy Strings, Salute Jimmy Cliff and Ozzy Osbourne

January 1, 2026

photo: Ian Rawn

Yesterday, Widespread Panic turned in the final installment of their New Year’s run at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. After stepping out with surprise guest Billy Strings on night one and returning on Tuesday with another round of sit-ins, it seemed customary that the bluegrass golden boy would take the stage during the host band’s final appearance and build on the foundation he had laid during the previous live engagements, expanding his stage time and assisting on third set covers and bust-outs that paid homage to artists we lost this year–Jimmy Cliff and Ozzy Osbourne.

The onset of last night’s concert was mellower than the band’s previous lead-ups to the New Year. Rather than pick up his electric axe, John Bell went with a seated, acoustic approach beginning with band originals, “Blue Indian,” “Wondering,” and “We Walk Each Other Home,” before covering Neil Young’s “Don’t Be Denied.” They kept up the trend, adding Alice in Chains’ “Down in a Hole” to the list, before welcoming Strings back for this third night of repartee with the Peach State greats.

Strings contributed to “Fishing,” before doing his part on BloodKin’s “Who Do You Belong To?” Rather than stick around, he ducked off the stage, leaving Widespread to deliver J.J. Cale’s “Travelin’ Light,” which, upon completion, represented the finality of set one. The night’s mid-frame set was a return to electric for JB on “Big Wooly Mammoth” into “King Baby” and, in time, “Ribs and Whiskey,” which was met with the arrival of guitarist Nick Johnson. The axe slinger remained on stage, adding to a segue that birthed “Tall Boy” and “Diner.” As with the previous set, WP went with a guest-free finish, adding “May Your Glass Be Filled” and “Love Tractor.”

The third and final set brought out some of the night’s most spectacular moments. Musically, it led with reflective “Ain’t Life Grand.” Strings was in tow during the latter, and remained through the end of the night. Next, the ensemble began a series of tributes, with two songs in honor of the late Jimmy Cliff: his original “Sitting Here in Limbo” and the associated cover “I Can See Clearly Now.” “Sitting Here in Limbo” represented a bust-out, last played on Dec. 29, 2015. Last night’s return ended a 372-show lapse in plays. [Notably, during LOCKN’ 2015, Cliff joined WP and played “I Can See Clearly Now.” Watch.]

After turning in tunes for the reggae pioneer, Widespread Panic and Strings pivoted their attention to the Godfather of Heavy Metal. They honored Ozzy with Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” and “War Pigs.” “Paranoid” was dusted off for the first time in 293 shows, last performed during the band’s gig on October 30, 2016. Following the concert’s climax, they returned to originals on “Disco,” featuring a tease of “Arlene,” and eventually dissolving into “Tie Your Shoes” and “Porch Song.”

With gas still in the tank, Widespread Panic and Strings performed another from Cale’s archive, this time, “Ride Me High,” before spanning the spectrum of emotion and landing on the final song of their Atlanta run, “All Time Low.”

After completing their New Year’s run, Widespread Panic will take some time away from the stage. They will resume their live schedule beginning on Jan. 20, through the arrival of their own destination concert event, Panic en la Playa. Tickets remain on sale.

Scroll down for last night’s setlists, photos, and video from Widespread Panic’s 2025 closeout.