Widespread Panic Perform First Shows Since Jimmy Herring’s Cancer Treatment in Atlantic City with Guests Jason Crosby and John Keane
Photo Credit: Tim Bottchen
Over the holiday weekend, Widespread Panic made their highly-anticipated return to the stage with a series at Atlantic City, N.J.’s Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena. The legendary jam ensemble’s Valentine’s Day run from Feb. 14-16 marked their first performances since Jimmy Herring sought treatment for tonsil cancer last July, and the crowd in America’s Playground was certainly feeling the love for the guitarist’s triumphant return. Well rested and ready to tear into a new year, the band delivered three top-tier performances lined with setlist staples and featuring guest spots from Jason Crosby and John Keane.
Widespread Panic set off their series on Friday night with the fan-favorite “Ain’t Life Grand,” then kept on through the classics with “Pleas” and “Tall Boy” before cruising into the recent entry “Little by Little.” After “Hatfield,” the band busted out “Steven’s Cat” for the first time since September 2022, then wrapped their first frame with “Rebirtha,” “Ribs and Whiskey” and “Saint Ex”–an unquestionably strong start to the weekend.
The band earned a roar from their fans when they welcomed Crosby and longtime collaborator Keane, who respectively added fiddle/keyboards and guitar to the mix on “Fishing,” “Travelin’ Man,” “The Walker.” The special guests returned towards the second set’s close for “Genesis,” “Bowlegged Woman” and an encore of “Keep Me in Your Heart,” after which the core ensemble closed the show with Funkadelic’s “Red Hot Mama”
Panic stormed the stage again on Saturday with “Holden Oversoul,” then took another tour of their greatest hits, with Crosby bringing his fiddle to cuts like “Party At Your Mama’s House” and “Stop Breakin’ Down Blues” and Keane layering warm tones of pedal steel into Bloodkin’s “Trashy.” Once again, the sextet turned up the heat for their second act, issuing treatments of “Ride Me High,” “Chainsaw City,” “Big Wooly Mammoth,” “Degenerate” (last played in June 2021), “Blue Indian” and a dust-off cover of David Bowie’s “Heroes” for the first time since July 2022 with their special guests in rotation. After stripping back down to the band alone for the affecting and tender newer cut “We Walk Each Other Home,” the full ensemble rallied for a celebratory show-closer with “I’m So Glad.”
For the final show in their series, Widespread Panic stuck to the formula exhibited on nights one and two by opening with essentials like “Little Kin,” “Wondering,” emphasizing slow-burners before exploding into a far-reaching jam in a medley of “Papa’s Home” and “You Got Yours.” Crosby added his fiddle to “Pickin’ Up The Pieces,” then returned with a vengeance for the raucous, hot and heavy second set, shining on a segued sprint through “Smokestack Lightning,” “Tail Dragger,” “Driving Song,” “The Take Out,” “Porch Song” and “Blackout Blues.”
The band poured out the reserves of their energy into a towering “Chilly Water” to close the second frame, then Crosby switched over to keyboards and vocals for an encore of The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence.” After a thrilling series that exceeded high expectations, Widespread Panic coyly sent the band off into the night with a grand finale of Bloodkin’s “End Of The Show.”
Widespread Panic will return to the stage with a three-night run in St. Augustine, Fla. from March 20-22. Find tickets and more information on the band’s 2025 tour itinerary at widespreadpanic.com.
