Widespread Panic Welcome The New Year with First-Time Covers, Bust Outs and More

Photo via Widespread Panic’s official Facebook/ Josh Timmermans

After a typical two-set run-through of material on Saturday night, Widespread Panic returned to the Fox Theatre in Atlanta on Sunday, Dec. 31, for their official New Year’s Eve stand. The night presented three frames of music, featuring a handful of first-time covers, borrowed from Warren Zevon and The Who, respectively, as well as bust-outs of originals, including “Dirty Business” and “I Want to Be Sedated.”

The show began with a skew of “Driving Song,” “Fishing,” then back into the set opener. The first frame saw a seated and acoustic John Bell fixed to the chair during ensuing numbers: “Ribs and Whiskey,” new number “We Walk Each Other Home,” which debuted this past summer. A peppering of added tunes followed, including a debut of Zevon’s 1976 release, culminating in a close on “Climb To Safety.” The first set of the night clocked in at 47 minutes. 

Upon their return, they cut into “Space Wrangler” and worked into follow-ups. After “Blight,” Widespread Panic ran into “All Time Low,” which merged into a fiery jam, through the entirety of “Stop Breakin’ Down Blues.” The band dusted off “Dirty Business,” which last played on August 26, 2022, in Napa, Calif., and swung into a pairing of “Hope In A Hopeless World” with “Cease Fire” and “I’m Not Alone.” Ultimately, “Protein Drink/Sewing Machine” served as the final song of the 90-minute second set. 

Set three boasted the official welcoming of the New Year, complete with streamers, balloons, and “Happy New Year” projected across the ceiling, as the clock’s dramatic clicks merged back into music. The final frame of the event kicked off on a nonstop run-through of “Disco,” “Arleen,” and “Pigeons,” prior to the debut of The Who’s “My Generation.” The latter ran into a bust out of “I Wanna Be Sedated,” last played on March 2, 2020, ending a 116-show gap. 

The 58-minute frame went on to present “Blue Indian” and “Saint Ex,” followed by a pairing of “Big Wooly Mammoth” with “Love Tractor.” For the night’s encore, Widespread Panic ran through “May Your Glass Be Filled” and “I’m So Glad.” With 2023 in the books, the band will take a few weeks off, reconnecting on Jan. 18, 19, and 20 for a three-night sold-out stand in St. Louis. 

Scroll down to view Widespread Panic’s New Year’s Eve setlist via panicstream.com.

Widespread Panic 

The Fox Theater – Atlanta

Dec. 31, 2023

Set I: Driving Song > Fishing > Driving Song, Ribs and Whiskey, We Walk Each Other Home, Keep Me In Your Heart, I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead, Climb To Safety (47 mins)

Set II: Space Wrangler, Walkin’ (For Your Love), Blight, All Time Low > Jam > Stop Breakin’ Down Blues, Dirty Business, Hope In A Hopeless World > Cease Fire > I’m Not Alone, Protein Drink / Sewing Machine (90 mins)

Set III: Disco > Arleen > Pigeons, My Generation > I Wanna Be Sedated, Blue Indian, Saint Ex, Big Wooly Mammoth > Love Tractor (58 mins)

Enc.: May Your Glass Be Filled, I’m So Glad (15 mins)

Notes: 

First time played, “’I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” (Warren Zevon)

Last time played, “’Dirty Business,” on 8/26/22 Napa (58 shows)

First time played, “ “My Generation” (The Who)

Last time played, “I Wanna Be Sedated,” on 3/02/20 in New York (116 shows)

John Bell seated and acoustic first set

Setlist via panicstream.com.