The prodigal son returns home. For Widespread Panic bassist and Richmond native, Dave Schools, this homecoming was long overdue. It was just a few months short of a decade since Widespread last performed in Richmond. Back in 2016, it was at the Altria Theatre. This time around, Panic christened the newly constructed Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront with their signature blend of rock and roll, adding only one cover to each set of originals, but doubling down to cover a pair of “Red” encores.

A wave of muddy water hit the audience as an opening “Fishwater” flooded the riverside venue. Duane Trucks and Sunny Ortiz’s percussive collaboration ramped up the swampy vibes out the gate before keeping the party going with “Tall Boy”.

Dave Schools assisted backup harmonies during “Walkin (For Your Love)” and strolled into “We Walk Each Other Home” after welcoming the “familiar” crowd. JoJo Hermann’s piano introduced the first half of “Good People”, which broke down into the seedy back alleys of “Dark Bar”.

After returning to the fiery back half of “Good People”, WSP reaped a bountiful harvest during “The Last Straw”. Jimmy Herring soared as his bandmates broke down and built up the song’s rollercoaster of tempo changes.

Winding down the first frame and showcasing his vocal range, JB dialed up the dirty for the first cover of the night, Howlin’ Wolf’s “Me and the Devil Blues”.  WSP kept the dark tones intact and donned a grisly “Halloween Face” to close out the set.

Back from set break, Widespread dug into a classic combination of the instrumental “Machine” and “Barstools and Dreamers”. Like a beer and shot for a sober mind, the combo immediately satiated a primal instinct before calling upon “Hatfield” to bring the rain as well as the raps.

In his improvised rap, JB injected phrases from David Earle Johnson’s “Time is Free”, a song often performed by Col. Bruce Hampton and Aquarium Rescue Unit: “I remember Hatfield’s mama / big, beautiful German lady / make her own beer and bread / music from her 2,3-string banjo / one day, one day we was out there playing / hot, so hot / the last days of the summertime / Hatfield’s mama came out and bring out some frosty, cold ones / we sit back / let it flow / Can’t stop the way it goes / time is free / time is not free/ time is free….” Schools also teased the melody towards the end of the rap.

The lively tempo of Duane’s drumming combined with JoJo’s bawdy piano to reanimate a beastly “Big Wooly Mammoth”. After JoJo sang, “So we can burn this city down,” hometown historian, Dave Schools, joked, “Yeah, because that’s never been done before, right?” (referring to when retreating Confederate soldiers burned down their own Capital in 1865).

Panic has been known to extend segues into esoteric transitions—not this time though. Widespread dropped into “Bust It Big” like a magician yanking a tablecloth out without disturbing the dining set. Hot enough to cut steel, Jimmy Herring constructed a sky-scraping solo atop JoJo’s foundation and Schools’ monumental riffs.

Slowing down the tempo, Bloodkin’s “Trashy” complemented the earlier “Good People”, offering mirror images of the WSP community’s anthems in each set. Without stopping, Widespread maneuvered back into their own catalog. First, WSP crowned an executive “King Baby” before bounding into the expanse of “Pilgrims” and ultimately galloping across the cosmos during “Space Wrangler” to end the second set.

Widespread Panic performed as many covers during the encore as they did during the preceding two sets. Both blazed red as Murray McLaughlin’s hard-hitting “Honky Red” and Parliament- Funkadelic’s “Red Hot Mama” color-coordinated Friday’s finale.

Barstool Rodeo hosted the late-night crowd at the Richmond Music Hall, but knowing these fans, chances are likely that they created their own fun wherever they ended up after diluting among the general public in Richmond. Cheers, night two ahead.

Widespread Panic – “Fishwater”– 9/12/25
[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]

Widespread Panic – “Walkin’ (For Your Love)” – 9/12/25
[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]

Widespread Panic – “Dark Bar” > “Goodpeople” – 9/12/25
[Video: ConceptsIllPonder]

Widespread Panic – “The Last Straw” > “Me And The Devil Blues”– 9/12/25
[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]

Widespread Panic – “Halloween Face”– 9/12/25
[Video: ConceptsIllPonder]

Widespread Panic – “Machine” > “Barstools And Dreamers” – 9/12/25
[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]

Widespread Panic – “Barstools And Dreamers”– 9/12/25
[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]

Widespread Panic – “Hatfield”, “Big Wooly Mammoth” – 9/12/25
[Video: BRADFORD WALKER]

Widespread Panic – “Big Wooly Mammoth” > “Bust It Big” – 9/12/25
[Video: ConceptsIllPonder]

Widespread Panic – “Pilgrims”– 9/12/25
[Video: ConceptsIllPonder]

Widespread Panic – “Honky Red” > “Red Hot Mama”– 9/12/25
[Video: ConceptsIllPonder]

[.expanding]

Setlist: Widespread Panic | Allianz Amphitheater At Riverfront | Richmond, VA | 9/12/25
Set 1: (7:12 ET) Fishwater, Tall Boy, Walkin’ (For Your Love), We Walk Each Other Home, Good People > Dark Bar > Good People, The Last Straw > Me and the Devil Blues > Halloween Face (73 mins)
Set 2: (9:00 ET) Machine > Barstools and Dreamers, Hatfield, Big Wooly Mammoth> Bust It Big > Trashy > King Baby > Pilgrims> Space Wrangler (85 mins)
Encore: Honky Red > Red Hot Mama