Widespread Panic Busts Out ‘Burning Down The House’ Cover In North Carolina

Widespread Panic busted out a cover of Talking Heads’ “Burning Down The House” on Friday at Live Oak Bank Pavilion in Wilmington, North Carolina. The encore-closing revival was Widespread Panic’s first performance of the song in 327 shows and just the third overall.

Widespread Panic debuted “Burning Down The House” on December 31, 2013 before bringing it back 219 shows later on New Year’s Eve 2016 in Nashville. That performance featured The McCrary Sisters and MegaBlaster Horns, while the latest rendition found John Bell on lead vocals, JoJo Hermann on clavinet and guitarist Nick Johnson adding a run of intense riffs. Talking Heads released “Burning Down The House” on their 1983 album, Speaking In Tongues.

Johnson played guitar throughout Friday’s concert in place of Jimmy Herring, as he has during Widespread Panic’s 2026 shows. The band opened with “Pigeons” and worked through a “Stop-Go” > “Ribs And Whiskey” sequence, while the second set featured “Fishwater” surrounding “Arleen” and a “Second Skin” > “Party At Your Mama’s House” > “Drums” run. “Halloween Face” preceded “Burning Down The House” in the encore.

Watch video of Widespread Panic’s “Burning Down The House” below. Official audio of the Wilmington concert via nugs is also available below.

Setlist (via Everyday Companion)

Set One: Pigeons, Stop-Go > Ribs And Whiskey, King Baby > Greta > You Got Yours, We Walk Each Other Home, Hatfield > Blackout Blues

Set Two: And It Stoned Me, Fishwater > Arleen > Fishwater > Second Skin > Party At Your Mama’s House > Drums > Cease Fire > C. Brown, Up All Night > All Time Low

Encore: Halloween Face, Burning Down The House

Entire show with Nick Johnson on guitar
[Without Jimmy; Last ‘Burning Down The House’ – 12/31/16, 327 shows]