Widespread Panic Let ‘Sparks Fly’ For 1st Time Since 2003 In Charleston
Watch John Bell lead his bandmates through the long-lost Ball cut at Credit One Stadium.
By Scott Bernstein May 19, 2025 • 9:47 am PDT
Widespread Panic decamped to Credit One Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina this past weekend for a two-night stand. A whopping 10 2025 debuts were sprinkled into the setlists, including the return of “Sparks Fly,” which hadn’t been performed in over two decades.
“Good Morning Little School” was dusted off for the first time since October 22, 2023 towards the end of the first set on Friday. Panic frontman John Bell previewed the “Love Tractor” that would close the frame by working its “remember where all the levers are” lyric into the Sonny Boy Williamson cover and then sang “gonna make me feel like a schoolgirl” during “Love Tractor.”
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Widespread Panic shocked fans by opening the second set with “Sparks Fly” on Friday. Originally recorded for the band’s 2003 studio album, Ball, “Sparks Fly” was debuted live on May 10, 2003. The song had disappeared from the repertoire after four additional 2003 performances.
The most recent of the five previous versions before Friday came back on October 29, 2003 — a gap of 1,148 shows. Guitarist Jimmy Herring delivered an intense solo on “Sparks Fly,” a song he had never performed publicly with Panic. The bust-out bled into fan-favorite “Henry Parsons Died” in Charleston.
The sextet romped through “Walkin’ (For Your Love)” to kick off the Saturday night show. Next came the first “The Last Straw” since January 19, 2024, which gave way to “Fishwater.” Panic then dusted off their cover of Van Morrison’s “And It Stoned Me” after 115 shows on the shelf.
Staple “Diner” followed and prefaced another missing in action Ball cut, “Papa Johnny Road,” which was last played on May 27, 2023. Panic went on to close Saturday’s first set with the 2025 debut of the Tom Petty cover “Running Down A Dream.”
Keyboardist JoJo Hermann led the band through “Blackout Blues” to start the final set of the weekend. “You Got Yours” followed before the return of “Sharon,” a David Bromberg tune most previously performed by Panic on April 16, 2024. From there, the sextet offered a run connecting “King Baby,” “Airplane” and “Action Man” with the first “Gimme” since March 26, 2023.
Next, “Ride Me High” paved the way “Papa’s Home” featuring the 2025 debut of “Dear Mr. Fantasy” within. After wrapping the second set with “I’m So Glad,” Widespread Panic closed out the weekend with a three-song encore. “Honky Red” and “Postcard” set the stage for a “Little Wing” finale as the Jimi Hendrix-penned classic returned to the rotation after a 44-show absence.
Watch more audience-shot video of Widespread Panic’s visit to Charleston below:
Widespread Panic next takes the stage on Wednesday, June 4 for their first of two shows at the Chicago Theatre. Scroll below for a full list of upcoming tour dates.
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