Widespread Panic celebrated New Year’s Eve at Atlanta’s Philips Arena for the ninth time in just over ten years last night. The group offered a three-set show, including an hour-long acoustic opening set. Much like Widespread Panic’s performance at the venue on December 30, the show doubled as a tribute to the group’s longtime collaborator Vic Chesnutt, who passed away on December 25. Panic opened its show with an acoustic version of Chesnutt’s “Let’s Get Down to Business” that segued into “Wondering.” The sextet’s acoustic set also featured stripped-down versions of “Already Fried,” “Tortured Artist,” “Clinic Cynic,” “Crazy,” “Vacation,” Chesnutt’s “Expiration Day,” “Holden Oversoul” and “Porch Song.”

The band plugged in at the start of set two and kicked things off with “Lil Kin.” From there the band moved into a segue that contained “Space Wrangler,” “Impossible,” “Jack,” and “Action Man.” The Megablasters horns also emerged for “Her Dance Needs Nobody,” “Up All Night” and The Band’s “Ophelia.”

Widespread Panic opened its third set with a nod to another musician who passed away in 2009: Michael Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Something.” The cover featured The Megablasters horns, and the ensemble remained onstage for “Tall Boy” and “Arleen.” After running through “Surprise Valley,” “Driving Song,” “Disco” and “Rock,” the horns returned for a third time to help Panic through its first take on Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish” since November 6, 2003. The musicians also nodded to the first New Year’s Eve blue moon in almost two decades with a first time cover of Van Morrison’s “Moondance.” A run from “Bust it Big” into a particularly adventurous “Chilly Water” closed the set.

The show came full circle with multi-song encore that featured a fitting cover of Patsy Cline’s “Walkin After Midnight” and Chesnutt’s famed contribution to the Panic catalogue, “Protein Drink/Sewing Machine.”

Please click here for more on Widespread Panic’s performance on December 30.