If you were in Athens in the late 90’s, you had the opportunity to attend one of the many unique experiences that I can say only Athens, Georgia can afford: Panic in the Streets. The audio quality on a cover of Vic Chesnutt’s Aunt Avis (from his appropriately titled album, Drunk) here isn’t necessarily great (a little better here), but the interviews at the beginning captures what feels like peak late 90s Athens from my fuzzy memories of the day:
From the Rory Cochrane-like guy who leads off the interviews to the father, Rick, who is leisurely waiting for the concert and reading a paper while the “kids” he brought are no doubt exploring the physical and chemical entertainment of Athens on the day, it’s pretty much what one would expect. Someone asks the Polish sausage vendor if people had the munchies. Yes, yes they did.
In case you’re not familiar with the band, we’re listening to another Athens institution who achieved Grateful Dead-like fame and following with the same blend of jam-based music. From the band’s website:
Widespread Panic has been together over three decades. Formed by vocalist/guitarist John Bell, bassist Dave Schools and late lead guitarist Michael Houser in the mid-1980s while the three attended the University of Georgia, over the next several years band’s lineup expanded to include drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo Ortiz, and keyboardist John Hermann. The current lineup now includes lead guitarist Jimmy Herring and drummer Duane Trucks.
Attaining true road warrior status, Widespread Panic has broken attendance records across the country, including a staggering 60 consecutive sell-outs at legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18 sell outs at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, additional records in the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, Birmingham’s Oak Mountain Amphitheater, New Orleans Jazzfest and The Fox Theatre in Atlanta. Panic has headlined most of the major U.S. festivals including Bonnaroo (eight times), Lollapalooza, ACL Festival, LOCKN’, Outside Lands, Forecastle to name just a few.
Over the past 30 years, Widespread Panic has sold over 3 million albums, 4 million downloads. Twelve years ago the band opened its vault and began to release live recordings through its Archive series of releases, spotlighting exceptional shows spanning the band’s entire career. In 2008 was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and continues to sell out shows across the country.
The bars were open early, and me and my buddies started the day at Washington Street Tavern, lounging in the darkened basement having some beers and getting the distinct impression that we were getting way too buzzed too early for a non-game day, so we came out of the basement only to be met with the blinding light of the day and a crowd that spanned the entire length of Washington Street, well in advance of the start of the concert.
It was surreal. We continued to hang at Washington Street Tavern for the day, but far, far down the street we could see the stage, which eventually illuminated in the waning sun of the day, and the chords of slow jamming resonated up and down the way for the rest of the evening. Aside from the Twilight Criterium and, of course, game days in Athens, it stands as one of my top Athens experiences to this day.
Curious if any of you Refugees were in attendance…more so if any of you can remember much about it!
Gotdam hippies!!
I was a freshman, I was there, and it was glorious. It was like a refugee camp of visitors staying with us that weekend. I don’t remember much from the actual show, other than there being a sh!t load of people everywhere downtown and we could walk around with beers with no fear of getting an open container. I still listen to the concert album “Panic in the Streets” regularly. Definitely my favorite versions of “Porch Song,” “Diner,” “Space Wrangler,” and “Gimme.” Between that and winning the Florida game that season, I have pretty fond memories of 97/98!
Correction to myself: “Light Fuse Get Away” is the album l meant to reference. “Panic in the Streets” is the official concert album, which was the release party for the live album “Light Fuse Get Away,” Throw either on while grilling and drinking and positive vibes will follow.
Turn 54 this summer. Graduated Georgia in ‘92. Not a Spreadhead by any means but have been to a number of shows. My memory is hazy, but think I first saw Panic play in “the shack” behind the SAE house when I was 18 or 19. Missed Panic in the Streets. Definitely part of the soundtrack of my youth. Raised my kids on their music & they still love them. One of my all-time favorite bands & their music is timeless to me. Enjoy a variety of genres, although primarily a solid country gold/outlaw country devotee but love some good “dope-smoking music” when the time is right.
Yeah I’m no spread head either but I’ve seen them live and listened to them a fair amount in my past but not my thing now.
Dokes, I’m a good decade older than you so I never saw them in the early days in Athens. First saw WSMFP at Jazzfest sometime in the late 90s or early noughts – too many Sazeracs ago to remember. Try to see them whenever they hit St. Augustine but those tix are turning into unobtanium. I’m with you on the Outlaw Country. Thank God for Sirius XM. Told my wife the other day that when I was in high school at the beginning of the Southern Rock era I used to long for a radio station just like Outlaw. They got plenty good dope smokin’ tunes like this one from my ride to work this morning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQXDzX45R0o
Yessir! Good stuff. I’ve got Outlaw wedged between Willie’s Roadhouse & Prime, right down the row from my classical that I listen to throughout the day to calm the nerves. Also love classic Southern rock (Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker, etc). Going to see Tyler Childers this Saturday in Godforsaken ATL. Pray for us! 😝
Love it. I heard it on the way to the farm Sunday morning, it felt positively churchy.
Sorry I missed this. Sounds like a classic Athens event for sure.
I’m more of a fan at 48 than I was when this show came along, but winding down my days in Athens, there was no way I was going to miss this. I spent most of the day wandering and observing from the perimeters, plus some time up on one of the parking garages soaking it all in. All these years later, I still run into people living states away who tell me they were there, including a new friend who owns a local bar who was there and still follows the band when she gets a chance.
They are of my generation and I had people who I’d run around with that liked them. But, my closest friends and I weren’t big into the jam band / Americana thing. I’d listen to the stuff that made the radio but wouldn’t buy the CD. Looking back I understood they were a good show and from Athens so, I supposed I should have gone to one. Sounds like a good time.
I was there but I was not then and am not now a fan of WSP or jam bands. We tailgated at the Prince Avenue Shell station and walked down. Lots of fun and lots of great memories.
I was there. It was weird. Think I was a sophomore – was this ‘97 or ‘98? A few memories:
Good times. Thanks for the post.
Nothing but country, real country and they still make it, Southern Rock, and bluegrass for me anymore. I’m fired up about the new Sturgill Simpson.
I’m blaming Frozendawg for my Sturgill Simpson fandom.
I’ve been a big fan since High Too Mountain. Best country artist in forever. And he’s got company. Cody Jinks, Tyler Childers, Whitey Morgan, Chris Knight, The Tunrpike Troubadours, Zephaniah Ohora, just to name a few. Great country music is being made.
Truth.
Ahem, that’s Johnny Blue Skies to you, sir. Sturgill is dead, long live Sturgill! https://sturgillsimpson.com/
He can call himself whatever he wants. I’m gonna call him by his name. Looking forward to the new music though. I love everything he has done accept that horse shit where he was trying to get out of his record contract. I Unlistenable was the goal and he achieved it.
I’m 74 and was at that show and I remember people saying “wow, it’s awesome and old guy like you can still do this”!! JB and the comeback sauce!
Panic did “One armed Steve” about the former door guy at the Theater! One night when Panic was playing he wouldn’t let one of the band members in!
I was standing to the right of the second lamp post from the left in that picture above, along with 2 friends, my sister and her friend. We had a blast that day, and I’ll leave it at that. Graduated 6 weeks later. Still go see Panic when I can as well, and they remain one of the greatest live shows of all time.