Widespread Panic — Panic in the Streets
Recorded April 18, 1998
Washington Street · Athens · 
United States
Setlist
Wrong timestamp?
Album featured at the showLight Fuse Get AwayThe free Athens show celebrates the release of the band's first live album.“To see Athens turn its streets into a free party for Widespread Panic's first live album.”
Context
On April 18, 1998, an album release party takes over Washington Street in downtown Athens. Widespread Panic plays for free in its hometown to celebrate Light Fuse Get Away, its first live album. The estimate is 100,000 people in the streets.
John Bell and Michael Houser share the guitars, with David Schools on bass and John Hermann on keyboards. Todd Nance and Domingo Ortiz complete the six-piece on drums and percussion. The edit moves through Disco, Tall Boy and Love Tractor, includes Vic Chesnutt's song Aunt Avis and reaches Space Wrangler and Ain't Life Grand.
The recording comes out on video that same year. In 2002, the DVD edition brings together the street party, the Aunt Avis video and footage from the Georgia Theatre in 1991. The full night stays outside this cut: only in 2025 does the album Athens 1998 present the whole recording, with a new mix by John Keane.
- The 1998 cut preserves the six-piece with Michael Houser on guitar and Todd Nance on drums.
Lineup at this show
The lineup of this performance — not necessarily the current one.
- John BellVocals and guitar
- Michael HouserGuitar and vocals
- David SchoolsBass and vocals
- John HermannKeyboards and vocals
- Todd NanceDrums
- Domingo OrtizPercussion
Trivia
The free show draws an estimated 100,000 people to downtown Athens.
The DVD edition pairs the 1998 street show with Georgia Theatre footage recorded in September 1991.
The full recording of the street show only reaches the public in 2025, on the album Athens 1998.
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