When Widespread Panic returns to UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans this weekend for a three-day stint they will be greeted by thousands of fans eager to join in on the spectacle that is a Panic show.
The band’s shows are filled with lingo and rituals baffling to those not familiar with the neo-hippie band. From catch-phrases to food choices, first timers might feel like they have stepped into a secret society.
The experience is a better recreation of Woodstock than the corporate attempts made in the last few years.
Fans tailgate and camp-out throughout the extent of the band’s gigs. Some fans even follow the band religiously, spending their time crossing the country for Panic shows.
Some will offer exorbitant prices for tickets simply because living in their cars following the band limits their ability at getting tickets by traditional means.
Fans selling homemade goods run abound.
Everything from homemade t-shirts and stickers, to drugs and alcohol, to grilled cheeses and corn on the cob are made available to concert go-ers courtesy of those needing to support their Panic addiction.
Widespread Panic established its intense cult following from years of relentless touring and the help of die hard fans.
Since forming in Athens, Ga. in 1982, Panic has been jamming in the studio and on the road. Even after the loss of founding member guitarist Michael Houser to cancer in August 2003, the band has pressed on.
Now on their eighth studio album “Ball,” Panic’s feverant following continues. Evidenced by WP stickers obstructing car windows and sell-out crowds the band has made fans of many willing to embrace their care-free lifestyle.
But Panic fans are not just professional hippies. Regular people embrace their loose Southern style as well.
And fans are not just loyal, they are creative.
From “Schools Zone” stickers in honor of bassist Dave Schools to the ritual of throwing water for the refrain of the Van Morrison cover “And It Stoned Me,” fans use their creative juices to play an active role in the Panic experience.
Panic shows are the concert equivalent of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, with audience participation and appropriate fan attire.
Musically the band is in the vein of the Grateful Dead.
Widespread Panic is the king of jam bands. The blend of rock, blues, funk and jazz spin listeners into a musical psychedelic trip.
Panic modernizes its sound by adding deep Southern rock influences. The rootsy sound makes them sound like a warm day outside.
Songs like “Tall Boy” and “Havin’ a Good Time” reflect a life of road travels and adventures. The music of Panic is about lifestyle. Panic shines on more bluesy tracks such as “Til the Medicine Takes” and “Trouble.”
Die hard fans and first timers alike will enjoy the atmospheric sounds of Panic this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at UNO Lakefront Arena, as Widespread Panic hits New Orleans.