Nearly 20 years ago, Widespread Panic rose out of the South with a distinct sound and an unprecedented spirit that, to this day, still defines the legendary band. The sweet sound of Panic's classic jam-rock breaks the tainted mold of music and, indeed, warrants their impressive following of faithful fans, who cannot seem to get enough of the soul-searchin', mountain-groovin', trip-trailin' tunes.
The dynamic melodies and charismatic energy that radiate onstage epitomize what live music is all about. The group walks along side their audience on their melodic trail of easygoing grooves and high-spirited ditties.
Each inventive song encompasses a collage of spellbound lyrics, instrumental range and harmonious depth. With their incredible live shows, marked for their unbounded interludes of improvisational jams, Widespread has, undeniably, made their place in the jam band hall of fame.
Still, lead guitarist, George McConnell explains how the group adds their own spin on their categorized "jam band" label.
"It's really hard to define our music, and it's kind of funny - I get tickled when everybody dumps it into the jam band category because the guys have always written really strong songs. And to me, the jamming was a consequence of really good songs. It's like we're just playing this really cool song, and we don't wanna finish playing it. The jamming just naturally became part of the song. To me, the songs are the strength of the band," he said.
McConnell joined Widespread after the fateful loss of guitar legend, Michael Hauser to pancreatic cancer.
"When he got sick they invited me as a friend to just come on the road with them to help finish up the tour, and I've been playing with them ever since," McConnell said.
Since Widespread's latest album release, "Ball," the band has continued their musical journey across the country.
McConnell shared his feelings about his fairly recent shift to living on the road, "I really love it. It's a lifestyle that I really like. I've played in bar bands my whole life so this is on a much bigger level, but it's extremely fun."
He added, "I'm just really excited about getting to Austin and seeing some bands. I love the amount of cool, and diverse, music y'all have there. You'll have rock, country, blues and jazz, rap, hip hop, techno and bluegrass, all playing on the same damn street. It's amazing, and I hope people in Austin don't take that for granted because it really is impressive. ... Austin has always been a really special town for me, one of my favorite towns by far. And I know that the guys have always loved playing in Austin as well."
On the band's last visit to Austin, they produced their two-disc DVD, "Live from The Backyard in Austin, TX."
"The best part about being on this type of tour is when you get to stop somewhere like Austin, and you really get to dip into the town's culture. Really, the coolest thing about Austin is the people. There's just a really good spirit about the place," McConnell said.
After raving about how fabulous Austin is, McConnell graciously revealed how the band came up with their name, which is always a topic of curiosity. "Ya know, I don't know if I'm supposed to tell this fable or not. I guess they wouldn't of told me if that didn't want anybody to know about it. Oh well, I'll go ahead and get in trouble. The way I understand it, I know that Mikey would sometimes get a little nervous about going on stage, so his nickname became 'Panic.' So, his friends would all poke fun of him, calling him Panic, and his little joke back to them was always, 'Yeah, I may be panic, but one day I hope to be widespread.' And as I understand it, that's where it came from," he said.
Rising from the '80s, Wide-spread Panic strolled into the '90s with a transcendent sound that erupted in the millennium and, indubitably, continues to flow. John Bell, John "JoJo" Hermann, George McConnell, Todd Nance, Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz and Dave Schools combine their soulful lyrics with their expressive jams and never fail to put on one hell of a show.
Widespread Panic is scheduled for a three-day performance this weekend at The Backyard.
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