When the members of Widespread Panic stepped off the stage on December 31^st, 2003, they were headed into unfamiliar territory. One of the most popular touring bands in the country was about to take an unprecedented 15-month hiatus from the road. True road warriors, Widespread Panic ranked among the top 50 grossing touring acts for eight years running, even without substantial radio airplay, television exposure, or promotion at retail stores. Panic played over 100 dates annually for some 18 years, selling tickets at a record-setting pace. The band holds sellout records at Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver (23 shows), Oak Mountain Amphitheatre near Birmingham, AL. (17 shows), Philips Arena in Atlanta (11 shows), and UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans (18 shows). Not to mention 20 sellouts at San Francisco’s Warfield Theatre, seven sellouts across the Bay at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, nine sellouts at Mud Island in Memphis, seven at Memphis’ Mid-South Coliseum, and in 2002 sold out two concerts at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden. Widespread Panic is the only band to headline two days at the huge 2002 Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, TN, which drew a sell-out crowd of 90,000 and was widely hailed as the best concert event of the summer. And then, they stopped.

After 18 years of non-stop touring, Widespread Panic decided to take a much deserved, long overdue vacation. But not from music. During the band’s hiatus, four live CDs were released, all on Sanctuary Records. The band’s most recent release was October’s Jackassolantern, a collection of cover songs recorded at their legendary annual Halloween shows. It followed last summer’s Uber Cobra, the unplugged companion to Night of Joy, the first live album released during their hiatus, and featured the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Coming up next is Live from Myrtle Beach (in stores on February 22^nd), which captures the band’s third and most rocking set of a three-night stand in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in November of 2003. In addition to the live releases, the band members found they had the rare luxury of a little extra time on their hands. This opportunity allowed each to work on various side projects throughout the year.

Refreshed, rejuvenated and ready for the road, Widespread Panic returns to the stage in March 2005 with a national tour that will take them back to all of their favorite stomping grounds, including returning to Bonnaroo. With over 350 songs in their repertoire from which to choose from, Widespread Panic continues their policy to never repeat a song within a three-night concert span and to never repeat a set list. Reflecting the band’s close connection to their fans, they regularly sell tickets via a simple mail order system. But within days of announcing the 2005 tour, the band’s offices were flooded with ticket requests, forcing them to return over 15 thousand unfilled orders for just the first three concerts alone. The demand for tickets was unprecedented, with an estimated 10 requests for each ticket available. Caught completely off guard by this, the members of Widespread Panic were first stunned, then disappointed at the prospect of not obliging their fans.

Widespread Panic first came together around the University of Georgia in 1986, after the band’s original guitarist, Michael Houser, introduced vocalist/guitarist John Bell to the joys of improvisation, following a musical conversation wherever it leads. With bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo Ortiz and later keyboardist John Hermann, they hit the road, winning new fans at each stop. Together, they forged roots rock, blues and boogie into an aesthetic all its own. Without benefit of radio or MTV airplay and other trappings of the pop world’s star making machine, their popularity grew steadily. After years of relentless touring, they are one of the biggest-selling bands on the road today.

Widespread Panic is now a leader of the new school of "road warrior bands," bands that revel in improvisation and never play the same show twice. Lyrics that sometimes poke into dark corners alternate with inherently humorous covers, such as rapper Nelly’s "Hot in Herre." The band is in a constant state of evolution, bringing in new musical elements and influences that reflect the depth of their musicianship. Panic has sold over 3 million albums, and released a total of 15 CDs and five DVDs (including Live at Oak Mountain, which is certified Gold).

During the summer tour of 2002, the band introduced guitarist George McConnell to their fans. In the 1980s, McConnell and Hermann were band mates in Beanland, a Mississippi roots band. After Hermann joined Panic in 1992, McConnell often sat in whenever Panic played in the south. Friends for the past 15 years, Panic and McConnell had often played on the same bill for nearly as long. That longstanding relationship made him the natural choice to continue on with Panic after Michael Houser’s death from pancreatic cancer in August of that year. "It’s all about chemistry," Schools said. "We’ve been friends for 15 years."

"We never sat down and said, ‘Hey, here’s where we want to be 20 years from now.’ It was more like, ‘Hey, we’re having a good time, let’s do this,’" Schools said. "I guess we’re right where we’re supposed to be. And if you ask me the same question a year from now, I’d say that we’re where we’re supposed to be then. This is a chance for us to do something new. To still be us, but definitely new. It feels good."