Widespread Panic’s 4/18/98 Show to Be Released

AKA "Panic in the Streets"

For decades, April 18, 1998 has lived in legend. A date passed down in stories, replayed through old taper recordings, and captured—partially—in the live album Panic in the Streets. Until now, we never had the whole thing.

On that spring day in downtown Athens, Georgia, Widespread Panic threw the largest CD release party in history. It was meant to celebrate the launch of Light Fuse, Get Away. What it became was something else entirely:

A full-scale takeover of their hometown. A thank-you to the scene that raised them. A moment in jam band history that rivals any from that era.

The band played the streets. No ticket. No fence. Just 100,000+ people, a springtime sky, and the sound of southern improvisation echoing down Washington Street.

For years, the only official documentation of that show was the Panic in the Streets CD and DVD released in 2002—featuring just a curated slice of the setlist. The rest? Kept alive by fan-traded tapes and bootlegs that circled the community. They were gritty, muffled, imperfect—but they were all we had.

Widespread Panic will release the full 4/18/98 - Athens, GA “Panic in The Streets” show on 4/4/2025 on all major streaming platforms.