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Southeast Regional Report
Edited by Gil McLemore - gmclemore@mindspring.com

Mere days before Christmas and all through the south, Not a fan was stirring, not even a mouth; New Year's tickets were locked up with care, Impatiently waiting for the 'eve to get there;

The band's restin' up, passed out in their beds, While visions of Hotlanta dance in our heads; So catch a wink while you can, better get lots, It's gonna be Widespread Panic at the Fabby Fox!

Yep, you guessed it - December's big news here in the southeast is the upcoming four-night New Year's run, and in celebration this month's feature is pure Panic! After a hugely successful three-night stand at the Fox in '96, the band returned to Atlanta in '97, selling out the historic theater (cap. 4,678) all four-nights and in swift fashion... now they're gearing up to do it again. Our favorite six-pack, John Bell, Michael Houser, David Schools, Todd Nance, Domingo Ortiz, and John Hermann (JB, Mikey, Dave, Todd, Sonny, and JoJo to you and me) will once again bring their unique improvisational style, relentless energy, and enormous song base to the Fox Theater for another searing run, set to culminate on New Year's Eve. So, in preparation for the big show this month's feature celebrates Widespread Panic's past and present - a brief history of the band and 'testimonials from the converted' as we followed the band's trek southward last month. See ya'll at the Fox - Enjoy!

• Band History: Widespread Panic
• Review: Winton-Salem, NC (11/6/98) - WP
• Review: Chattanooga, TN (11/25/98) - WP
• Viperhouse at Ziggy's Winston-Salem, NC 11/19/98

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Band Profile: Widespread Panic

"An honest tune with a lingering lead, that's taken me this far..."

Widespread Panic began its evolution in 1982 when two young men, Michael Houser and John Bell, met at the University of Georgia. The duo discovered they shared a common thread in their music and began playing together. In '83, David Schools transferred to Georgia and met John Bell through a mutual friend. A piano player since childhood, Schools was also a self-taught bassist. Soon after meeting Houser and Bell, Dave left the university to concentrate on music with the others - Widespread Panic was born.

In February of 1985 the trio played their first gig at the A-Frame house on Weymanda Ct. in Athens, covering numbers by the Grateful Dead, Traffic, and Dr. John while incorporating a few originals. The Fall found the boys recording their first single, a 45 rpm named Coconut Image (the first song they ever wrote - later renamed Coconut), with a B-side, Sleepy Image (another original - renamed Sleepy Monkey - different from 'Sleeping Monkey' for the Phisheads). The other 'permanent' member of the band featured on the recording was vocalist Kelly Jo Davis, who would leave the band in late 1986. On February 6, 1986, at the Mad Hatter Ballroom in Athens, percussionist Todd Nance joined the band in his first gig and their first 'official' gig as a band - and the boys had found their drummer. 1986 proved to be a busy year for the young band as Spring brought the release of Coconut Image on the band's 'Space Baby' label and percussionist Domingo Oritz, who would later become a full-time member, began to sit in with the band. Fall and Winter of '87 was spent recording the band's first album "Space Wrangler."

"Space Wrangler" was released by indie label Landslide Records in September of 1988. The album provided the band with the watershed result they needed to continue, spurring on a re-release with additional tracks by Capricorn Records in February 1992, with which they signed in January 1991. In February of 1991, the T. Lavitz (Dixie Dregs) joined the band in the studio to assist in recording their new record, but he was soon invited out on the road to musically layer the sound they had developed - keyboards were added. The band's second album, Widespread Panic (nicknamed "Mom's Kitchen"), was released by Capricorn in July of 1991. With the first few months of '92, the band saw some changes in their line-up as T. Lavitz dropped himself from the tour and John Hermann took his place at the keyboards (GA Theater - 3/13/92), completing the current six member roster... all the pieces of the musical puzzle had fallen into place. After the debut of "Mom's Kitchen" and the final touches having been added to the structure of the band, Panic settled into their rhythm... playing some 200+ dates a year, the music took off for a growing legion of devoted fans. In similar fashion to the Grateful Dead, Widespread built their following through intensely musical live performances. Delivering blow after blow of hard-driving road rock'n'roll, the boys have spent years climbing to the forefront of touring bands in the U.S.

Taking time out to retreat into the studio, Panic delivered another album with the '93 release of "Everyday." With T. Lavitz having played keyboards on the previous studio recording of "Mom's Kitchen," John Hermann's presence on the album would be the first recording to capture the band's new sound, a preview of the chemistry and improvisational talent that would be Widespread Panic's signature for years to come. The band has continued its grueling regimen of relentless touring followed by cyclical studio work, answering in the Fall of '94 with the release of "Ain't Life Grand" and the release of "Bombs and Butterflies" in Winter '97. Finally, the band's improvisational nature, unique energy, and enormous song base has been captured in this year's release of the landmark, live-album "Light Fuse Get Away." With the release of "Light Fuse" and their accomplishments to date, Widespread Panic has achieved what few bands are capable of... maintaining a delicate balance between mainstream popularity, underground creativity, and critical acclaim.

- Gil McLemore, Editor

Widespread Panic is:
John "JB" Bell (vocals, acoustic and electric guitars)
John "JoJo" Hermann (keyboards, vocals)
Michael "Mikey" Houser (lead electric guitar, vocals)
Todd Nance (drums)
Domingo "Sonny" Ortiz (percussionist)
David "Dave" Schools (bass, vocals)

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Widespread Panic 11/06/98 Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Winston-Salem, NC

1: Glory, Porch Song > Pilgrims, The Waker, Mr. Soul, Greta > You Got Yours > Jack, Love Tractor

2: Little Kin > Makes Sense To Me, B of D, Weight Of The World, Low Rider > Driving Song > Fishwater > Drums > Fishwater > Driving Song > Walkin'

E: End of the Show, Feelin' Alright

Friday morning came streaming in through the bedroom window - it had been 3 months since Lakewood, and it was finally time to get my fix. The cloudless sky and a crisp North Carolina breeze made passing the day all the easier as we finally loaded up for the quick hour drive westward to Winston. After fellow freaks were rounded up from their houses, the familiar outline of Lawrence Joel came up on our right - got a few minutes, that tailgate sure looks comfortable, and damn if my hand isn't too warm... time to cool that thang down with a cold, cold beer. Mmmm... not just for breakfast anymore. Alright - showtime.

After a classic rendition of 'Porch' the band easily bled the song's momentum into 'Pilgrims', but the night's first real treat came next with my first 'Waker'. I've always been a big fan of any of Mikey's lead vocal efforts (Vacation, Raise the Roof, etc.) but his latest, and arguably best, found all the raves of his new tune to be true - Wait, what was this? The next thing we knew, we were treated to Neil Young's own 'Mr. Soul', a rare appearance that would set the tone for the rest of the evening's set list. 'Soul' was hard-driving first, relentless next as Mikey and Dave noodled with a potential jam, only to let the momentum drop once again - tease me, please. As always, the band's signature tension > release dynamics that drive each show were at play - after a short pause, 'Greta > You Got Yours' drove us into the sticky jam we expected... but wait, once again, yep, the unexpected. Another surprise, our long lost friend 'Jack' arrived on the scene, a special treat for a friend of mine that had never caught him at a show... one more converted. As F**k Truck drove us home, the performance was already shaping up to be an unexpected beauty.

Second set highlights were sharp, including a sorely missed instrumental, 'B of D', and the crowd favorite, 'Low Rider'. The crowd, a strange mix of fans and frat-tasm, was then treated to a monumental sandwich that by setlist alone left many speechless at the end of the show... End of the Show, hmmm, remember that. The double, yep, double sandwich that followed gave the crowd a high-fiber 'Driving' they could spread a little mustard on, next a little filet 'o 'Fishwater' in the middle, maybe some 'Drums' to drive out those leftover bones (interesting to note, Dave noodled 'Heart and Soul' throughout the night, and teased it thoroughly into 'Drums'). But all cliches aside, the fun was 'Walkin' back out - epic, memorable, over? Hell no - the boys left us, but only momentarily (at this point 'new convert' screams 'Oh, my God!' - 'nough said) Dave loped back onstage, cigarette dangling from his bottom lip, and nodded a few times to the crowd; JB strolled up, slung the mandolin over his head, draped his arm over it, and nodded in agreement with the screaming fans. Perhaps he thought we deserved the finish they were about to deliver... the encore was nothing short of a rare gem, the type that few truly appreciate, but everyone immensely enjoys - 'End of the Show' lilted from JB's mandolin as he crooned, while Todd patiently paced the band through the song's last verses. Then a transition, one I immediately called as MSTM, then glanced down at my scribbles to realize it had already been played - for the first time in nearly three years, I got my 'Feelin' Alright'. Perhaps one of Panic's best covers, Joe Cocker's old tune is no less than a rare treat in concert, played only 10 times in the last 8 years. Needless to say, our breath stopped short, our teeth shone in the stagelight, and our legs seemingly never touched the ground - as that old familiar feeling crept up my spine, the goosebumps jumped out, thousands reached for the ceiling, and one more phenomenal night was forever etched into my memory.

- Gil McLemore, Editor

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Widespread Panic 11/25/98 - Memorial Auditorium - Chattanooga, TN

I. She Caught The Katy > Ride Me High > Hatfield > Greta > Watching The Sleeping Man, You'll Be Fine, Machine > Barstools and Dreamers, Let It Rock > Radio Child

II. Papa Legba, C. Brown, Blight, Airplane > Pusherman > Drums > Jack > Chilly Water

E. Heaven > Coconut

I had been home for the holidays for less than 24 hours before hitting the highway, on the road to again to yet another Widespread Panic show. Accompanied by two of my Spreadneck brethren, we traveled north on I-75 from Atlanta, weaving through traffic and reminiscing about times gone, but not forgotten.

Conversation turned from set list predictions to "are we ever gonna get there", as cars sat motionless in the crowded interstate just outside of Chattanooga. We were contemplating tossing the directions out the window and trying our luck at the tangle of unfamiliar neighborhoods when a station wagon passed us by like the brisk autumn breeze that blew through our opened windows.

He waved us over and off of the highway.

"Y'all going to the show?" he asked. We nodded an eager yes and before we knew it we were zipping through the foreign streets to Chattanooga's Memorial Auditorium, our leader's Tennessee plates and dog's ears flapping in the wind.

"Ahh, the sunny South and her hospitality," I thought as we pulled into a lot half a block away from the venue. "Its good to be home."

The homecoming continued as we ran into friends from days old and new. I was reintroduced to folks I'd met in places as far as Paris, France who lived next door to one of my traveling companions in Oxford, Mississippi.

The energy was high as we made our way from the parking lot into the auditorium. The place was abuzz with an electricity that cut through the haze of the smoky halls and could be seen in the excited eyes of most concertgoers.

"Tonight's gonna be a smoker," I heard from a distant corner of the concession area. "Can you see it?"

The question was answered a few minutes later after we settled into our balcony seats.

Taj Mahal's 'She Caught the Katy' kicked the show off -- a fast paced, Blues classic that immediately displayed the band's towering might this eve before Thanksgiving. A fiery segue-way shook the crowd into a frenzy as keyboardist Jojo Herman slapped down the first notes of J.J. Cale's 'Ride Me High', a cover that Widespread could almost tattoo as their own, mastering its seductive groove and sexy lyrics.

A spacey jam followed, carrying all in attendance to another realm, before placing them down as gentle as a fall rain into Panic's own 'Hatfield'. The Widespread original erected the spirit of the late rainmaker, Charles Hatfield, quenching the thirsty mouths of the crowd (it was against house rules to bring a drink to your seat in the auditorium).

Hatfield melded perfectly into a ground shaking 'Greta' which raged on seemingly unstoppable until it hit Vic Chesnutt's 'Watching the Sleeping Man'. Bassist Dave School belted this one out, following was drummer Todd Nance's 'You'll Be Fine'.

Nance's slow tune gave us a chance to catch our breath, which was quickly lost as the guitar driven instrumental 'Machine' kicked the set into overdrive. Machine was accompanied by a stellar 'Barstools and Dreamers', which re-wet the palates of the thirsty crowd.

Chuck Berry's 'Let It Rock' was paired with Widespread's own 'Radio Child' to close off a set that was over an hour and fifteen minutes long, forcing many fans to their seats or the concession stand for a quick drink, smoke, then licking their chops for more.

The second set opened with 'Papa Legba', a Talking Head's song that oozes with a hoodoo sweat that falls from the audience's brow as frontman John Bell croons David Byrne's story of the Voodoo priest.

A sweet 'C. Brown' followed the powerful Legba. Schools took the mike again to sing another Chestnutt song, 'Blight'. The bass thumped hard and Mike Houser's guitar sailed through the swaying crowd before launching into a subtle 'Airplane'.

Airplane fell to a crashing jam that spiraled into Curtis Mayfield's 'Pusherman'. The Mayfield classic was full of funk, sending most the members of the band off the stage.

Todd Nance and percussionist Domingo Ortiz stood their ground in a drum medley that shook its way from its own tribal roots to the kingly tale of 'Jack'. The band served up another drink from the well with a 'Chilly Water' closer that extinguished the fires that many had started while dancing and shaking through another steamy set

I sunk into my seat once again and saw many people on the level below do the same. Eyes were wide and hands were thrown in the air for submission. It was a short wait for the band to come back on stage for an encore that shined with two Panic favorites that are rarely played live.

The tender notes of 'Heaven' wandered angelically through the air and, after an initial eruption, cooled the weary bodies in the auditorium. Friends and neighbors were locked in a warm embrace that was not stopped until the band dropped into Widespread's first original ever - 'Coconuts'.

Usually shelved for special occasions, Coconuts made an already epic night with Widespread Panic even more powerful. When the song ended bodies dropped with exhaustion, then slowly dispersed to their cars.

The music had once again filled the souls, leaving us hungry for another show in another town and lots to give thanks about. Thank you Widespread Panic, see y'all at the Fox!!!

- Eric Rothschild

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Viperhouse at Ziggy's Winston-Salem, NC 11/19/98
by Allan Abrams - aabrams@springer-ny.com

During a typically eerie YEM vocal jam as the evil, blazing strobe lights blinded the crowd, a female silhouette appeared. She started hootin' and hollerin' with Phish as the show at Lawrence Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, NC came to a close with a sick vocal jam. As the band left the stage Trey said: "That was Heloise Williams, from Viperhouse. She's a friend from Burlington and she is playing across the street."

The bar across the street Trey mentioned is Ziggys, the greatest rock and roll club I have ever been to. If I was going to be in Winston-Salem, attendance at Ziggys was mandatory. As a New Yorker, I don't get to go to North Carolina very often. I was already planning on going to Ziggys no matter what band was playing. Since Trey announced from the stage that his friend was going to be there I was even more excited to make my quick trip across the coliseum parking lot and into Ziggys. Heck, Phish might even show up! Physically, Ziggys is this old shack that has been expanded a bunch of times and built into this steep hillside. It has been there for many years, and tons of famous bands have played there, including Phish. It's a fairly large rock club and the stage is set at the bottom of the hill, so if you are in the back you still have great views of the stage. The club has a blue collar, drunk red neck, hippie vibe to it. It is a pure rock and roll club that could not exist in the Northeast. No wussies allowed. You piss in a trough like an animal. You drink Fosters oil cans. You get rowdy and drunk along with the crazy employees. The first time I was at this legendary club was after the Phish show last year. moe. sold out the club that night, and it was impossible to move, see the stage, go to the bathroom or get a beer. It seemed like every single person from the Phish show went over to Ziggys for the post show party.

But this year was different, despite Trey plugging the Viperhouse gig "across the street" at the end of the Phish show. After paying the $5 cover, we strolled into Ziggys and found it surprisingly empty. Viperhouse was in the middle of their first set and the small crowd was just wandering around the club. There were only around 50 people in this huge rock club, so the place did seem quite empty. I never heard of Viperhouse and was pleasantly surprised by the music and the diverse instrumentation of the band lineup. Viperhouse is composed of: Michael Chorney (saxophones), Brian Boyes (trumpet), Dan Mallach (trombone), Karen Quinn (violin), Heloise Williams (vocals ), Ray Paczkowski (keyboards), Rob Morse (bass), Phil Carr (drums ) and P.J. Davidian (percussion). Notice there is no guitarist in the lineup. I love big bands and when I saw all those people on stage I was looking forward to hearing what their music sounds like.

Viperhouse sounds a bit like a lounge band and their music is smooth and jazzy with funky grooves. They are very extremely funky, but they are definitely not a funk band. They have a unique big band sound for this is not your typical jam band. Viperhouse is not a rock band, they aren't a jazz band, they aren't a jam band and they aren't a funk band. What kind of band are they? They are a combination of all of the above, they are Viperhouse, and they play Viper music.

In the middle of the first set, Phish and their crew arrived in the half empty Ziggys. Trey walked backstage immediately, but Mike, Jon and Page wandered around the bar throughout the set. If the Phish fans had only listened to Trey's hint, they would have been able to hangout with their musical heroes all night after the show. Mike was wearing the same showbiz shirt he had on at the Phish gig. It was a ridiculous looking gold shiny gold sequined shirt like something Liberace would wear. Mike is shy and likes to blend into a crowd, so I was shocked he still had on that attention getting designer shirt. When Beau, my taper friend saw Phish walk in he went to get his taping gear. However, there was a no re-entry policy at the door and they wouldn't let him leave. Luckily, the cover was only five bucks, so Beau decided to go get his taping gear and pay another cover charge anyway. It's a good thing he did because the other two or three tapers had a soundboard patch, but the tapes came out unlistenable. Beau's AKG microphones were the only way to document this historic evening for Viperhouse.

When Viperhouse came onstage for their second set, Trey immediately walked out with them as if he were permanently in the band. Viperhouse doesn't have a guitarist, so Trey was not stepping on anyone's toes and he was a perfect addition to the band. He wasn't playing his regular Languedoc guitar, but some new guitar I've never seen him use before. During the second set, the crowd got much larger. Evidently, Phish's tour bus was parked in front of Ziggys, so any fans still hanging out in the lots made their way inside the club. However, it still was not crowded at al. There were only about 100 people in this huge, cavernous club. But as soon as Trey got on stage for the second set, everyone went right to the front, including me. Every person in there wanted to get as close to Trey as possible, so it was a bit crowded in front of the stage. It was a wonderful experience to see Trey play guitar just a few feet in front of me. It was incredible to watch his fingers play every note you hear.

Thankfully, we didn't have to wait long to hear Trey wail. During the second set opener the entire band just laid down a quiet, funky groove as they all turned around to look at Trey. Immediately, they were giving Trey plenty of room to rip it up with some solos. In fact, this tune was the best Trey moment of the set. Strangely enough he played more guitar on this tune than he did during the rest of the songs. His solos were loud and funky and his trademark grin was spread from ear to ear. The band members were thoroughly enjoying his contributions and they were just standing there staring at him just like the crowd was. Another great song was called "Head Cheese" which Heloise jokingly said was about her mom. Viperhouse and Heloise in particular have a great sense of humor. They also joked that another song was about Phish. But in reality that tune was about life in van, on the road as a touring musician. Trey took a few solos during this tune and Heloise encouraged him by yelling "Yeah! Go! Go!"

Heloise has a fantastic voice, and a great stage presence. Although, given the large musical ensemble Viperhouse is, I would like to hear more jamming or composed music and less vocals. However, her voice is wonderful and a joy to listen to. She is funny and a natural leader for the band. There were a few moments in the show when Heloise and Trey jammed off each other. She was scat singing along to Trey's guitar playing. No wonder she came onstage with Phish for the YEM vocal jam. She is a great at making strange, groovin', rockin', melodic noises in synch with the music. But she can also belt out a meaningful, lyrical song with her soulful voice.

During most songs, Trey just sat in the background, following along with what the other musicians were playing. He was laying down a basic groove while the rest of the band did their thing. However, there were about three songs in the first half of the set where he stepped to the forefront with some killer, loud solos. But as the set got longer, Trey got quieter. In fact, he did not return with the band for an encore. Obviously, he didn't want to hog the spotlight any longer so he let Viperhouse play the encore on their own. The last song seemed like the Viperhouse theme song. Ray, the keyboard player explained that the name Viper referred to an old time clarinet player "who was more famous for the quality of his Mexican pot than for his clarinet playing."

This was a great gig. Viperhouse is an excellent band and I highly recommend them because of their unique sound. They are not a rock and roll band, they create Viper music. Unfortunately, I didn't pay enough attention to the Viperhouse musicians. I was busy staring at Trey nonstop like a dorky fan boy. It is an extremely rare opportunity to see Trey play guitar just a few feet in front of you. I did not want to ruin this chance I had to stand at his feet and stare at him in awe. I felt guilty that I was denying Viperhouse my full attention, but the band members themselves couldn't stop staring at Trey either! There will be more Viperhouse shows when I can give them 100% of my eyes and ears. But I may never again stand within a few short feet of Trey as he jams the night away.