Mike Roberts

4/17/18

Widespread Panic is bringing the road show back to Savannah for the first time in almost 3 years. And the first time in the Johnny Mercer Theatre in 9 years, almost to the date.

I have been a Panic fan for years….they have been a huge part of my life musically. The first time I saw them was in 1988 at a bar in Macon called O’Neally’s. Small place, lots of fun. I had just graduated from high school and had older friends who kept talking about this band called Widespread Panic. So I decided to check them out. I had to climb over some railroad tracks out back, and then sneak in the back door. The place was awesome and busting at the seams with people. Panic was awesome, playing covers from Traffic, the Dead, Guess Who, Hot Tuna, and some stuff that was theirs. I was 19 years old and hooked. In a way, this show was one that made me want to be in a band. Unfortunately, I have no musical talent, so I had to do the next best thing…work for one, which I did for several years while trying to go to college, which didn’t work too well.

Since that time, I have seen Panic several times. Some memorable shows would be…Panic opening for drivin’ n’ cryin’ at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta in November 1991…at the Macon City Auditorium in February 1992 when they played a bill with Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit and the Dixie Dreggs (T Lavitz last show with Panic)…a great New Years show at the Macon City Auditorium to ring in 1995…April 2000 at Hanner Fieldhouse on Georgia Southern Campus…April 24, 2002 in the Savannah Civic Center, because this would be the last time I would see Mikey Houser play. He had pancreatic cancer which would take his life just a few months later. We had heard rumors of this but it was not confirmed until a few days later when Mikey wrote a letter to his fans and it was posted on their website…and the last time they played here in 2005 was a great show, George McConnell playing with them, I loved it! (George got a bad rap; he was a great play but just didn’t fit the Panic scene. But he did a tremendous job at taking over. Besides, he had a huge “chair” to fill.

I have tickets for the Wednesday night show and can’t wait…It will be great to finally see Jimmy Herring play live…but the best part will be when the lights go down, and the past 20 years of my Panic History come rushing back! Look for me; I’ll be the one dancing!

Mike

***A couple out of town shows you may want to go check out would be the re-scheduled dates in May for Van Halen in Atlanta and Raleigh (Eddie’s health might prevent any future tours)…R.E.M. in Raleigh and Atlanta in June…Springsteen all over the Southeast in April…Steve Winwood and Tom Petty in July in Atlanta, Charlotte and Raleigh…and Robert Plant and Allison Krauss in Atlanta July 10th.***